DaySailer.org Forum

Hey all:

Pesky me again.

I'm looking at designing a pair of pads that can be put on the gunwales, directly exterior to the coamings, so one can hike out on the gunwales without having to cut down the coamings. I spent a lot of time refinishing them last fall and I'll be damned if I'll take a saw to them!!

But to do this I'd have to hook them onto the rub rail somehow. I'm thinking of a couple of round-head screws attached to the underside of the rub rail.

Can anyone tell me what the rubrail is attached to? Is it a wooden strip that the top and hull are glued to? What's inside?

Thanks,
Carlos

Hi Carlos -

I believe that the rub rail simply covers the deck to hull seam (each side comprised of a flange of fiberglass mated together with adhesive and staples) so your screws would likely be into fiberglass. Have you considered making up a different pair of coamings out of a different wood cut-down to the height of the gunwale? That way you are not adding something to the structure of the hull but you achieve your goal of a more comfortable way to hike-out when heeling.
Plus you could keep the original coamings in storage and replace if you decide that you do not care for the hiking-out capability. Just a thought...

That's not a bad idea, but I spent tons o' time on them things already. Besides, I caulked them with Sikaflex. It's not 3M 5200, but it's pretty sticky stuff, and getting them off would be a project in itself.

My idea is to make pads the same height off the gunwale as the coamings, for about 4' from the cuddy edge aft. I'm going to use the flotation foam that I just pulled out of the seats:


They provide plenty of structural support, and after I glue a few together they're dead easy to carve to match the coaming's changing height and curve. I'll cover them with waterproof fabric of some type - maybe even duct tape!

I just need a couple of attachment points on the rubrail, underneath, and opposing points under the coamings. Then I can make a strap with little loops on either end. Hook it under the rubrail hook, then bring it around under the coaming hook, and tighten the strap buckle. This way these things can be easily removed or put on.

Carlos