No rub rails? Really?

[Dr. D]

I am most likely going to keep my current boat. I was thinking of going down in size, as for my needs 37' is more than I need.


However, while looking for a replacement, I was struck by several things. One that I had not thought of at all before was the lack of rub rails. I can understand a dedicated racing boat designed to minimize weight, so no rub rails. Any boat designed more for cruising (even of limited extent) would naturally have rub rails as one may arrive at a variety of marinas where bumping up against a piling will inevitably happen.


Yes, I understand the use of fenders. But you can't warp around a piling on a fender. Can you?

[billknny]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

I am most likely going to keep my current boat. I was thinking of going down in size, as for my needs 37' is more than I need.


However, while looking for a replacement, I was struck by several things. One that I had not thought of at all before was the lack of rub rails. I can understand a dedicated racing boat designed to minimize weight, so no rub rails. Any boat designed more for cruising (even of limited extent) would naturally have rub rails as one may arrive at a variety of marinas where bumping up against a piling will inevitably happen.


Yes, I understand the use of fenders. But you can't warp around a piling on a fender. Can you?

You can, sort of, on a fender board of the right design, and if you have one or two crew to manage it. But you are right, it is very "suboptimal." Putting the rubrail against a piling and pivoting the boat solves an AWFUL lot of marina maneuvering problems.

Really few boats come with proper rub rails because they are expensive. Most boats are built to firm price point.

Even worse than no rubrails are the boats that have huge windows across the side of the hull where you can't even put fenders! Cats are the worst offenders here, but the monohull designers who seem to have never driven a boat are working hard to catch up on this stupidity.

[thinwater]

My last boat (PDQ 32) had a sturdy rub rail. My current boat (F-24) has rub rails. My boa handling is pretty sharp, but cruising solo makes for some challenges, particularly if the helm is remote from the edge of the boat (impossible to rig a spring and be near the helm). Sometimes the most seamanlike thing to do is to touch a piling and then use it to control your motion. Remember, there is no crew and it may be an unfamiliar slip with unfamiliar currents. I'd rather rub under control than go bang.



Keep looking. Vote with you wallet.

[Tillsbury]

Definitely. The bigger the boat you’re singlehanding the more likely it is you’ll be touching piles (or something else), whether planned or not. With good strong rub rails you can do it as part of a plan when in strong crosswinds.

[AiniA]

I had boats with and without and managed in either case. One thing to think about wrt to rubrics if you also have a cored hull is that the attachments may well penetrate the coring, unless the builder was very careful.

[HankOnthewater]

Originally Posted by billknny

...... Putting the rubrail against a piling and pivoting the boat solves an AWFUL lot of marina maneuvering problems.
.

I agree, rubrail is very useful..... for me, when leaving my slip/pen I have to make a 180 degree turn within a boat-length or two, I do that with a springer, pivoting around a strong wooden pylon, engine idling in gear, all very slowly, controlled by the rudder and by paying out the springer (via a snatchblock midships, then over a large winch).

If a boat does not have any rubrails, these can be made out of timber, ie laminates of 8-10 mm thick. The hardest is to make the first part/plank (fitting against the hull), rest is easy. For more detailed instructions, please ask.

On edit another thought: as many (?most) boats are in marinas with floating jetties, rubrails are far too high to be any use with these jetties, and pylons are often inside the jetties or in the middle on the end. Maybe that is another reason why manufacturers do not add them?

[danielamartindm]

Cats ARE the worst offenders where a lack of rubrails are concerned. The lines of their hulls are long and pretty and smooth, and all I can think of when I see them is Bang!

My home dock has pilings buttressing it, and a 3-4' tidal range. Fender boards do work, but require tending. I bought some very long and wide fenders from Defender that are made for 75' vessels, and they have worked very well at filling up the space between the dock and the vessel, and keeping my cat resting on the fenders, rather than the pilings.

[barnakiel]

Yes, one can. With 2 fenders and a plank.


New boat, new tricks.


I see zero benefit of a rub plank, other than added maintenance.


b.

[pcmm]

My Morgan OI came with a moulded in rubrail, it's pretty substantial AND its capped with a 2 inch wide aluminum rubrail. Its original to the boat and now is pretty beat up, its been fantastic! going through locks, even with fender boards. Occasionally the boat would get a bit out of hand in the turbulence, I just let the rubrail rest against the lock wall while I sorted it out. It's great. Eventually I'll probably replace it with new shinny stuff but for now it takes the abuse!

[Cheechako]

Yeah, some boats dont have them and all should.

[thinwater]

The PDQs have very strong rubrails, installed where the deck and hull molds meet. No core penetrations, very strong location. Of course, fender boards are still used; this was a canal with some traffic.

These rails took some powerful wacks over the years without a mark.

[Greg Mason]

I am in with Barnakiel and Thinwater. I used a 2x8 plank about 8' long when we went offshore, can be adjusted to any height and is readily available and affordable. It was stored against the stanchions to restrict additional fuel containers from shifting.

[Lionelsole]

99% of the time in Europe, you either tie up to a floating pontoon or stern-to a wall. Rubbing strips thus have no purpose so are not fitted.

[KRMS]

The exception in Europe is the Netherlands where berths are often ‘box berths’ where you reverse in towards the pontoon passing between two posts as you do. You attach bow lines to the two posts and then a couple of stern lines to the pontoon. Inevitably there’s some potential for rubbing against the downwind post.

The Dutch as normally very particular about their boats and very good at handling them carefully. I met a Dutch guy earlier this year that very proudly showed me the rubbing strips he’d had fitted to an old Oyster yacht. They consisted of a hardwood strip the length of the boat capped with a stainless steel strip. Very nicely done but of course Oysters are solid.

[Dooglas]

I have often admired the rubrails/strakes on the hulls of some older cruising boats and tug-style trawlers. I have hesitated, however, at the idea of adding them above the waterline on any of my boats, fearing that the fasteners would take a fair beating and would eventually cause leaking and possible structural damage to the hull. Now, a glassed in rubrail, with a metal or composite cap would be ideal, but best done when the hull was laid up. (photo of Nordic Tug rub rail below - note that the rub rail at the gunnel and the one on the hull would be the two contact points on a piling or other vertical structure)