Steve_H

thanks for the info Griff.
i made a drawing of my rubrail. just need to fax it to TACO.
if i dont use the existing holes , whats the best way to fill-in the old ones?
plain ole silicone?

jimslade

Its a Taco piece. Fill the holes with long strand fiberglass filler, You can then reuse the existing holes.

Griff

Thats what I did, just pushed some silicone into the old holes.

Air Dog

Steve H,

I have done a few rub rails over the years from speed boats to large sailbotes and one technique really has worked well for me.

Forget using the old holes. From the inside of the boat, either place tape over the holes or cover them with fiberglass cloth tape. Next get a syringe (sp?), fill it with quality resin and fill all the holes. When you put on the new rail, just try to stagger it so you don't use the old holes. If it is pre-drilled, then occassionally you won't be able to help using the old holes.

I recommend TACO in Miami. West Marine should have samples that you can play with to find a match. The last one I did, I changed a similiar one like yours, to one that had an insert which covered up the screws for a more cleaner look.

Either way your gonna need a heat gun or a strong blow dryer for the corners and / or the insert.

If you go with a rigid or semi-rigid rail, don't let anybody tell you that soapy warm water will allow you too smoothly slip the insert into the base, because that is crap. All that technique will do is get you covered in soapy warm water, hurt your fingers after you manage to push in about 6 inches worth of insert which will be followed by you cursing your existence and throwing all of your tools including the bucket of soapy water.

Not sure if I helped your cause, just wanted to make sure noboday else fell for the soapy water thing...

Air Dog

Forget the sillycone. Use resin or epoxy.

You want the fu@ker to be strong. Plus, if the new rail is predrilled and you need to use an old hole, then you can if you filled it with resin or fiberglass filler like jimslade said.

If you filled it with sillicone, then it will just pull out, plus water would get inbetween unless you sealed it really good.

Steve_H

thanks for the tips Air Dog.

im a little confused on this part "From the inside of the boat, either place tape over the holes or cover them with fiberglass cloth tape. "

are you suggesting i remove my interior cuz thats the only way i can reach the inside?

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Go with the stainless steel. I have had both, and much prefer the stainless.

Griff

I've got no way to do this either, unless I just want to keep squirting the chit in. Can't get to the back side except in the bilge.

As far as the old screw holes and reusing them. I used a couple. None of them were stripped out and held just as tight as the freshly drilled ones. How strong does the thing need to be???? You really only need to keep water that seeps between the hull and rail from getting in the holes where there is some wood. Use some 5200 to fill if must.

Air Dog

Steve H and Griff,

To answer your question, yes I mean take apart your interior to cover the holes if you can.

If you can't get to them from the inside, you can fill the holes other ways by blocking the hole with one application and sealing it with another.

As far as strength, unless your hull and deck are glassed together from the inside, then in some cases, all you have holding the 2 parts of your boat together is the rub rail screws.

As far as water getting in, I was thinking more along the lines of sailboats which when healed over can submerge the rail completely under the water...

Air Dog

Almost forgot,

I run a bead of 3M 5200 under the entire rub rail and each screw I put in gets coated with 5200 as well.

If you use the heat gun to bend around corners, make sure you have a helper, because you will need to get it good an hot ( not burnt ) at the same time you need to be a few feet away from the corner of the boat for the bend to follow the shape of the boat correctly.