Spray Control

[tomrealest]

I went out on a Carolina style Jarrett Bay 68 two years ago at Beaufort, NC. Jarret Bay is also the Hatteras Dealer from MD to GA. We were going 34 knots in 3 to 5 foot seas and the spray was going over the flybridge. Sure the flared bow helps but nothing is going to solve the problem depending on the conditions.

[OldHatt45]

REBruekner,

In answer to your question about describing the "Lifting Rails".
My Rails are almost Full Length (they stop about a foot shy of the bow).
They are the full width (4 inches wide X 4 inches tall) for the sternmost 24 feet. The angle I set the bottom at is approximately 8 degrees down from horizontal for the rearmost 22 feet and gradually increases to about 15 degrees for the forward section.

Regarding the comment about "Hatt would have put them on every boat".
If this were an exact science and not Voodoo, back when they were originally building our boats and a 15 to 20 knot speeed was all you would ever want a boat to do, then I agree. Try and remember, in the 1970's, a lot of this kind of technology was foreign to most boat builders, Hatteras included. Look at some of the Newer hulls coming from factories today. A number of them actually build in lifting rails as part of the hull design.

Anyhow, all I can tell you is what I got, in terms of performance and spray control. Anyone wishing to come for a ride is more than welcome once I get her back in the water.

OldHatt45

[mike]

REBruekner, Pls post some photos and or a skectch of your lift rails? I am trying to visualize the implementation and your 4"x4" description of the cross section. What material did yoou use and how was it attached? Thanks....

[OldHatt45]

Mike,

I will try to post some pictures in a few days. I used an old Kodak Digital camera to record the process and have to dig out the computer that has the conversion software. As far as the rest of your question regarding the how I did it, what I used, etc. Please PM me with your email and I will send a document I wrote that describes the whole thing, including how to do it.

OldHatt45

[trogers]

My lifting rails only extend about 15-18 feet forward from the transom. Since they stick out from the vessel, like wings, I don't see how you could ever use a travel lift if they extended nearly to the bow.

[OldHatt45]

trogers,

It's really quite simple. Next time you go to your boat, take a look at it bow on. The forward slings of the Travel lift will make a "V" that doesn't even come close to the Rails up front.

In my case, (45c), the Rails begin to taper from 4 inches in width down to nothing at about 24 to 26 feet from the transom. Now where the Slings hit my hull in the stern, they DO in fact make contact with the Rails. Knowing this would happen, I took that into account, in several ways.
1. This area of the Rails is through bolted, with about 5 bolts, if I recall correctly.
2. In building the rails, each (1 inch) layer of mahogany is screwed down and epoxied.
3. I used 5 layers of fiberglass cloth over the top of the mahogany for strength and sealing.
4. I have pads I use (6X6 covered with carpet), when launching. I rest/lay these pads on the top of the rails so the slings hit them and not the rails. (Don't use anything when hauling). Have gone through the cycle 4 or 5 times now and there is No problem.

Hope this answers your question.

OldHatt45

[Mike36c]

I'm hauling my boat next week and lifting/spray rails are on the list. The previous owner installed full length BIG lift rails, they are 4 1/2 inches wide, 3 inches thick, 10 degrees down, and solid fiberglass. They must have cost a fortune to install. but as Newton stated "With every action there is an equal an opposite reaction" there is no free lunch.
At 17kts (before the repower) the rails worked great but at 23kts After an 8hr ride into a 1.5' head chop one will know what shaken baby syndrome must feel like. My plan is to cut off (I'm still not sure how) all of the rails just shy of 10' from the transom and fair them in from there. This will make them strictly lift rails. Spray is the least of my worries, I just want to feel that legendary Hatteras ride I've heard so much about

[Fat Boy]

I have my 36C on the hill, as we speak. As I have finally located the source of my vibration, that has been driving me nuts, a bent strut, which is being repaired tomorrow, I'm also finally having the smart rails installed, M-1000 for bow and M-2000 for stern, that I bought at the boat show last year. I hope to have everything completed, along with new bottom paint, and no more vibrations next week. I can't wait to give them a try.

[OldHatt45]

To Mike 36c,

Don't Do it! You need to do more investigation, before cutting them off.
While it may sound strange, doing what you stated about cutting off all but the sternmost 10 feet sounds like it will help you out I would strongly suggest you don't cutthem down until you do some research.

The Voodoo of Lifting Rails actually does follow some rules and there is some science to it. If you take a look at the Rails on some of the professional jobs and on racing boats and even on some factory hulls (like Viking) you will notice that the down angle is steeper in the bow then at the stern. Reason is that the steeper angle is designed intentionally to trap water and AIR under the hull. Then as you get further back toward the stern, the angle decreases. The reason for that is to let the Water and AIR escape in a distributed pattern, evenly so you don't get any wierd motion (rocking forward and back or side to side) when running. Cutting off the rails as proposed could actually cause things to go bad. WHat I mean is it could actually cause the rails to act like diving planes on a sub or ailerons on a plane coming in for a landing and make you squat in the stern and ride bow up. I'm not sure but please check it out before doing this.

For your own sake Please don't just cut them off as you stated. DO some research first.

OldHatt45