Hi
This boat I have had a look at has an aluminium toe rail screwed into a bump on the deck. The bump is about 20mm in height. The bump has cracks in it at every screw and many other locations. I'm trying to work out how big an issue that the cracking would be and what it would take to fix it. Would this bump have a wood core in it (that might be rotten) or would it be solid glass?
Think if I took the aluminium toe rail off I would be able to sand back the bump. Then enlarge the holes for the toe rail and fill with glass, then glass the lot (to fill the cracks), then paint? or would the hole bump need to come off?
(looking for my next project already)..
Thanks
Photos wont upload. Ill try on my computer..
Select to expand quotesaltiest1 said..
What make of boat is she and year?
Cavalier 32 1979 or so.
Probably drill a pilot hole to tell, if they'd let you. Perhaps the installer didn't pre-drill before screwing.
Interesting terminology you use - "bump on the deck" -
This Cav32 shows the typical toe rail fitted - I have nothing to do with this yacht - and as far as I can see this "bump" is the filler used under the inboard side of the toe rail. Would not term it a "bump". Would not expect there is any timber in it.
yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-monohulls/cavalier-32/226307
So with time it seems likely that the filler has gotten brittle and shrunk and cracked adjacent to every fastener as could be expected, with the lateral loadings on the toe rail going into the hull there and the 3:1 stress concentration of the hole for the fastener.
So the whole toe rail could be removed and the filler re-done in all the cracked areas - this would be the ideal method probably. A suitable strength epoxy filler would be best maybe - adhering well to the prior filler which is probably polyester - and allowing painting over with 2 pack poly which you will do standing on your head.....................
The work could maybe be done without removing the toe rail..................
There will be Cav32 owners on this forum who can answer better............
Or at one or both of these links....................
www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/cavalier-32-owners-and-lovers-185170.html
www.facebook.com/cavalieryachts/
