Posted: 09 Jun 2010 at 9:35pm
Me again.

Has anyone else had to replace their toe rail?

Mine has been left out in the sun for the last 40 years and is VERY worn. There was barley enough teak to hold the bungs in. The original shape is gone, and some of it is actually rotten.

I got one side off intact but the other side is in three pieces.

I am thinking about replacing with teak, but also wondered about aluminum, would that be sacrilege?

I've also seen toe rails mounted to the outside of the lifeline stanchions off the deck, not contacting the hull.

As far as replacing,I don't think that milling the teak to shape would be to bad, but as far as remounting it.....I'm thinking I would glass all the holes in, and use screws to get the new rail on, then take each screw out and replace with a through bolt.

then of coarse I have to find the teak.

ick.


Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 7:36pm
I'd sure like to hear how this project is coming along! I can see the need in my not too distant future, I'm finding a little rot here and there....

Thanks,
Bob Leahey
Bob L.


Posted: 23 Aug 2010 at 8:25pm
I'm not far from having the deck painted....( started priming today).I have actually decided to try to put the toe rail back on.....I'm going to drill the bung holes out a bit deeper so the bungs will hold.

I found a good price on teak for it from teakworld in nashville. http://teakworldenterprises.samsbiz.com/

I spoke with Tommy there and he was a great help!

I was going to have to scarf the toerail in three pieces....which is ok......but what was the deal killer for me this year is I would have to fill all the holes from the existing toe rail, and then drill new ones as I put the new toe rail on.

I figured I could do this by using self tapping screws, and just screwing it to the fiberglass with 4200 under it....then go back one screw at a time and replace with a bolt. That way its not to bad to do the drilling, and I can just worry about flexing the new toerail into the right spot...and not have to hold it there while drilling a hole, just get it in place and screw it down.

I think this would be ok on its own as a project.....but I've got ALOT of projects going on with her at the moment....so I am gonna try to put the other one back on.
All the holes are in place and its already bent.

I'm kinda planning on painting topsides next year, and will probly pull the toerail again, and replace then.

(thats what I'm telling myself!)

I'll take some pics as I do and stick them up somewhere
Thanks for asking!


Posted: 03 Aug 2011 at 10:55pm
Regarding aluminum toe rails, my Montgomery 17 had a continuous aluminum toe rail all around with holes every few inches. The jib leads were on snatch blocks that clipped wherever you wanted them. It sacrificed sheeting angles, but the versatility was excellent. That's a pretty traditional looking little boat and it didn't seem to hurt her looks.

Joe
Yanqui #197


Posted: 04 Oct 2011 at 1:34pm
Jonnie-- Just happened to hit the jackpot on winter storage. I am purchasing a Loadmaster trailer and bringing #204 to within a few miles of home where I can move it indoors to do work.( My contractor friend's large shop. ) We have decided to create a new toe rail all around, as he has a wood steamer that can expand as long as needed to allow us to prebend the toe rail to fit perfectly. Now to find long plank teak. Also a great location to do hull and deck painting! Plus we can recreate much of the trim and do sanding of the interior cabinetry.


Posted: 07 Oct 2011 at 3:09am
Try Tommy Nation at teak world.

http://teakworldenterprises.samsbiz.com


Posted: 29 Mar 2012 at 3:13pm
I have located teak locally here from a friend in upstate NY. We are going to remake all toerails, including the stern. We have a long pipe for steaming the wood to bend it to proper form. My teak was in shabby shape, and with a full exterior restoration underway, I figured now is the time to do it.


Posted: 01 Apr 2012 at 1:18pm
Don't forget your camera....
Ron


Posted: 18 May 2012 at 12:42am
Ron,
We have all the teak acquired, cut and shaped and ready to steam and set on a forming jig. New toe rails, eyebrows and other accent trim. New teak is gorgeous and I will take lots of pictures in the coming days and forward them to you. Prodigal is looking like a new boat!


