BYYB Forums

I have my hull glassed and painted and am about to work on the rub rails.  In a previous thread I read something Riccelli wrote about bonding the fastner holes with epoxy.  Where can I get info on that technique? It sounds good but I need more detailed information.  Also, as far as bedding the rail do I just run a thick bead of 4200 down the rail and screw it on or is there more involved?

I cannot answer about the rail bedding. I'm sure Paul will give full details. 'Till then, it's my understanding that bonding the screw holes is basically drilling screw holes oversize, then filling with 'poxy. Once cured, then drilling needed hole size to accommodate screws.

capnpablo

Van it has been my experience with these boats that the rub rails (lower) are attached from the inside.  The top rails can be attached by various means depending onthe style of construction.  I used a 1x2 for the outer and cut a closet rod lengthwise to form a half round onthe inside of the rail,  Both were bedded with epoxy and the counter sunk screws driven in through the half round and filled. My upper rails took a beating but never so much as a scratch on the lower as the flair of the hull protects it.  ( the top rail hits first )  The upper rails were easily fixed at seasons end with epoxy and some fresh paint.  The method you ask about involved waxing the screw and setting it into an oversize epoxy filled hole and allowed to cure.  Once cured the screw can be backed out and the attachment made with what ever sealent you prefer ( NO SILICONE, ever anywhere).  I hope this helps

Thanks Craig, I see I was almost half right and completely wrong in my understanding of "bedding" the screw holes!  :-\

capnpablo

Greetings from Cancun!!  Spending a week here with my wife, but the boat building addiction is so strong I had to bring my laptop!  We'll be in St. Martin FWI in February:  Same scenario then!

I agree with Craig:  I'm nearly ready to attack my rubrails, and screwing them from the inside seems easiest and obviates the whole problem of drilling oversize, thn redrilling and overfilling the screws from the outside.  My weekender will have toerails rather than a upper rubrail so I can't help you there.

Dave

When I put my rubrails on I bedded them in epoxy with wood flour.  I was able to attach them using only a few screws and two clamps.  I did both from the outside.  The lower rail I screwed in at the stem, the first bulk head, the panel joiner (where the two pieces of each side joined), the rear bulkhead and the transom.  On the transom the lower rails are short so one screw at the corner and one clamp at the motor well cut out held them.  The curve of the boat kept the bottom rubrail against the boat with just those few screws and the 2 clamps.  The upper rubrail I screwed diagonally into the stringer between the side and deck.  One screw about ever 12" kept it tight.  I considered just using clamps on the top rail and think that would have worked just fine once the epoxy set.  I read a book on boat building, wish I could remember the name but I loaned it to a new builder and he skipped town with it.  The book suggested removing all screws after the epoxy set, drilling the hole out a bit and replacing them with wood dowels glued in with epoxy.  The idea was to have an all wood construction and not internal corrosion.  Here's how my rails turned out with just the few screws:

Were I to do this over I would change the design of the upper rub/toe rail.  On mine it was a sandwich of the outer and inner with edge grain ply between open to the weather.  Next time I would rabbit one piece or cap the rail with a third piece on top of the whole assy.  That would keep the water out of the end grain that even with an epoxy sealer wicked water.  My rails were attached with weldwood glue and not epoxy as I had indicated so that allowed the wet to get past the paint in some areas.  Use the epoxy!!!

Looking good Terry!!

Thanks Craig!  I spent a lot of time looking at different ways to do the top rubrail.  I ended up combining the side 1/2 round with a rounded top ply edge to give it a 3/4 round effect.  I coated the top rail with 2 coats of epoxy and will try and keep it painted but it is an area that will see wear so water may get in there.  My intent is to paint it then put on a clear coat of polyurathane like you use on floors.  Hopefully that will wear well.  I had considered not having a top rubrail but only briefly because then I would be dealing with wear of the deck/side joint.  There is a stringer there so rounding would have been ok but the idea of water getting into the ply at the side was more then I would risk.

Craig, that "sandwich" on mine was the same. Every year there was a little split running down the middle, so I installed a cap strip. I drilled bigger holes, filled them with epoxy, then when the epoxy was solid I drilled smaller holes for screws and glued/screwed the cap strip down on top of the "sandwich" area. Now I don't get irritating cracks. If I did it over again, I would round over the deck/hull side joint, and glass right over it, then make a toe rail. It would look good and water wouldn't collect on the deck while sailing.

Thanks for the help guys.  I realize the best way is to screw them from inside the hull.  My concern was when it came time to replace them I won't have access to the screws.  I might as well do it that way and worry about replacement when the time comes.  Hopefully it'll be awhile.