Re: rubrails

Gordon (hlg@pacbell.net)
Thu, 31 Dec 1998 20:23:12 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Rich:

I'm happy with the product, although my installation could have been
better. I should have used a sealant with the attaching screws, and I could
have used shorter screws. The other error I made was to stretch the nylon
rope as I inserted it in the rub rail and not have a positive stop at the
ends of the rope (at the transom). As a result the rope has withdrawn
slowly over time and now ends a few inches short of the transom.

I used a single piece of rope that begins at one quarter, runs around the
stem and back to the other quarter. I used nylon rope because it is
supposedly more abrasion resistant, but dacron would probably be okay and
wouldn't stretch so much.

The rope was difficult to get into the groove when installing it. I used
various methods such as a hair dryer to soften the vinyl and a hammer and
block of wood to drive the rope into the groove. That was after acquiring a
numb thumb from manually pushing on the rope. You can probably find a size
of rope that fits more easily than what I used. I still like the white rope
for the contrast with the black rubrail. MIne hasn't become particularly
grubby so far, and I'm often negligent about using fenders. If you prefer
black for dirt hiding, you might as well use the black vinyl insert they
sell instead of the rope.

I recommend the type rubrail I used. It is substantial without looking
massive. I don't have experience with the smaller size, but it might be
okay.

Happy New Year,
Harry

>Hi Harry
>I was poring over the mail archive on the Potter site --
>learning a lot (thank you!) -- and I thought that I'd follow
>your example and replace my smashed-up rub rails with
>black vinyl ones.
>
>Back in September of 1995 you said (and I quote) that you
>had recently installed:
>
>"Taco vinyl rub rail from West Marine ..Flexible Vinyl
>Rub Rail, Molding Style 2, Model 407205 ...and 30 ft of 1/2-
>inch white nylon 3-strand for the insert. You might be
>able to use the Style 3 ok, which is a little smaller and less
>expensive at 1.86/ft."
>
> I was wondering whether --- as time has worn by --
>whether you still feel good about it, whether the smaller
>size still seems adequate, and whether time and dirt have
>made you wish you'd used black rope as the insert.
>
>Aloha,
>
>Rich Duffy,
>Kula, HI
>slowly making progress with P14 #362