rub rail

[toolsinbox]

question. The rubber (or plastic) rub rail has started to pop out on the side of the boat. Seems to sit in an track. The part comming out hides the screws. The part comming out has a lip on the top and the bottom. Do you just hammer it back in? Whats the best way to get it back in?

[missinginaction]

Get yourself a heat gun. Carefully warm the rubber strip, heat it up too much and it will melt. The warming makes the strip more pliable and easier to work with. Work it back into the channel. A couple of good size flat bladed screwdrivers make this task easy. Avoid hammers if you can!

Regards,

MIA

[PAR]

I've found if they've come out of their groove, it's for a reason (impact is the usual reason) and putting them back just shortly prolongs the need for replacement.

[toolsinbox]

Thanks guys. I will heat it up and try popping it back in..

[toolsinbox]

Par. Please dont take this as me arguing with you but just looking for more info and clarification on your reply.

When looking at the piece that came out it looks in perfect condition. No bends or deformation in the piece. It just is not in the track. After bieng re-installed why would it not be back to normal?

I ask this because I too have heard that once it comes out it will continue to be a problem. Trying to wrap my head around what the final solution is.

If I do need to replace this, what kind of rubrail is this and what are my options for a replacement. Do I replace just the part that pops in or the whole thing? Is their a better product out there that is less likely to have the same problem in the future. This issue is important to me because I plan on painting boat in the spring.

Any links and examples that I can use would be great. I hate using poor quality stuff and i hate even more doing things twice.


thanks again for your help.

[PAR]

Impacts stretch and deform them sufficiently enough, for them to have continual troubles unless replaced, in my experience.

Be very careful with the heat, it's a good way to introduce more distortions. Try Jamestown Distributors for a direct replacement.

[toolsinbox]

thanks par

I cannot see the damage but Par is correct - It came out for a reason. I don't know this particular trim but it looks kinda "plasticy" rather than rubbery as I would think one would want. Consider Taco trim http://tacomarine.com/cat--Flexible-...ex_insert.html

[missinginaction]

Just stopped in to follow up on this one.....

PAR makes a good point about why it came out. My experience came from a Glastron runabout I owned for almost 30 years. The design of the boat required the removal of a section of the back deck to ease maintanance on the engine and linkages. So once every year or so I had to actually pull that rub strip out and remove the screws and deck. I must have done it 20 times over the years. The difference was that I always pulled the strip out, it never came loose on it's own.

Good Luck,

MIA