Starboard for rub rail

[JMK]

Our 1981 Gulfstar has a teak rub rail with a stainless steel strip that the PO painted. It is now flaking off so I have to do something with it. I always try to find low maintenance alternatives so I was wondering if Starboard could be used in this application. I just don't know if it can be bent enough to follow the curve of the hull as well as be scarfed in sections. Are there other alternatives to consider for a rub rail?

Thanks,
J.M.

[Canibul]

Our '85 boat came with a rub rail one of the previous owners had installed that is working out really nicely. It's a dense plastic that is a wood substitute that park services use to build modern picnic tables etc. out of. It's like a 1x4 plank, very dense, flexible, and I think you could hit it with an ax without doing much damage.

I'm very familiar with Starboard. I've just replaced the clothes rod holders in all my hanging lockers with Starboard pieces I cut. In my opinion, the plastic wood stuff is way better for outside rub rail use. It looks okay, too.

I don't know what specific brand is on our boat, but I suspect there are several options. Doing a quick search for "plastic lumber" will bring up listings like this one:
Plastic Lumber and this looks a lot like what we've got. It's really tough and totally maintenance free. So there's one option for you.

[Tellie]

I think it would bend easy enough especially in the narrower strips a rub rail size might be. I'd be concerned with the scarfing since you can't glue Starboard, might make for a tough joint job that would look finished.

[marlinmike]

replace with complete rubber/stainless rubrail all in one shot, starboard has its place, but not in this application.

[Cheechako]

Yes Starboard will bend pretty easy for that. You may find that refinishing the one is have is a lot easier though. Getting at all those bolts is not easy and matching the new bolt locations is not either.

[GILow]

Probably not the look you are aiming for but we fitted " docking rubber" rub strips to our boat and they are terrific. Very forgiving and available in any length. Turns out the local pilot boats use the same stuff.

Matt


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[Azul]

AZEK is the brandname for the PVC artificial wood described above. Lowe's stocks it and it comes in a selection of sizes several of which would be suitable for a rubrail. You can work it with a router just like regular wood and it is quite flexible longitudinally. It won't deteriorate like wood and can be painted.

After pricing a rubrail kit for my boat, I purchased AZEK instead to do my rubrail. But then I changed my mind and just completely glassed my hull to deck joint instead (glutton for punishment.) AZEK may only come in the color white.

I spent hours and hours researching this topic two years ago and couldn't find a single example of anyone using AZEK for a rubrail but it is a perfect, inexpensive alternative to teak or rubber. It would even have a pretty decent shock absorbing capability.

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by JMK

Our 1981 Gulfstar has a teak rub rail with a stainless steel strip that the PO painted. It is now flaking off so I have to do something with it. I always try to find low maintenance alternatives so I was wondering if Starboard could be used in this application. I just don't know if it can be bent enough to follow the curve of the hull as well as be scarfed in sections. Are there other alternatives to consider for a rub rail?

Thanks,
J.M.

Island Packet makes a complete kit using a preformed plastic extrusion that screws to a hull using #14 screws--then the 3/4 ss strip covers those screws--just tell them you have a Island Packet44.

[deblen]

The real stuff.

Hamilton Marine - Search

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