Rubrails

[fillet1]

What years had what types of rubrails?

My 85 has the vinyl/rope rubrail and its pretty beat.

Has anyone just replaced the rope on one? *How hard was it?

The rubrail is also wavy in areas- how can I straighten that out?

I was thinking of heating it with a heat gun and beating it straight again????


thanks in advance *

[labii]

I replaced mine about two years ago it is all vinyl an it was a pain in the a.. ! The rope should not be as bad. Wellcraft changed the rub rails many times over the years . With the cuddy and center console having different styles in the same model year . My old 1974 cuddy had aluminum while the 74 center console was vinyl .

[reelapeelin]

My '74 was upgraded to vinyl B4 I got it... reattached rub-rail and replaced the rope recently...I think had it not been real cold when I did it, the rope woulda gone in easier...having said that, it did work well on the transom turns when heated w/a heat-gun...careful...easy to over heat...doesn't take much... ;)

Used ratchet tie-downs to PULL toward back...started dead center of bow...attached there, then pulled toward back w/tie-downs hooked to wall behind boat...

Used 120 something SS screws to put it back...it was riveted, but the screws really do a BETTER job... ;D and better is like, more gooder ;D

[Vic]

Fillet, I have the rope one and had it off last year. Its pretty heavy to work with but with a little help you can get it straight. I saw the heat gun trick on ShipShape TV. and it does help make the corner at the transom easier. Really helps if you have someone good with a screw gun. 8) We also found matching color rope, at Home Depot. Replacing the rope is easy I think it was 60' and we cut some off.

[chesapeake724]

When I bought mine, the insert was gone. I'm guessing it was rope. Either way, I'll probably replace it on the cheap for now with more rope. I'll have to do the whole rubrail soon and when I do, I plan to thru-bolt some of it.