Refinishing handrails

[scgunner]

Alex,

I had the rails made by a local S/S fabricator, ironically named The Railmaker. I don't think you'll have any trouble finding a local S/S fabricator in Seattle. Before I took the teak rails to the shop in used a piece of line to maintain the proper bow in the rail since the teak will want to straighten itself throwing off the hole measurements. I also brought them a piece of paper with all the hole measurements on the deck. The fit was almost exact. Also I had them weld the bolts to the rail bottoms and simply pushed the railing into the deck and used cap nuts on the other side. I imagine you could also weld nuts to the rail bottoms and go the other way with screws.

Regarding the hatch rails laminating wasn't required, you can order different thicknesses of Starboard to fit the application and simply cut and shape as necessary. I did screw some pieces together and I did this in the cockpit with hatch frame a slats as well. Basically Top Gun has no exterior teak.

Also as you can see I replaced the dorades with solar vents and the Beckson portlights with Lewcos. Other than washing the exterior requires very little maintenance and has eliminated the need for a number of covers; hatch, rails, dorades. It also saves quite a bit of money when it comes time to order new covers.

[waughoo]

Scgunner,

Very nice.  I have a later boat that already had Lewmar ports on the cabin trunk but still had becksons for the aft cabin cockpit port lights.  I ended up replacing those with 2nd hand lewmars as I have never liked the feel of the becksons.  Plus they are so much smoother.  I would always catch my foot on the cowl!

Thanks for outlining your proceedure on the handrails.  I believe Railmakers were the shop that made all the rails for Catalina when the boats were built in CA.

[scgunner]

Alex,

You are correct, when I first got Top Gun in '88 it still had The Railmaker stickers on the stainless.

[Ted Pounds]

Here's another option if you want the wood look without the maintenance:  https://www.plasteak.com/plasteak-recycled-plastic-products/custom-boat-trim

I put handrails, toerails and sliding hatch rails made of this stuff on my current boat.  Looks great and absolutely zero maintenance.   

[Noah]

Where/how did you put a toe rail on a C34?

[Ted Pounds]

Where/how did you put a toe rail on a C34?

It's on my current boat, a Gloucester 19.  Sold the 34 when my daughter got into MIT....

[Ted Pounds]

Here's a link to a photo on the PlasTeak FB page.  Definitely a Catalina.  Maybe a 34?  This is the same stuff I put on my Gloucester 19 and as I said before it's been ZERO maintenance for the last five years.   This summer's project is two cockpit coaming boxes for jibsheets, like the Catalinas have.  I just ordered the PlasTeak trim rings for them.  😎



https://www.facebook.com/plasteak/photos/a.340511525997157/386994404682202

[waughoo]

The eyebrow detail is one I have seriously considered doing in Plasteak.  There is someone on my dock with a 39' jeanneau that has all their toe rails done with this stuff.  It looks quite tidy!

[Ron Hill]

Alex : I removed the "eyebrow strips" and filled the holes with SS #4 screws and finishing washers.  It took another C34 owner 2 months (on the same dock) to notice that I had removed them!! 

A thought

[waughoo]

Ron,

That is my back up option.  I enjoy the viaual detail of the wood but its size make it quite challenging to maintain.