rubrail coming loose

Sea Wolf · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 1:29 pm Post subject:

Tad and Toby-

Star

Five stars for an excellent job and very well written report!

" I have two decisions to make now. #1: should I apply a bead of silicone to the top and/or bottom of the rail for extra protection? #2: should I put a dab/glob of 4200 or 5200 over the nut and washer on the inside? "

1. Probably not necessary, but would keep debris from collecting in the slot between the rail and the boat. Morning dew runs a lot of crap down into such traps! Boat and RV owners know this is a source of a lot of dirt that makes wash jobs sometimes difficult. Would also keep water out if you experience freezing in winter which could loosen up screws, etc.

2. Depends on two things:

A. Cosmetics- Will it look better with the goop? Can you paint it to match with a trick or two with two brushes with similar colors to the Zolatone finish?

B. Safety- Do the nut and washer make for any "Meat Hooks" that you can catch someone's skin, clothing, or bedding on? If so, cover em up!

If you had enough threads showing, chromed or polished stainless steel acorn nuts would be a nice, dressy touch!

Great job, guys!

Joe. Teeth

SeaSpray · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:53 pm Post subject:

Thanks for a great description.

Steve

Tad and Toby Jackson · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:28 pm Post subject:

Joe,

I thought about the acorn nuts, but with only a 1" bolt, there was not much more than an 1/8" of the bolt showing through the nyloc nut. Not really enough, but probably enough to snag flesh or fabric, especially in the berth area. Most all of the others are not easily brushed up against because of their location. I wonder how they got the gob of 5200 so nice and rounded when it was originally constructed. That is probably the way I will go for those up forward in the berth, but the rest of them I will probably leave as they are.

And Thanks for the compliment...I enjoyed the project and I enjoyed sharing it with others who are having the same problem...Tad

Tad and Toby Jackson · Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject: Rub Rail Project

For those of you who have been dealing with separating rub rails, I have just posted pictures of my replacement project in the Comfy Dory Album. Please feel free to ask questions if you like.

Tad

SeaSpray · Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject:

Hi Tad,

Great set of pictures for the rest of us to follow! Thanks for for posting this.

Steve

Rob & Karen · Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:39 pm Post subject:

Hi Tad,

Can you give a description of what is happening in pics 13-17 of the project? I am not following how you are using the tool you made and the 5200.

Thanks,

Rob

Tad and Toby Jackson · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:15 am Post subject:

Hi Rob,

Those pictures show the lumps of 5200 over the flared ends of the rivets. I placed the sharp end of the piece of thin walled pipe over the approximate center of the lump and tapped on it with a hammer until it cut into the 5200 and created a kind of plug. I then went to the outside of the boat and tapped on the rivet shaft that was protruding until it was flush with the boat. I then went back in the boat and pulled the plugs of 5200 with the rivet imbedded completely out of the holes. This left a kind of small crater which was covered over with the fender washer when I re-installed the aluminum rail.

I originally tried just to tap on the rivet shafts from the outside, but that 5200 is tough stuff and if it broke free at all, it left a jagged hole on the inside. That is why I used the pipe to cut the 5200...to make a cleaner hole on the inside.

Tad