crestliner side rails

Introduce yourself here
rbarr1
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:26 pm
7

crestliner side rails

#1

Post by rbarr1 »

I bought a 21 ft crestliner rampage last summer. Very solid functionally. Ive painted it and removed the original sol8d top rails from the gunnels. I looking to replace with tube rails. Any diy ideas? Thx
kmorin
Donator 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Posts: 1735
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:37 am
15
Location: Kenai, Alaska

Re: crestliner side rails

#2

Post by kmorin »

rbarr1, your post is a bit too cryptic to inform me so I could formulate a reply?

You have taken apart a production boat? (After you painted it?)
You have removed part of the gunwale - where a solid extrusion was welded? (but you might consider providing the topsides to guard deck scantlings?)
You plan to put a pipe or (other) hollow extrusion in this original parts' place? (but without geometry how could we speculate?)
You'd like to have others' opinion of ??? ( this last question seems sort of hard to figure out?)

Without pictures, sketches or a bit more text - I think your question may be hard to answer?

cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
rbarr1
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:26 pm
7

Re: crestliner side rails

#3

Post by rbarr1 »

Boat as purchased
Boat as purchased
Boat painted with side rails removed
Boat painted with side rails removed
Sorry for being unclear. Maybe these pics will help. The first pic is the boat as purchased. Please notice the solid top rails. I removed those solid rails when I painted the boat. The gunwales have a solid, welded 4 inch cap that seals them. I'm interested in adding a tubular top rail 6-inches tall on top of that cap.
kmorin
Donator 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Posts: 1735
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:37 am
15
Location: Kenai, Alaska

Re: crestliner side rails

#4

Post by kmorin »

rbarr1, to try to reply I'll introduce terms that I'm using so my post has context: your terms aren't widely enough used in my boatbuilding experience for me to use as part of a reply.

The gunwale, or sheer line is where the topsides meetings the horizontal plate and sometimes has a 'rub rail' extrusion in metal boats? The horizontal plate is a 'guard deck', or sheer clamp or gunwale plate in my terminology. Next, if there is another plate/sheet/piece of metal above the main gunwale joint/sheer line; that is either a coaming (less widely used for hull panels and more for vertical bars around openings in decks or companionways) OR a bulwark a term most often referring to those plates above the deck/sheer/gunwale; but forward in most boats.

In the 'before' photo it appears there is a vertically oriented bulwark (plate/sheet) based on the gunwale/sheer/top of topsides; that is raised about 6" and that is (even close up not sure on this?) 'capped', topped, lined, finished by an extrusion shape attached to that vertical bulwark? The plate I'm referring to is on the after 2/3's of the hull not (as is more common) on the forward 1/3 of the hull extending the bow upward?

In the 'after' photo (painted blk & red) this coaming/bulwark is missing and I'm inferring this is what you're discussing as a " tubular top rail 6-inches tall on top of that cap"? So I conclude from the pics and the your posts that you'd like add back a plate/sheet coaming or bulwark- like the original and that you'd like to top this with a piece of pipe/tube or other hollow stock with rounded cross section?

If I'm on the "same page" as your original question (?) then what would you like to know about adding this bulwark topped with a hollow extrusion?

Hope we're getting closer to being able to offer some useful advice?

Some of the questions that come to mind:
What thickness is the 'cap' /sheer clamp/guard deck/horizontal piece at the sheer?
Is that piece welded to the topsides? or riveted? IS that piece painted now?
Will the attachment be by welding or riveting?
Do you have access to a sheet metal brake/press brake that can bend marine aluminum (IF) you'd going to flange the replacement bulwarks and rivet to the 'cap/sheer clamp?
Do you have access to welding equip (IF you're planning to use a welded attachment)?
Do you have a metal supplier in your area that supplies marine grade extrusions and plate/sheet 6061-T6 for the former and 5000 series for the latter?
Can you do metal work with aluminum alloy- layout, cut, fit, tack-up, & weld?

These questions help us get in the ball park about what is needed to know to even guess in reply.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
rbarr1
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:26 pm
7

Re: crestliner side rails

#5

Post by rbarr1 »

Thanks so much for the replies and the offer to help. As fate would have it, I went into a local marine welding shop yesterday and explained to the owner what I was trying to do. He had in his attic a set of bow rails that he had custom made for an out of town customer that the. Customer refused. With a little modification which he will do for me, these bow rails will work very nicely for my project at a fraction of the cost. Great solution. Thanks again.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic