Downeaster Yachts.com - Topic: rub rails

Scott Carle on rub rails

Tue, 24 Jun 2014 16:20:27 -0400

I wouldn't expect the cap rail to work as a rub rail at all. If you come in and hit it it will destroy it quickly. It just isn't that thick of a cross section nor is it attached that strongly that it would survive if it was being rubbed up and down against a pilling or took a good hit coming in. The outer face of the rub rail is just a trim strip butted up against the cap-rail also so it isn't one piece of wood.

For the pilings I would get a hoe or one of those hoe looking things with the straight blade rather than bent at 90 degrees and just remove all growth to keep it from gouging the boat. I know people around there that get a big tire and drop it over the piling with some flotation inside it. It rides up and down the piling and keeps the boat off it... not sure how big it would have to be with the overhang on the sides of the DE38 though.. Just a thought.

Rick on rub rails

Tue, 24 Jun 2014 16:01:17 -0400

In your experience, has the cap rail been sufficient as a rub rail on your boat? Would it be a better tactic to just add something to the cap rail? When we did a sea trial on Orion (which we just bought; DE 38 ketch) I noticed that while the cap rail didn't stick out substantially, it was the farthest protrusion. Not sure it's going to stop all the lower stuff. Can't believe that no one else worries when coming in to a new dock. At low tide my slip has marketable oysters that stick out almost 2" from the pilings.

Thanks

Scott Carle on rub rails

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 17:57:17 -0400

I've heard of just taking a thick board.. maybe a two by four on edge of some hardwood.. or have it laid on its side if it gave enough relief and just bolting to the side of the boat. Just replace it every few years as it gets beat up.. wouldn't be worth varnishing to pretty status though as it will be constantly getting beat up. I think that a hard wood is best as it will last longer.. though pine or other soft wood would be cheaper... maybe replace more often but cheaper...

You would want it bolted every foot or two I would think with big backing pads behind all bolts so that if it gets hit it will transmit the force to the entire side of the boat rather than the immediate area it is hit. I could see a bolt yanking out or ripping through a local area of the hull otherwise if it was pounding in one place.

You would need to look at what kind of relief you would need to bolt something to the hull and have it extend past the cap rail to give it protection.. would need to be a few inches I would think as even with a rub rail if the boat was moving side to side (tilting) it would bring the rub rail into contact pretty quickly to a pole or piling.

Rick on rub rails

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 17:05:16 -0400

Thank you!

I've got one of those and lots of giant, white squishy bumpers, what I want is a thick rub rail permanently installed all the way down the side of the boat so if I'm singlehanding into a gas dock I don't have to worry about the barnacles taking off my topside paint as they'll contact the rub rail before the paint. I know the new clorox bottle boats I get on charters look very sleek without them but I'm going for durable, not sleek.

My Bayfield has/had a teak rubrail with a stainless cap strip that ran the length of the boat. Through fastened so it could take a hit and it saved my pretty paint any number of times. Love the job it did but sanding and varnishing that pretty little teak piece every year was a pain.

I've seen lots of different rubber and metal extrusions but there's so many to choose from I'm hoping someone has already done the research and figured out what works great. This can't be a new idea! I can't be the only guy with a loathing of dock appendages bend on dragging something down my side.

BlackIrish77 on rub rails

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:43:29 -0400

Rick said:

All:

I need suggestions on putting some substantial rub rails on a DE 38 (Ketch)

With everything else going on as we're coming in to a new dock, chasing the oyster covered pilings with a bumper to protect the topside paint is an unnecessary problem easily minimized with some healthy rub rails.

Any suggestions? I would really prefer not to have to varnish down there every year, either. How about a metal cross section?

Rick

SV Orion

Rick on rub rails

Wed, 18 Jun 2014 22:24:49 -0400

All:

I need suggestions on putting some substantial rub rails on a DE 38 (Ketch)

With everything else going on as we're coming in to a new dock, chasing the oyster covered pilings with a bumper to protect the topside paint is an unnecessary problem easily minimized with some healthy rub rails.

Any suggestions? I would really prefer not to have to varnish down there every year, either. How about a metal cross section?

Rick

SV Orion