Rub Rail Issues

[stuckinthehole]

The top and bottom section of the hull have have started coming apart under the rub rail where they are normally connected. Looks as though the lip from the upper deck section is either broken or was never there....Any suggestions on how to repair?
I'm thinking about removing the rub rail and the replacing what appears to be a wooden spacer that sits between the two layers. Probably replace it with something other then wood that wont rot and then sealing the edge so no water can get through. I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

The boat is a just a 1999 Pacemaker Yachts Custom 19' Center console. I picked it up a few years ago off a buddy for cheap. He is the one that put the screws in it and tried sealing it with other materials as well. I am the third owner of this boat and I got it knowing I would have some work to do. Eventually I wouldn't mind stripping the whole thing down and rebuilding but now is not the time. What seems to have happened along the edge is the piece of wood in between the two layers has expanded and pushed the deck section up. I would like to get in to it and replace those wood pieces but I am not sure how get the old pieces out and new ones in without raising the deck off, which I don't have the equipment to do at the moment. The lower hull section comes up under the rub rail but the top deck section stops at the edge. After replacing the wood with something else I still need to find some way to seal that edge and then replace the rub rail. Thanks for any ideas you may have. I will be getting it into a shed next weekend where I can really start working on this.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

Ayuh,.... Yer pictures don't show much, but I'm guessin' it's gonna be More of a task, than yer hopin' for....

Take the rubrail off, 'n start diggin' to see how far ya gotta go...

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

Yah I will remove the rub rail next weekend and take some more photos.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

I cant say for sure without having a better look, but my geuss would be that the wood you are talking about is a part of the upper decking that has rotted and swolen up. They use a plywood reinforcement under or in between the fiberglass.

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

Got the rub rail off today and it is going to be a bigger project than I first wanted and I am in need of advice. The deck section has no lip that covers the hull section, it was just held together with some sealant that failed and now the wood is rotted out. I need to get the rotted wood out and replace, but the top deck section wont bend enough to allow me to remove the wood. I am thinking that I will have to cut the top section to replace the wood and then fiberglass it back into place.



Suggestions?

I have never done any fiberglass work but I hope this is something I can tackle on my own. I need to know about materials and also suggestions about how to seal that edge so that this doesn't happen again. Would I be able to seal it with fiberglass and then cover it with a topside paint to waterproof? The deck of the boat is not gelcoated so I will just be covering the finished project with a good paint. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help. Here are some more photos.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

I wouldn't waste your time trying to just repair that area. If that area is that bad, the inside of the boat is probably gone. If your really considering putting this boat back on the water, i would be pulling the cap. You said you don't have the tools to do it, but it doesn't take many tools, just time and patience.

if you can, post some detailed pics of the whole boat so we know what were dealing with, inside and out and from farther away as well. I have found nothing on Pacemaker Yachts other that large cruisers and offshore boats. Nothing on a 19 when searched.

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

The floor is solid so I was hoping not to have to remove the entire cap. Any suggestions or guidance about how to go about removing the cap? Ill try to post some more photos tomorrow. There really isnt much info for this boat out there since it was a custom.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

Any suggestions or guidance about how to go about removing the cap?

Like I said, post up pics of the whole boat and we should be able to tell you what will have to be removed first. Basically anything that is bolted on needs to come off first including the motor. The rub rail should have a insert in the middle that hides the screws that hold it on, pry that out and remove the screws or rivets and the rub rail will come off.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

I think this pix:

Shows a portion of the cap... With out more pix, I can't be sure but that looks like the cap (the upper portion of fiberglass where the screw goes thru 1st) that you may have been calling the upper deck in 1 of your earlier posts....

Once the rub rail is off, remove any remaining fastners or fittings that pass thru both the cap & the hull. Then loosen, cut or otherwise remove any remaining sealant, fiberglass, putty or glue that keep the 2 together. Then lift off the cap...........

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

Ok thanks. Ill get some better photos for you and investigate a little more tomorrow. Thanks for the help.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

Going back to the 1st post:

I don't think this is how this boat left the factory... All those exposed screws and a somewhat exposed jagged edge to the fiberglass. I think someone has had the rubrail off the boat before, made some hack changes/modifications and as you mentioned the previous owner tried to repair some portion of the area you are now concerned about.

Step back & look at the boat as a whole, and post some pix that show the current overall condition. If there are other areas like this, or that have you concerned, then post up pix of them too...

By looking at the entire boat as it sits, sometimes makes it easier to assess what someone might have done in a half arse attempt to mask or hide problems, possibly to 'Just get 1 more season out of it' before more permanent repairs can be done...


EDIT:
This is a center console boat, originally? If so, there really is no cap. It's an integral liner type construction like this Whaler, yours may or may not be foam filled:

I just caught the console in the background after I posted the info before the edit.........

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

The whole liner will come out. You will have to remove everything that is inside or bolted down. Then start prying using whatever works best. A 2x4 even works sometimes.

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

The screws were just something the previous owner put in to try to hold down the liner. Ill post some better photos when I go over there tomorrow morning. Thank guys.

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

Here are some photos of the entire boat

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

I think that I will go with the suggestions to remove the entire liner. Tomorrow I will work on removing the cooler seat and the center console. With looking into the hull and under the front deck I notices a few area where I will need to cut some fiberglass to remove the liner. I have a small circular saw that I will use for this job but what type of blade should I use for cutting fiberglass?

Also I need suggestions on materials to use for this repair (fiberglass cloth, tape, epoxy, foam, wood, etc...) Thanks.

 

[stuckinthehole]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

I will be taking out the liner this weekend and would like to go ahead and start ordering materials. Any suggestions on the amount of epoxy resin, fiberglass, and foam I may need for this job?? Also looking for suggestions on the different types of fiberglass (cloth, 1708 biaxel, CSM, etc)that I should use in different areas of the boat such as stringers and the deck. Thanks for the help.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Rub Rail Issues

You don't use CSM with Epoxy. 1700 or 1800 Biaxial cloth with some 6 oz cloth for finishing would be my recommendation. Start with 10 yds of each. 5 - 10 gals of resin, 4 lbs of Cabosil for making thickened resin.