Rub Rail restore or replace?

[kenfyoozed]

After removing the old rub rail and cleaning the area, dond't forget to inspect the screws that hold the two halves of the boat together. If any are rusted, replace them.

I am still trying to plan how to attack this job. My original rub rail insert is no longer any good. It has shrunk and need s to be replaced but i haven't laid my hands on a decent insert yet. I may have found a source for the original insert and I am awaiting a sample. Not holding my breath.

If I do replace my rub rail I am looking at the TACO V11-0809BBK70-2. I know the original aluminum rub rail has bolts running through it, through the top side cap and the hull. Sandwiching everything together. My plan as of now is this..,
1. Unbolt and remove one section of aluminum rail at a time to keep the joint as stable a possible.
2. Clean and reseal the hull joint with 5200/4200. (haven't decided which yet)
3. Bolt the top side and hull back together without the rail, sealing each bolt as well
4. Installing the new rubber flexible rub rail with screws. Adding sealant to each screw hole as well.

Thoughts?

[Jimmyt]

See this thread for some discussion of the topic.

viewtopic.php?p=251500#p251500

Can you post a photo of your hull to deck joint and rubrail? Just trying to add to the knowledge base on this topic for future reference.

Your plan seems solid. The old thread indicates long cure 5200 is the weapon of choice.

https://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/ ... alant.html

[Russ]

I don't know how similar the D is to the X, but this video might be helpful. (from the main site links page)

[kenfyoozed]

See this thread for some discussion of the topic.

viewtopic.php?p=251500#p251500

Can you post a photo of your hull to deck joint and rubrail? Just trying to add to the knowledge base on this topic for future reference.

Your plan seems solid. The old thread indicates long cure 5200 is the weapon of choice.

https://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/ ... alant.html

Howdy Neighbor! Thanks for the links and I have seen those I have tried to research as much as I could before coming up with a plan. The next issue I am going across , and I haven't looked into it yet, but I am assuming there will be issue with the bolt heads and running a new rub rail over them. Unless I recess the heads witch I think would weaken the fiberglass. SO..... I would need to bolt through the rub rail/ top cap / bottom hull / liner like the original for this to work. To do so would mean, if i use the TACO rub rail i would need to remove all the original aluminum extrusions at once to install the vinyl flexible rub rail. OR.... find a rub rail with new aluminum extrusions that can be through bolted. Which i have found a section with the Tessilmare Radial rub rail. Its more expensive than the TACO bit its taller as well. Wished i could just find the original style rub rail. Still waiting on a sample but if its like most things ill need several plans before I find one that works.

[kenfyoozed]

I don't know how similar the D is to the X, but this video might be helpful. (from the main site links page)

The older Macs have a horizontal bolt through the rail/ cap/ hull/ liner all sandwiched together while the newer Macs have a vertical bolt through the cap and hull.

[Wyb2]

Looks like there are replacement options for aluminum. Style 1 looks about right, comes in 2 sizes.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/taco-ma ... separately

If you go with the all-vinyl, I would consider just bonding it in place. I would have a hard time poking 100s of screw holes in the bedding job I had just put a bunch of work into. I think the only reason the original rub rail is attached with the deck-to-hull hardware is so it can all get slapped together at the same time. Just make sure the 5200 or whatever you go with doesn’t attack the vinyl before you go all-in.

…Unless I recess the heads witch I think would weaken the fiberglass. SO..... I would need to bolt through the rub rail/ top cap / bottom hull / liner like the original for this to work….

To get around this you could recess the backside of the rub rail to clear the bolt heads. If it’s too thin, you could probably even go with a clearance hole, it should get covered up cosmetically by the insert.

[kenfyoozed]

To get around this you could recess the backside of the rub rail to clear the bolt heads. If it’s too thin, you could probably even go with a clearance hole, it should get covered up cosmetically by the insert.

