My toe rail seems to no longer fit the hull deck seam . . .

Here you can discuss Chrysler Sailing across all makes of Chrysler sailboats.
Post Reply
dennyzen
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Kansas City, MO

My toe rail seems to no longer fit the hull deck seam . . .

Post by dennyzen »

At the risk of discouraging the newbies, with their new project boats, I turn to the Chrysler brain trust for some help. [It is still the best old boat out there.]

I tried to put the toe rail on with two other helpers, it doesn't seem to quite fit.

Initially, I had some trouble lining up the screws so at least a couple of my four or five temporary screws drilled new holes. I think I can line it up better on the next attempt.

However, it is how it fits in the cross section that is problematic. It didn't get as close as I thought it was. Let me see if I can describe it.

We couldn't get it flush like it use to be. There is a vertical gap on the deck and I think a horizontal gap along the lip itself. The lower portion of the rail seemed to be in the right position (and we messed up some of my still sticky caulk), but the flange on the horizontal part of the toe rail that sits on top of the seem (on the deck), seemed to be higher that it should be. The vertical gap between the toe rail itself and the flat deck on the inside was more than I remembered. Also, horizontally, where the screws go in, it seemed as if the screw only went about 1/4 of an inch into the fiberglass, even when I thought I had screwed it all the way in. So there is a gap of maybe 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch along the screww between the toe rail it self--at the line that the screws go in--that is in the in the upper third of the channel where the rubber insert goes.

I only put a few screws in. For now, I took them out and the rail is still hanging there on the edge of the boat. I am going out this afternoon to clean up any caulk I can, see if I can get a tarp on since I won't be back there for a week and reassess the situation.

Any suggestions?

Thinking back, it seems that the entire toe rail should rotate longitudinally inward (so that the highest part where you tie on things is farther inboard). Perhaps we didn't push it enought that way.

Other contributing factors that are floating through my mind.
*I did fill some cracks and holes with thickened paste, but I thought I leveled it out real good and even sanded it extra to be sure it was smoothed out. (It got messy while still wet, so it has basically one thin epoxy layer all the way around, but I sanded it extra.)

*I also moved the boat about 50 feet to another parking spot in the boat yard with the toe rails off, but I left the screws in that actually hold the hull and the deck together in the join together and on the boat the whole time. There didn't seem to be any movement.

*It could also be that we tried to work too fast. I only had my help for a little while and it was cold and windy.

My ability to put the toe rails on determine whether I continue to refurbish and keep the boat (windows, standing rigging, and battery/motor are future expenses that I will not incur if I can't get the toe rail on. [/i]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1979 Chrysler 22--flatwater sailing on Lake Jacomo
User avatar
EmergencyExit
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 2956
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2003 5:02 pm
Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast

Re: My toe rail seems to no longer fit the hull deck seam .

Post by EmergencyExit »

dennyzen wrote:and it was cold and windy.
Cold enough to change the length of the metal toe rail as opposed to the fiberglass hull ? Guess would have to be really really cold for there to be a difference tho...
dennyzen
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Kansas City, MO

Post by dennyzen »

Maybe. You would think it would have to be a lot colder. It was about 55 degrees (maybe less with wind chill) and it may have been a hot summer day when I took them off. My sister suggested leaving it in position and maybe temperature changes would make it work.

I wanted to clean off the smeared caulk as it was 3M 5200 since a lot of it was on the bottom edge of the toe rail. So I took it off the seam.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1979 Chrysler 22--flatwater sailing on Lake Jacomo
Post Reply