Please help!!!!

[julianj08]

Just purchased a 73 hatteras 38 double cabin... three questions: 1) what do you call the long slender wing-like parts on both sides of the after exterior of the hull along the waterline... it is rotten, 2) I am chipping away at he rotten wood but can figure out how to get the bolts out... can you tell me where the nuts are located?

Thanks

[madhatter1]

Those are rub rails that keep you off the piling. Look at the shape of the hull where they are located. I thought they were spray rails on my 34. Mine were rotten too and I removed them. Bad decision on my part. If you can dry yours out to find out if there is any solid wood left you can scrape away the weak stuff, epoxy seal what is left, and build the voids back up with chopped fiberglass and epoxy. Then fair out, paint, and put the stainless back on.

[zigzag930]

Spray rails if they are down low to the water line, just above the anti-fouling paint and stripe

[bigbill]

they are called quarter fenders

[MadHatter53]

I believe they are bolted on from the inside.

[julianj08]

It looks like I can't get to the nuts holding the bolts without cutting out a significant part of the area where the bolts are... I was wondering if I should cut the wood rail and bolts off the hull... fiberglass over the bolt holes and reattached a new rail with new bolts and fiber glass etc... does that make sense????

[julianj08]

actually instead of creating new bolt holes in the hull how about just using 5200 and fiberglassing the new wood rail to the hull... does that make sense???

[SeaEric]

If you use bolts to re-attach the new rails, you'll still have to access the inside to put the nuts on.

[julianj08]

SeaEric... what are your thoughts on just glassing the rail unto the boat??

[SeaEric]

I would think that some sort of mechanical fastening would be preferred. I'm sure the experts here will weigh in.