Great idea! I do think at this point I am going to replace the entire run rail with a system from Tessilmare. I like the Radial 40. The internal track has a void for the bolt/ machine screw head. But I agree that putting more holes with screws is a bad thing. So i may remove the old bolts and seal up the bolt hole with sealant and then through bolt the new rail like the factory did.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/mate-us ... kits-black

I have a section of the stock aluminum rub rail that damage so I would need to replace that section. If im going to replace it might as well replace the whole thing with something newer . If it last another 34 years then ill be happy.

I do think I have found the correct stock rub rail. Wefco 3992. $3.50 per foot.

[kenfyoozed]

So i pulled the entire rubber insert out today and attempted to remove some of the screws. 1/4 of the nuts are rusted in place, 2/3 of all the phillips heads are stripped and then when the stainless nuts started to gall I gave up. At this point it seems if would be better to grind off the heads and punch the body of the screws through to the inside. That being said, I have a question. IS is ok to take out all the bolts at one time or would it be better to do a section at a time? A section being what ever the aluminum rub rail section lengths would be.

If you go with the all-vinyl, I would consider just bonding it in place. I would have a hard time poking 100s of screw holes in the bedding job I had just put a bunch of work into. I think the only reason the original rub rail is attached with the deck-to-hull hardware is so it can all get slapped together at the same time. Just make sure the 5200 or whatever you go with doesn’t attack the vinyl before you go all-in.

What would you bond it in place with? What would keep it in place over time?

[Wyb2]

What would you bond it in place with? What would keep it in place over time?

3M 5200 seems to be the industry standard for bonding things on fiberglass boats that you don’t plan on taking apart. I think 3M says “should be considered permanent” and I think that is part advertising and part fair warning, because it can be a bear to remove. Anecdotally I’ve heard of people trying to drop 5000 lb keels that were bedded with 5200, and finding the bond continues to lift the keel off the ground after removing all the the keel bolts. There may be other good options too, I’m no expert.

The only other consideration is, I know polyurethanes (like 5200) will react poorly with some plastics, specifically acrylic hatch windows (I think this is one of the few places silicone is still recommended). PVC/vinyl might be fine, but I would recommend testing whatever you choose on a small piece first. Bond 6” of two 12” pieces together, when cured put one loose end in a bench vice and see if you can peel them apart. That should let you know for sure what kind of bond you will be getting.

[opie]

Imho, use Liquid Nails LN-901 HD 11-oz from Lowes. $3.28.
I posted here about it years ago for my X's rub rail.
The rub rail is stretched on warm and contracts tightly when cooled. You hardly need the adhesive at all. The waterproofing is inherent in the deck-to-hull screwed joint and the rub rail's purpose is only to stave off offending boats and docks. You don't need the permanent bonding that 5200 provides and imho don't want it either.
Opie
(curmudgeon-at-large)

[kenfyoozed]

The biggest issue is that on a 26D the hull deck point is bolted through along with the rub rail. My bolts are running horizontal through the rail, deck cap, hull and liner. To remove the rub rail I have to remove the bolts on the hull deck joint. I think doing one section at a time will be my best bet. On some areas I can't even get to the nuts because the deck liner was not cut properly from the factory so the top liner is resting against the bottom liner on the interior. I will have to cut about 1/2' off the top interior liner where it covers the joint to access the nuts.

[opie]

My unfamiliarity with the 26D have lead my comments to be incorrect in your case....... good luck. Maybe some more pics could spur some constructive suggestions.

[kenfyoozed]

No worries, all comments and suggestions are welcome as it helps steer me to the correct outcome. I will get some pictures as I am sure you are correct.

[kenfyoozed]

Damaged aluminum rail on port bow


Stripped heads on the machine screws


Deck all joint gap under the rail at starboard midship


rusted nuts under windows


Interior top liner with no gap to access nuts, this area will need to be trimmed to access the nuts

[dlandersson]

Ditto

You don't need the permanent bonding that 5200 provides and imho don't want it either.
Opie
(curmudgeon-at-large)