Classic stainless steel bow strips

[Archie1979]

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to know where other builders of mahogany boats source there stainless steel strips used on there boats.
Do you make some sort of a template then take it to a fabricator if so how do you go about making the template.


any information would be great

Steve

[Eric Sponberg]

Yes, you have to make a template for any given boat design. Ideally, it should be made out of the same thickness of material as the plate itself. If the stainless plate is 3/32" thick, say, then use 3/32" plywood to make the template. You can configure the design directly on the boat, if it is there in front of you, or if you have the design as a surface model or solid model on the computer, you can do it in the computer.

Eric

[waikikin]

Hi Steve, I'll pm a couple of names that might help, regards from Jeff.

[rfnk]

Hey Jeff
Are we talking about a strip of D section stainless? I tried quite hard to find some (1/2" I think) in the Newcastle area, in SS or bronze, without any luck at all. I approached a couple of machine shops but the cost was prohibitive. I'd also appreciate any contacts for this. Regards, Rick

[Eric Sponberg]

Gentlemen,

If you want solid back stainless steel rub rails, you can find them at Taco Marine Supplies:

http://www.tacomarine.com/cat--Stain...olid_back.html

In my initial reply, I thought you might be talking about the bow plates on the stems of mahogany speedboats. Those have to be custom fabricated. The Taco Marine solid rub rails are used all over the place here in the States. You can also get them in hollow back design:

http://www.tacomarine.com/cat--Stain...llow_back.html

I hope that helps, and sorry for my misunderstanding.

Eric


Eric

[Archie1979]

I was talking about the bow plates of mahogany speedboats I guess I will be forking out some money then

[waikikin]

rfnk, these, are fabicated from plate/sheet & I'd call them a "cutwater" 'cos they cut the water! Dunno if thats the common universal term but works for me. For a D section try Sandvic stainless or you can get brass segmental section, drill it & have it cromed & I used to buy this from a firm called "extruded metals".Regards from Jeff.

[rfnk]

The rub rails that Eric (above) referred to look like what I'm after rather than folded sheet (sort of!) which I'm guessing is what Steve is after. I'll try Sandvic. I'd rather use SS than brass.Bronze would be okay but probably harder to find than the SS in this sort of profile. In the meantime I've used just narrow flat bar which is probably all I really need - looks fine! Thanks!

[PAR]

There are rub strips and the metal cutwaters which are custom fabricated from sheet metal.

The rub strips are available in a few configurations, hollow or solid back. The hollow are stamped into a curved shape and usually are pre-drilled on 6" centers for #8 fasteners. The solid backed is a machined piece and available in two styles, half round or half oval, the difference being the depth of the curved face. These are also usually pre-drilled the same way, though can be had non-drilled too.

Any reasonably chandlery or marine supply will have the rub strips, but the cutwaters will need to be custom made with the help of a metal fabricator.

[rfnk]

Unfortunately not readily available in Australia though. I was surprised to find this difficult to find when I went looking, as so many boats have the D-section strip running down the bow, along gunwales etc. I'll keep looking though as I need enough for the bows of two yachts (both have old brass strips that have become brittle and weak) and I want to use similar material in some other areas that are rubbed by lines. I'll also keep trying to follow up the Sandvik in Sydney suggestion although their online catalogue seems difficult to download. Thanks for the advice!

[PAR]

Log on here, go to the boat building section and ask "Mik" or one of the other locals where you might find half oval stock in your area. Tell them who sent you.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au

Or more specifically, try this thread on the very same subject,

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=80574