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  1. #1

    quarter rail/fender repairs

    Most of our boats have mahogany rails at the back, capped with a stainless steel rub rail; today I began the process of stripping these and refinishing/repairing them as needed. They appear dry (they ought to be after a long cold winter with the boat wrapped up in its breathable winter cover) Mostly they are in good shape, but the forward end of the starboard one is shedding some of its paint, and some of the holes for screws that attach the stainless pieces are clearly loose, so some work is in order.

    The plan so far is to mask them off (all the surrounding paint is in good shape) and wood down the areas which require repairing, fill and fair as needed (I don't think I need to replace any wood from what I've seen so far) and then repaint the areas. I'm also going to fill the screw holes and re-drill them. The stainless parts just need a good cleanup and one has two holes where it ought to have only one, so I'll get the local metalworking shop to fill that and then grind it flush and polish it a bit.

    I'm interested to hear any details of repairs done in this area by other owners. One of the things I noticed is that despite all the mounting screws for the stainless rail being SS, several of them rusted right below the head. Evidently enough moisture and not enough oxygen was present that they could in fact rust. I haven't decided what to put back in there; Sams do have Monel screws, possibly even in the right size, and McMaster have 316 stainless screws, although not with the square-drive Robertson head we all know and love.

    I'm also mulling over what to use in the way of epoxy for this repair. Ordinarily I use West system for everything, with whatever additives it needs, but this area gets a fair amount of impact sometimes and I am wondering if FlexPoxy would be better. It cures up but still has a little give to it when it's cured- has anyone used it in this application?

    These were last off when she was painted probably 15-16 years ago by Aircraft Refinishers in Cambridge, MD. Says something about their work that I'm doing it now, but I probably should have tackled it last year.

  2. #2

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    The later boats had fiberglass rails. Yachtsmanbill had some made by Tom Slane to replace his.
    Sky Cheney
    1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
    ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI

  3. #3

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    I claim No experience with this particular repair. But based on my use of 2 part epoxy ( Raka) I think West System should be fine. However, best I recall, the standard West, cures harder than the 2/1 epoxy I use.

    I would drill out any bad wood, carefully dry the holes with a heat gun, and apply a coat of in thickened epoxy to the warm wood. Follow with a second coat, then fill the holes using epoxy thickened with a mixture of wood flour and cabosil. A large syringe would be helpful to inject. Follow up coat are best applied before the under coat has fully cured. Less than 12 hours.

    Good luck,
    Regards,
    Vincent Castigliola
    Lilly Marie - 43 DC 1983
    Pascagoula, Mississippi

    Rather than history as a peaceful continuum interrupted by war, “For the first time in the nation's history men in authority are talking about an "emergency" without a foreseeable end" _ C. Wright Mills 1956

  4. #4

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    Jim, I went through this with my 48MY and probably posted on it. Any way, I was convinced that the rails had been damaged by lifting straps. I found water had entered the boat around the mounting bolts and some of the rail had rotted (forward edges where they would not holld paint). I bought a new fiberglass pair from SAMS and had a yard cut them to size and install them. The labor charge was outrageous.

    Bobk
    atttending the MTOA rendezvous in Daytona

  5. #5

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    P.O of my 34C replaced them with a plastic set it is solid I think he said it was PVC that was 15 years ago so they are now about 18 + years old and still are fine.
    No Idea where he got them sorry!
    Dan
    End Of The Line II
    1967 34C

    EOTL II Rebuild Web Page

    ><(((º>´¯`•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸¸><((((º>`•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸><(( (( º>¸¸.•´¯`•.¸¸¸><(((º>

  6. #6

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    West Epoxy will be fine, I always tell people to use whatever epoxy they're comfortable with, as there really isn't that much difference in the blending, and also what's easily available. We gave up on the wood, put a set of fiberglass rails on from Slane, they've been great. .
    CRICKET
    1966 HAT50C101
    Purchased 1985 12v71Ns
    Repowered 1989 with 8v92TI
    Repowered 2001 with 3406E

  7. #7

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    I would like to replace mine but how do they come off. are there fasteners behind the stainless trim with glassed in nuts inside the hul. On my 42c there are fuel tanks and I know I can not fit in there.

    Thanks
    Walt Hoover

  8. #8

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    I had a pair made to replace on a 34. had them made out of PVC board. It paints well and is never going to rot. they bedded in nicely and then polished the old stainless to finish them off.



    As for hauling damage I do not know of any hatt where the rear rails should be in the slings but forward spray rails and lifting rails need to be blocked before hauling.
    Scott
    41C117 "Hattatude"
    Port Canaveral Florida.


    Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.

  9. #9

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    A. Take the stainless off and B. drill out all the holes and glue in 3/8 or 1/2" teak plugs, and C. Re-drill using a VIX-BIT.

    The rails are 2 inches plus thick and you can drill and insert 3 or 4 bungs deep into each one. Use
    Gorilla glue from now on. The rails are nut and bolted through the hull and to rebed the whole rail is a PITA. A pair of Slanes 20 foot rails ( 2-10 foot sections each were about $2500 with shipping etc)
    I took a skil saw and just cut the rails and bolts and removed the remainder with a chisel. Mine also had chine mounted spray rails (teak) and they did not like 30 tons on the slings. I made lifting
    blocks that went above the rails. One inch thick glass readily accepts 1/4-20 machine screws BTW.
    ws



    yachtsmanWILLY

    I used to think I knew everything until I found the experts HERE; Now I know I dont know SQUAT



    www.flybridge.proboards.com
    Uncensored, no nonsense boating fun for adults

  10. #10

    Re: quarter rail/fender repairs

    while in for a hull paint job, my painter stripped the rails, brushed on a hot coat of resin, then wrapped them in chopstrand mat, sanded that down smooth then put a coat of dynaglass, then sanded smooth, then primer and now she sits waiting for good weather to paint

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