banaari 27 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 What are people's feelings about rub rails? Am strongly tempted for a a variety of reasons to eliminate them. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 And your reasons are??? It will be different for each and everyone. For me, they are invaluable for coming up against a wharf or what have you. But then, my boat is 22 tonne, so it's easy to scrape the paint. Link to post Share on other sites
banaari 27 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 In ascending order of priority: Aesthetics, maintenance, and the elimination of N points of moisture ingress into the boat. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Well if it best suits your situation, then that is the best action. But just remember that the rub strake is normally there to protect the Hull from knocks when you come up against something. Yes you can use fenders, but they can also wear paint or mark gelcoat, but with some boats, that is all they have to protect it. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 As wheels said. Link to post Share on other sites
banaari 27 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 I do understand the mechanics. Am intrigued though by the uber-chic production confectionery being produced with nice flush sides with no protrusions... how do these things get on the real world? Is there an unpublicised rash of nasty topside damage, or do they typically spend their life in a purely marina-oriented, sanitised environment safely away from real salty activities? Link to post Share on other sites
idlerboat 116 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Am intrigued though by the uber-chic production confectionery being produced with nice flush sides with no protrusions... how do these things get on the real world? Is there an unpublicised rash of nasty topside damage, or do these things typically spend their life in a purely marina-oriented, sanitised environment safely away from real salty activities? You have answered your own question. Super modern marinas with those nice white cushions ..... Only problem is, I met with one that had a fastener broken off and through. Went straight through my paint , fairing and to steel. I have stainless offset brackets with a large, banner waving group protest worth of hardwood bolted to it, BUT I still manage to get scrapes. In gentle circumstances , timely deployed fenders, the complete absence of well meaning people "I,ll grab ya rope mate"... and no rafting up with trawlers, pissed on a storm bound evening ,... you will probably keep your topsides, like a girlfriends fingernails. My rub rails are more like dodgem car apparatus, and have saved me from a great many mangles. But I have also been rafted up to trawlers.......... So to use the car analogy, is your boat a daily ride, a 4wd, or a pristine sports machine. (or perhaps a soft roader) (mines a 4wd) ps...I hate holes being drilled through hulls. The old ditty "there is a hole in my bucket".......followed by "with what shall we fix it...".....sums it up . Link to post Share on other sites
PaulR 3 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Years ago we fitted big triangular rubber rubbing streaks on one 36ft yacht, one at sheer line all around the hull and another about 18" down at maximum beam for about 60% boat length. The owner's intention was to sail single handed up all the USA/Canada waterways, lakes, canals etc and had them fitted so he could come alongside any rusty steel barge or tug boat he may encounter without needing fenders. Looked ugly to the purist racers' eyes but worked really well and owner very happy indeed. Fit for purpose was better than asthetics for his $$$. That must be the real acid test Does it work for you Link to post Share on other sites
banaari 27 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 I get the picture ONE rub rail there shall continue to be, but I think the upper strip's days are numbered. Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I would love a rub rail!! Link to post Share on other sites
Atom Ant 0 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 A rub rail is only going to be of use if it is at the same height as the object you rub against. SR26's have an external flange for the hull to deck join. It is uncommon but it has several benefits. The first is a built in rub rail that doesn't look like one. Atom Ant has no rub rail, and yes when I owned it lived in a marina. But that doesn't protect a hull as the white cushion on the edge of the berth is around half the height of the deck, and usually the white plastic smeared along the hull (of course it NEVER happened to me) took some getting off. In the end, if you want one, have one, if you don't, then don't. Link to post Share on other sites
idlerboat 116 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 May I suggest a "mat fender" A simple device that I should market, but cant be bothered. It is as long as a bunk mattress and as wide as a bunk mattress....... ...and is stored....under a bunk mattress. It is made of truck side curtain material with 6 ropes along its length. The internal padding is the closed cell foam sheet used in outdoor camping mats. This makes the whole thing only 20mm thick.... You tie it along side when coming in, and it does not ride up like round fenders. It does not clutter up the lazarette or need a bicycle pump. It covers the whole of the beamiest section of most smaller boats. That is from the gunnel's to the water. You dont care if it stains or tears because that is its purpose in life... It is so cheap and easy to make and repair, that you may want two.... It also has LOTS of other applications that your mind may wander onto. A serious addition though, you need to tie all the lines to your (whatever). It will get pushed backwards on contact and you need to both share the load and stop it from puckering. Its versatility may surprise you (apart from its obvious extra curricular possibilities). Add a second row of eyelets on the bottom. As an example, when rolled up with a piece of sail tape to secure, it becomes the mother of all round fenders. As a safety device it can cover windows and act as a temporary companionway cover......I am sure that many more ideas can be thought of...plus it floats. Whats it called ? weird name but its known as a "jannali mat" Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 get a boat with tumble home and you'll spend your life wishing for a rub rail. Just leave it B. its when it all turns to cactus is when you want it, not run of the mill, pretty conditions . ( I still haven't recovered from the Caltex fuel dock bastard kinked steel pile ring sticking out past the side of the finger 400 above the water because some numbnuts in a 20 ton brick smacked it so hard that it shifted the finger sideways 4 or 6 inches, not that a rub rail would have helped against that piece of concealed bulls*&&^...) not that I'm bitter or anything. The mat is a great idea. also a shaped fenderboard out of ply with some closed cell foam inside and a rub strip outside. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Could just fix the leaks and then the rub rail is not a issues. Remove fixings and attach with another method. (Glue/glass) Link to post Share on other sites
banaari 27 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 its when it all turns to cactus is when you want it, not run of the mill, pretty conditions. Have come to the same conclusion, 'specially operating solo. Remove fixings and attach with another method. (Glue/glass) Snap! Great minds think alike. Link to post Share on other sites
Ptown 14 Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 What are people's feelings about rub rails?Am strongly tempted for a a variety of reasons to eliminate them. As most have said; each to their own. I took mine off (shitty old light and worn/broken teak) the 930 and the next day scraped her exiting single-handed , the difference I find is the ease of a bit of bog, sand and paint rather than cutting off and replacing the crappy old teak. Ask me again when I really ding her... But looks much finer imho Link to post Share on other sites
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