T&T: Rotten Rub Rails

[Mark Richter]

Don,
Lack of access to the nuts on the inside of the hull will be a big handicap
to your rubrail replacement project.  I replaced the rubrail on a 40'
Pilgrim trawler two years ago.  Most of the 3/8" stainless bolts could be
accessed from inside, and the nuts removed with a wrench.  The others (about
20% as I recall) could not be reached.  These bolts were cut off just behind
the old rotten oak rubrail with a Sawzall using a 9" long fine-toothed
blade, which was not at all difficult.  All the bolt holes were pluggged
with epoxy thickened with finely chopped glass and Cabosil.

Many rubrail extrusions are available from rubber, aluminum, and PVC, but
the customer did not like the appearance of any of these that we found.  I
fabricated the new rubrail from 5/4 X 6" light gray composite decking found
at Home Depot.  The finished rail was 1" thick, and 3" wide against the
hull, tapering to 2.7" on the outside.  This material was flexible enough
for most of the hull's curvature, but had to be laminated in two thinner
pieces where it wraps all the way around the transom of the Pilgrim. Most
boats would not have this problem.

The new railing was installed with 3/8" stainless bolts where the inside was
accesible, and 3/8" stainless lag screws where not accessible.  A generous
application of 3M's 4200 adhesive sealant was applied under the railing
before bolting.  The customer was very happy with the result, though I would
say that this decking material is a bit soft for rubrail use unless it is to
be protected with a stainless or bronze halfround rubstrip.

Mark Richter, m/v Winnie the Pooh, presently lying Palmyra, NY
Mark's Mobile Marine, Ortona, FL