BYYB Forums

Hello...I am trying to install the lower rub rails on my weekender and I am having trouble getting the rail to lay flush against the hull after all the screws are driven in.  I have about a 1/4 inch gap in some areas.  If any of you have any suggestions on how to make the rails install easier, I would appreciate the help. 

fyi: I am installing the lower rub rails after the hull has been glassed...not that it matters.

I look forward to any suggestions on how you all accomplished this step of the build.

thanks,

Hi Tracy -

Its been awhile since we've heard from you! I also had about a 1/4 inch gap when I installed my lower rubrail. I also installed it after glassing. I fixed it by cinching the screws harder - to begin with, I started in the front while installing it and slowly worked my way toward the back - this way I didn't have any slop in the wood. When I finished in the back my gaps were simply filled with epoxy and wood flour. Have had no trouble sailing that way. 

a.

in this ancient photo you can kind of see that the rubrail used to have gaps - they are filled and painted and none are the wiser (until right now when I reveal this little detail)



I will keep looking for a photos before I painted...

a.

I had a couple of really bad bulges:





I filled the gaps with thickened epoxy, and sanded the bump out of the rail. Can't even notice it anymore.

Peace,
Roland

There are many places on a boat hull that defy the use of a clamp and challenge the builder to come up with an inventive way of "sucking" something down.

One way that works well is a Spanish Windlass. Ratcheting straps are another more modern method. On occasions where I wanted a rail to lay down, but didn't wish to bond it to the hull, so I could remove it later if necessary, I'd use through bolts.

Machine bolts are ideal for this. I have a few hundred 2.5" #10 machine bolts (actually called screws, except they look like bolts with a screw type head). These are left over from a previous job and I'm trying to use them up. I recently dry fitted a rub rail to a CS-17 and had trouble getting it to lay down flush. I drilled through the sheer clamp and planking for the machine screw, stuck it through and ran the lock nut on from inside the boat. It pulled the rail down nice and tight.

Another method would be to use long wood screws into a temporary backing block. Install the backing block on the inside, which provides more "meat" for the screw to grab, then run the screw in. When the glue dries, you can remove the screw and block, then install a shorter screw.

Thanks Adla, Paul, and Roland!!  It is nice to hear that I am not the only one that has encountered this problem.  Adla I think that you bring up a good point...I had the rail attached at the front and the back and then tried to go back and screw in the remaining screws.  I don't think that the wood is able to do it's thing as easily that way.  Paul I didn't even think about drilling through a bolt and then tightening down that way...genious!  I am on my way out to the work shop to give it another try ;D

Adla and Paul...by the way you two are like boat building "rock stars" to me...thanks for all the inspiration and very valuable posts over the last couple years!!  I am nearly finished with my build and have you to thank for much of my success.

thanks again....

oh yeah - don't start on both ends. It will lay down much better for you if you start at one or the other of the ends and go from there.
I am dyin' to see Lillybean on the water!

a.

I left the lower rubrail off entirely, after 5 sailing seasons the Vacationer hull is no worse for wear, because of it's absence.

Greg

just remember, thickened epoxy will cure all evils and under no sercomstances should you use bondo on this sort of thing.

I always consider the potential need to remove things for repairs. Rub rails, by their nature are "consumable" items, intended to be beaten up then replaced from time to time. If it's glued on, this is more difficult.

For what it's worth, when bending pieces on there are two basic rules. Always "walk" out the possibility of puckers, kinks, etc. You do this by working in one direction, progressively away from your stating point. This eliminates any puckers. The second is start with the hardest bend, which on a rub rail will be at the bow. This allows you to use the leverage of the yet attached portions of the rail to "manhandle" it into position.

If I still have gaps, rather then bond it to the hull I'll make it thicker where it needs to be (to fill the gaps). I do this by placing some clear plastic packaging tape on the hull, then bending on the piece. Next I pack and stuff some thickened goo behind the rail (I'll usually loosen the screws to make things easier, then retighten), making it nice and neat. When this cures I remove the rail with the tape preventing the goo from sticking to the hull. Trim up the filled in areas on the rail, remove the tape on the hull then bed down the rail properly, with a perfectly form fitting rail (ain't epoxy cool).