Why aft spray rails

[Pete]

Planning on doing some repairs on one of the aft spray rails on our 48 LRC. I've noticed that few non Hatteras boats have such rails. I got wondering why these are necessary. Anyone ever just remove them? Anyone knowledgable on what the likely results would be in the performance of the boat?

Thanks

Pete

 

[Boatsb]

They are more a rub rail on my 41c.

 

[saltshaker]

They are more a rub rail on my 41c.

Correct. They aren't for spray. Hatteras refers to them as aft quarter fenders

 

[Pete]

They are more a rub rail on my 41c.

From your response I take it that when you are up against a piling the lower rub/spray rail will touch before the hull/deck rub rail touches. And on floating docks, the lower rail will act as a rub rail to protect the hull finish. On our boat the hull/deck rub rail always touches a piling before the lower rail and the lower rail provides protection for floating docks.

Thanks

Pete

 

[bigbill]

a lot of the older hatteras boats have tumblehome and the side of the hull would rub before the rubrail so they put these quarter fenders to protect the hull