Deck Repairs

[Pterobyte]

My crew wants to get rid of the toe rail. I keep telling them it holds the hull to the deck at the chine. Anybody know?

[darkstar32170]

The toerail is part of the assembly of deck to hull, adds a bit more strength and covers the actual joint that may not be finished very well (at least appearance-wise).

I do notice that you have a slotted toe rail. The "toerail" on "Dark Star" is T-track which is much more friendly on the backside of the crew's legs. It is not ORC compliant forward of the mast where the toerail is supposed to have a minimum height (3/4" or 1" - I don't remember off the top of my head). Nobody pays attention to such things locally but I will have to remedy the situation if I race in a regatta where the boat might be subject to inspection.

The T-track I have is not plain-jane track bend to the edge of the deck - it also has a lip that extends down over the top edge of the hull to form a bit of a rub rail. You see this track at: http://rigrite.com/Hardware/Toerail/T-Rail.htm. There's also some info at: http://rigrite.com/Hardware/Toerail/Toerail.htm

[Motorboat!!]

If you remove the interior liner in the cabin, you will notice that the cored deck ends approx 4" from the hull-deck joint, and that the hull is connected to the deck at this section by over 200 through bolts with washers on the interior. In essence, the toe rail acts as one big washer spreading the loads away from the bolts. It would be nice if they could think of a more comfortable solution than that anodized aluminum rail, but I guess that's how you test crew loyalty.

[darkstar32170]

Matt:

I know my daughter will give you no end of grief for your toerail. She'll tell you that the toe rail on "Dark Star" is different - see my post above.

[Pterobyte]

I have no liner and never will so i can see the bolts already and I had guessed as much. Thanks for the confirmation. It leaks real bad too and re-bedding that looks like a real pain in the aarrsss. Thanks!!! Plan B

[Motorboat!!]

Oh don't get me started on the leaking! I can sit there inside on a rainy day and watch the water stream in. The simple solution is to unbolt the entire toe rail and reseat it with some 5200, I am just not that ambitious! I thought about maybe trying to inject 5200 through the joint from the inside out, but am not so sure that it would do any good.

[Pterobyte]

My crew wants to dig out the silicone from the outside with a curved knife an bead it with 5200. The screw heads will all need seating too. My preference is to loosen it, raise it a bit and re-bed it. all the screws hang down about 1.5" inches inside the boat. I think we'll bet some more "gotta have's" done first but re-bedding between painting the topside.

[FlatlineE32]

Digging out the silicone and replacing with a nice bead will be a nice look for a freshly painted boat, but I don't think it will solve the leaks unless you get some around each screw. Most of the leaks are typically through the screw heads. The job sucks.

[Pterobyte]

Gee thanks! :roll:

I guess I better break out the power tools again and go get a case of 5200. :(

[Renegade]

Took my toe rail off. Had been bedded in silicone - bad choice. Will be sealing the holes and glassing the joint from below and above. I'll let everyone know how it goes. The rail was not bent before installation, causing major side torque on the bolts. So when you couple that with bad bedding, lots of leaks I'm sure. This is a serious issue because in my opinion, based on what I found in rebuilding the hull bottom, these boats tend to rot from the inside out. Numerous holes were drilled through the inner skin to secure trim strips. Over time these drips add up and you wind up with saturated core.

[Pterobyte]

Glassing it on top has a few issues. First it is a sharp angle and so you cant get much glass over the seam and if you do it then is hard to get the toe rail over it. This is probably the reason it is bolted together. I think doing it from the inside is a major job. The proper way to do it I think is separating the deck and hull and re bedding it. Also a major job. Another solution is to glass if over with plenty of cloth, 8 layers, and let the edge roll and either not put the toe rail back on or put on a T track without a side lip. A super major job.

“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”
Ronald Reagan 1964

[Renegade]

It is a super major job. But glassing over the underside of the joint is going to be easier thanks to the interior being out. I will use 0/90 biax tape after eliminating the lip with hi-dens epoxy filler. That's how many production boats are built (although they just glass the joint with no prep). For example, my old Pearson Flyer. Outside joint will be covered with two layers of tape tapered and faired. All holes filled with hi-dens epoxy. Metal rail will not be reinstalled. A boatbuilder friend of mine did this on a J-30 recently. Looks great and is plenty strong. Am doing so many super major job, what's one more?