E35III 1984 New paint/new bottom

[cpcini]

My '84 E35III needed a new paint job, the old dark black/burgundy just was not my style. I decided Ocean Gate Yacht Basin, located in Bayville, New Jersey was the yard who would do all the needed work. I'm in the marine canvas business and know this yard well. I've seen plenty of boats leave this shop in better than new condition. Since the boat came from the south ( SC) I asked Ocean Gate to media blast the bottom to start the project. Three yrs ago when I purchased this boat my surveyor said " just some minor blisters near the water line, nothing to worry about" Well after the media blast I needed to peel the bottom and start fresh. I'm OK with this as I'm adding many new items to this ongoing project.Google: Ocean Gate Yacht Basin's facebook page where my boat "Nani" is featured. Media blasting has shown way to many blisters to fill, a complete bottom peel followed, FRP work, Interlux Interprotect High Build 2-part multiple coats and eventually Interlux Micron CF bottom paint. Next is a new rub rail and I've found no replacement as of today. There has been plenty of talk on EYO regarding rubrails but none mentioned to date will work. I do not want the original Aluminum rail look. I was hoping to find a beefier, thicker rub rail possibly white PVC with a SS rub strake. Our boats were designed with an outward frp flange which I believe plays an important role in adding stiffness to the hull. I will not grind this flange off, which would make a rub rail choice much easier. Hoping this project helps spark some input to soothe the winter blues in the cold states and beyond. Carl

could not figure out how to directly link to Ocean Gates facebook page. sorry.


google: Ocean Gate Yacht Basin/ facebook and look for 35 Ericson "NANI"

 

[Christian Williams]

Next is a new rub rail and I've found no replacement as of today. There has been plenty of talk on EYO regarding rubrails but none mentioned to date will work. I do not want the original Aluminum rail look. I was hoping to find a beefier, thicker rub rail possibly white PVC with a SS rub strake.

Have you looked at the various Catalina rubrails? I think some to meet your description. Rather thick, with inserts.

For Ericsons, I agree there's no simple answer (but you do get to read a lot of posts asking the same question). Since on my model the rub rail sits on essentially a vertical surface, I'm finally going with this Taco aluminum product, for simplicity. I very much like my aluminum original, but it is no longer available from anyone.

[I wound up using a different profile: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/entry.php?280-Ericson-32-3-Aluminum-Rub-Rail-Replacement ]

u

 

[footrope]

Rub rail possibility

On my E38 I used a Taco V21-9667 vinyl extrusion and the appropriate (S11-4690) stainless steel insert. Extrusion comes in 20 ft lengths and the stainless steel inserts come in 12" lengths. This is not an inexpensive upgrade, regardless of whether you do the labor or hire it out.

The rub rail covers the hull-deck joint, which sticks out roughly 3/4 inch and is about 1 to 1-1/4 inch thick. The guys had to trim the thickness in places, and trim it back in some cases, to properly fit the extrusion over it.

I got rid of the original heavy plastic extrusion that had a very badly deteriorated white rubber insert. The motivation to replace it was both cosmetic and functional. The port side about midships had been damaged and a new piece was inserted and not very well done.

I'll take some new pictures. This one from either my Android phone or my iPad, plus several others of the rub rail, refuses to show right side up despite flipping and rotating. Of course they look fine on the PC and the originating device.

 

[Christian Williams]

We have to "save as" rotated or corrected photos on home computers before uploading to the forum. Just rotating them on the computer screen doesn't change the original. It's only a "viewing choice". "Save as " makes a new file which is forever rotated.

 

[Rick R.]

I have seen a lot of post here with a need for new rub rail. The Catalina Direct site may help.

 

[cpcini]

I have seen a lot of post here with a need for new rub rail. The Catalina Direct site may help.

Appreciate the input. I have noticed the New Catalina rub rails look interesting and will dig deeper on that idea. Here pics showing where this job got started and where I'm at today with it. Spring is not far away and I need to find that perfect rubrail. Look at the # of blisters, which lead to the bottom peel, but today the bottom work and Awlgrip are perfect.Carl

 

[Rick R.]

Appreciate the input. I have noticed the New Catalina rub rails look interesting and will dig deeper on that idea. Here pics showing where this job got started and where I'm at today with it. Spring is not far away and I need to find that perfect rubrail. Look at the # of blisters, which lead to the bottom peel, but today the bottom work and Awlgrip are perfect.Carl

View attachment 15726View attachment 15727View attachment 15728View attachment 15729

Wow Carl! That looks great.

I wish I had access to an enclosure to work on our boat.

 

[footrope]

We have to "save as" rotated or corrected photos on home computers before uploading to the forum. Just rotating them on the computer screen doesn't change the original. It's only a "viewing choice". "Save as " makes a new file which is forever rotated.

A trip through Photoshop (Mac) and a Save As...Replace fixed at least two of them. One still turned out upside down in the forum. But I got two of them to come in OK. I had modified a few of them in Preview (Mac) which does some strange (to me) stuff. I see funny results in TextEdit (Mac) also, when working with text files. It is possible that these two apps manage versions of a file in the background (like vi editors in UNIX?) and I don't know how to access previous versions or make changes stick, apparently. Several of them, when opened, popped up with Photoshop messages to the effect that there was 'unknown data that was ignored.'

Thanks,
cd

 

[footrope]

Carl,
Nice paint job. Are you doing that spraying yourself?

Craig

 

[cpcini]

Carl,
Nice paint job. Are you doing that spraying yourself?

