Rub Rail Guide
There has been some rub rail discussion lately, so I thought this might be
useful. The method applies to many Cal models that have the one piece
rubber rail. Someone asked about the rail going right around the bow. Yes,
it was designed that way.
Take Care
Charlie
Periodically, I'd buy a bunch of rub rails to get a discount, and then
distribute them to our local CAL 25 fleet. Here are some instructions and
notes I would send with the rail. No UL approval written or implied.
CAL 25 Rub Rail Installation
The rub rails have not really changed through the models of CAL 25s. One
size fits all for the flat deck CAL 25 model (and fits some other CAL models
as well). A 55 foot long section is suitable for the 25. The rub rail is
folded over the deck-hull joint where the deck and hull of the boat are
joined. The rub rail has a cross section (two internal lips - top and
bottom) that allows it to be plugged onto the lip of the joint.
Removal
If there are no screws going vertically through the rail, simply
unscrew the 2 brass caps near the stern at the ends of the rub rail (nuts
are inside the hull), and peel the old one off going around the boat. If
there are vertical screws going into the rail, just unscrew them first, and
the whole rail should peel off (there shouldn't be any type of glue). Then
proceed as below.
Installation
The new rub rail fits over the deck hull joint which forms a lip around the
boat. Unscrew the two brass caps at the aft end of the old rail (nuts are
internal to hull). Embed one end of the new rail inside the cap and use an
awl to put holes in the rail through the brass cap bolt holes to reinsert
the screws. Bolt the one side back into the boat. Fold the rail over the
lip of the joint as you move forward, stretching the rail (a lot) as you
progress. Basically, you insert the top lip of the rail or the bottom lip
of the rail, and then roll up or down to get the other lip to catch. (A
rubber mallet sometimes helps.) Really does take two people. At the other
end, mark and cut the rail while it is stretched. Use the back of the other
brass cap (where it would be if still installed) as a marking reference.
Then with rub rail tension relieved, feed it into the end cap with screws as
you did the first one. Then restretch to get the cap to the holes in the
hull.
Due to the stretching required, this operation would be difficult with the
boat in the water. Ashore, don't yank the boat off its jack stands. :- (
Also a good idea to put screws up from the bottom of the rail through the
hull joint lip (number 10 self tapping ~1.5 inch pan head or oval head with
washers like the decorative ones) into predrilled vertical tapping size
holes. Holes should not go to the top of the rail. Put these about every
two feet starting at the bow back about 10 feet on each side. This keeps
the rail from getting knocked off in heavy seas (bow slamming kinds of
weather).
Some Notes
Here's the rub (sorry for pun). The rail is best installed warm (if not
hot) since it is more resilient and supple that way (stretches better).
Could be a problem in the winter depending on where you live. I've heard
heating methods all the way from hot water buckets (even an oil drum full of
water over a propane fire), to hair dryers, to letting the rail sit on a hot
summer parking lot for a while. One other is to put the rail in a dark
trash bag sitting out in the sun.
If you see gaps in the joint between deck and hull while the rub rail is
off, caulk the joint and smooth before installing rail. Don't need to glue
the rail on. The joint must be well very cleaned before caulking. Scrub it
out (maybe a wire brush) then wipe or brush with acetone. By the way, if
you have pop rivets through the joint, they are NOT structural. They were
used to hold the top and bottom of the boat together and stable while the
internal fiberglass was laid across the deck hull joint. On some models, a
teak strip (usually at the top of the hull carpet that was attached with the
%$_&## glue) was screwed into the deck hull joint from the inside. This
arrangement ultimately leaked so the caulk is a good idea.
I have seen a CAL or two where someone had filed down the lip in the
deck/hull joint. Looks prettier with no rub rail, but sure screws up the
install. On one boat, we had to go with the screws all the way around at 18
inch intervals.