Posted: 02 Jun 2012 at 9:46pm
We have completed the restoration of Prodigal and we put on the new toe rails this week. My carpenter went on several internet blogsites investigating the proper way to handle teak, because it is like no other wood in its properties. We put the two rails in the steaming tubes overnight and the next morning they came out like noodles. He was told by an "expert" to place the pre-drilled teak right on the boat, drill and screw it down to position, then wait a few hours for the wood to set, then removed the screws and place sealant. Screws alternated with bolts on the rail. When he backed out two screws, there was a bang like a gun on the starboard fore railing and a piece blew off to the floor! Certain sentence enhancers were expressed, then he epoxied the pieces back together and did a beautiful job of blending teak saw dust and 5 minute epoxy together to fill the cracks. Turned out almost unnoticeable. Needless to say, there is a lot of energy in the wood that takes time to relieve itself. Therefore we waited, and late in the day removed one screw at a time, placed clear silicone marine sealer down the screw hole and replaced the screw prior to proceeding to the next. No more disasters. We finished with 1/2" bung plugs. You can get two plugs out of one by rolling the blade of a carpet knife over the plug until it splits. This also results in the bung plug fitting flush or near flush, minimizing the amount of hand sanding. This is not the time for power sanders. Finally we finished with two coats of Sikkens Cetol for natural teak which we hand rubbed into the wood. Turned out beautiful!


Posted: 15 Jun 2012 at 12:23pm
Can you describe how you cut your teak? I'm assuming straight since you bent it, which would maximize your yield from each piece. And how did you join two pieces where they meet? I looked on your photobucket site but did not see detail pics of the new toe rail, only the old one. Thanks.

David Williams


Posted: 26 Mar 2013 at 11:40am
Happy Spring (if you can call it that so far.) Can someone provide me with dimensions for the toe rail on the Yankee Dolphin? I somehow misplaced the piece of original toe rail that came with mine and am about to have new ones made (after a long winter without an adequate indoor place to work on my boat). I read that Windsept's new toe rail is "1 1/4" width by 1 1/2" in height; the outer edge is 90 degrees and the inboard side is beveled at about 5 degrees." I don't thing the teak boards included with mine were that wide and I would like to make them as close to origninal spec as possible. Thanks.

David Williams


Posted: 27 Mar 2013 at 10:47am
I can contact the gentleman that made my toe rails and see if he has the dimensions. I will see him at noon today and ask him.Smile


Posted: 14 Apr 2013 at 1:57pm
Hi David, the new toe rails are installed and the profile of the new toe rail is identical to the old which measure w 1", ht 1 3/8th. The new are larger like you mentioned earlier.

I saved a small section of each with the intention of sending them to Ron. I didn't steam and the install went well with the starboard toe rail being a little stubborn at the bow end. It wasn't the teaks fault but due to the deck being cut closer to the edge of the hull which made for a sharper radius. I'll try to have pictures posted soon. Final coat of Perfection going on the deck today. Awesome paint and finish.


Posted: 14 Apr 2013 at 2:35pm
Thanks, Clinton. I guess the best way to measure the dado is to create a template. Did you find it to be true so that one measurement was enough or did it vary?

Thanks for the measurement. Can you clarify your comment how the new is same as original (both 1" W) but then you also say the new is wider as I noted.

Would love t see some pictures, including a few close ups. Thanks.

David
David Williams


Posted: 14 Apr 2013 at 7:32pm
Hi Dave, the template is the route I took and the clamp does vary but not by much. Wayne, my carpenter and artist in wood, made the decision for me. The criteria was that it compliment the boat and strengthen the clamp.

The gross dimension of the new toe rail finished is w 1 3/16th x h 1 1/2. The extrusions were in excess of 29' at the time they were cut so 1/16th was the variance I could live with.

I'm glad I went with teak and not aluminum. Aluminum by far would have been more expensive and eliminated having to incorporate the genoa track which I think would have been nice.