Craig

Graig,
I did not paint the boat myself. I had Ocean Gate Yacht Basin in Bayville, NJ do all the work. Go to their facebook page to view photos of process. After seeing the time they put into this project I have a new understanding of DIY and Professional work. Don't get me wrong, 20 years ago I restored a 25 Cape Dory and did all the work myself, Awlgrip,bottom,new teak, cushions, etc. A lot of work. This time around I went with the pros.
Here is a pic of the new Catalina rub rail and not sure if they sell it on their online store. Also not sure it fits the E35 look. The dimensions I'd prefer are about 1 3/4" high x 1 1/4"thick. Called rubrails.com and they did not think they had a match. I will keep looking and try to pass on all info I find. Also, another pic of my 35mk3 as it came out of the paint shed. AwlGrip paint custom color Etheral Blue.

Carl

 

[footrope]

I get letting the pros do certain jobs. It looks great. I hope you find a good rub rail. The one I suggested is probably overkill, if your original is narrow.

 

[cpcini]

I get letting the pros do certain jobs. It looks great. I hope you find a good rub rail. The one I suggested is probably overkill, if your original is narrow.

Graig, I did look at your taco rubrail choice and was looking for a bit smaller. I am working at the Atantic City Boat show this week and the local dealer has a Catalina 315 in the show. This rail looks a bit smaller than the 355 Catalina rail I posted earlier, but the same look. So I will follow that trail. Christian posted a drawing of a rub rail that was just aluminum w/ no rigid vinyl. I guess his 32' had no outward flange. My original rail was aluminum, stuck out about 1" and maybe about 1'' in height. We all have different taste. Maybe I'm being to picky.
Carl

 

[Christian Williams]

For the record, here is the mid-80s 32-3 rub rail, no longer available.

 

[cpcini]

For the record, here is the mid-80s 32-3 rub rail, no longer available.
View attachment 15781

Christian, That is the same rubrail I had on my 1984 35mk3. Did you have an outward flange of the hull/deck connection or did you grind off this flange to be able to use the rub strake you posted in your pics. Any pics of the new rail? At the AC Boat show today I did measure the rigid vinyl rubrail and the dimensions were 1.75" Height x 1.25Depth. At this point I will hope to get a sample from catalina w/ the stainless rub strake. Once again I will keep everyone aware of my decision weather catalina or another idea. Carl

 

[Christian Williams]

Good catch, much obliged. I had never pulled off more than the end cap, where the flange was ground down. But indeed it turns out that I have a very prominent flange elsewhere, so the simple half-round won't work.

Arghh. Now it's Groundhog Day the movie (or Edge of Tomorrow the movie) with this old rubrail thread: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?3817-Rubrail-replacement/page2

Geoff Johnson, way back then, put on a Taco design that either no longer exists, or had its product number changed. It was aluminum, and it fit over the flange fairly easily.

Anybody know if it was one of these?

 

[Geoff Johnson]

Good catch, much obliged. I had never pulled off more than the end cap, where the flange was ground down. But indeed it turns out that I have a very prominent flange elsewhere, so the simple half-round won't work.

Arghh. Now it's Groundhog Day the movie (or Edge of Tomorrow the movie) with this old rubrail thread: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?3817-Rubrail-replacement/page2

Geoff Johnson, way back then, put on a Taco design that either no longer exists, or had its product number changed. It was aluminum, and it fit over the flange fairly easily.

Anybody know if it was one of these?

View attachment 15783View attachment 15782

That's going back quite a few years, but I think it was the shape on the left. My rubrail replacement definitely not round, but trapazoidal (see photo).

 

[HerbertFriedman]

I am confused. If there is a outward flange, it looks like the screws holding the rub rail would interfere with the flange. How does this all work?

 

[footrope]

The screws holding the extrusion went right into the joint and came out the other side. Use sealer. The screws may occasionally interfere with underlying structure or stuff that is hanging over the joint inside. So, survey the entire joint inside, if possible. In my case there were some close calls in the stern where wiring is run.

Added in edit: I talked to the yard workers to see exactly what they did for sealing the new rubrail and insert. My rubrail extrusion is sealed top and bottom with two layers of caulk each. We didn't seal up the hull-deck joint but each of the mounting screws is sealed with 5200. The end caps at the stern and the nose cap at the bow were bead blasted, painted and sealed. The extrusion had to to trimmed in width and depth to go under the end caps and nose cap.

 

[Christian Williams]

On my boat the factory screws are very short--at most 1 1/4", more likely only 1". They barely penetrate the flange 1/4"--with the result that several aren't holding any more.

It occurs to me now that the rub rail on these boats had the primary purpose of covering the joint flange. It was probably a custom extrusion.

In my case the rub rail was filled with a very heavy bead of white caulk, which adhered to the aluminum but not the boat. It cannot have been intended for hull integrity, and it was not applied in a way designed to stop water from entering the rubrail from above. As we know, that is the problem with these rub rails--deck runoff enters, collects dirt, finds its way through and streaks the topsides.

As protection for the hull/deck joint, the Ericson aluminum rub rail would have very limited benefit. It would spread a sharp force such as a piling strike, but that would deform the rubrail and ruin it beyond local repair. The hull/deck joint itself is very strong anyway, and a chipping of the flange by typical contact would be inconsequential in most cases.

So I conclude that the aluminum rub rails were a style solution to a flange design, rather than a protection against impact; that the flange could be ground off with no ill effect; that that is a job I can't do at a yacht club without making a loud mess; and that rub rail threads like this one will go on forever.

I guess I will try Geoff's solution, as he has a 32-3 also. I do notice that, since our topsides are vertical at that point, the Taco design sits canted a bit.