Synthetic teak handrails

[Bob Neches (Me Gusta, Nonsuch 26U #233)]

Mike posted the following question and I thought I'd start a separate thread for responding so the two topics can be more focused:

Every time we look at the teak, we shudder at the thought of taping/masking/staining 2x a year.

We've done what we can to stick with starboard for any upgrades and additions. ....but you just can't do that to eyebrows or handrails.

Plasteak is very intriguing. Is there a CDN source?

Handrails seem fairly straightforward. Is there a standard way to describe the order? # of loops, distance between loops?

Eyebrows: is it just stock 1"x0.5" lengths? HTF do you get those big bends to match the coach house?

Bottom line: Who's done this already? What would you have done differently? Warnings?

We genuflect to the greater knowledge of the INA collective;)

Cheers,

Mike and Ashley Read

NS 26C #120 Nauti Girl

Bath, Ont

Now, to answer: Mike, yes, I have experience with both PlasTeak handrails and eyebrows.  I don't know the issues of dealing with them from Canada, but I can talk about installing both. 

I'll do a separate post  next for each of the two topics.  Contact me privately if you want more than I'm putting in my initial posts.

-- Bob

   Me Gusta

   Nonsuch 26U #233

[Bob Neches (Me Gusta, Nonsuch 26U #233)]

Handrails: You can see your PlasTeak choices at https://www.plasteak.com/plasteak-recycled-plastic-products/custom-boat-trim

They offer them in 7/8ths and 1-3/8ths inch diameters.   I chose the larger as providing better grip, and made them a bit higher than the teak handrails they replaced in order to provide a better foot stop if I needed that while up on the curved cabintop.  Their online order form asks you to provide:

• Handrail overall length, the distance from the end to end at the handrail's bottom.
  
• Height, which they define as from the cabintop to the top of the rail.  (Note that the height underneath will be that height minus the diameter you choose.)
• Foot length, which is the length of the bases where the handrail will attach to the cabin top
  
• Arch length, which is the distance between bases 
  

Because there's a foot (i.e., a base) at each end, there's one more base that arches, so for your measurements to be consistent and add up, Length = 1 Base Length + (Number of arches * (Arch Length + Base Length)).  You can figure this out pretty easily by measuring your current handrails. 

A key catch is that PlasTeak doesn't hold screws well.   You could choose to just gamble and use long screws anyway.  I chose to throughbolt them.  If I was to do it over, I'd proceed a bit differently than I did, but I'd still throughbolt them.  With the wisdom of hindsight, the way I'd do it is as follows.  Remove the old handrails, which were simply screwed in with square-head wood screws.  Drill out the holes to the diameter you pick for through bolts, plus whatever you choose to do to prevent water from getting to the wood core.   The bungs they sell are 3/8", so keep in mind that whatever diameter you pick, the head of the replacement bolts must be less than that. 

Use the location of the first screw in the old rail to mark where to drill a bolt hole all the way through the new rail.  On the top of the rail, enlarge the hole part way down just large enough for your bolt head to fit and just deep enough for the bung which will later cover it.  Temporarily fasten the rail to the cabintop at that first hole.  You can then (carefully) drill the rest of the holes by having someone on deck hold the rail in position, one base at a time while another person inside drills up from underneath.  Repeat this procedure one base at a time until you get to the other end.  The handrails are very flexible, much more than the teak they're replacing, so it's easy to get the handrail in position this way.

Once you've got them all drilled, remove the temporary fastenings, take the rail off, put butyl tape on the bases and a little wrapped around each bolt, put them back on, bolt them firmly with fender washers inside, and install the bungs.  If you have to enlarge the holes through the cabin liner through which you access the screws, it's easy to find replacement clip-in covers at any big hardware store.

Here's a picture where you can see both the handrail and the eyebrow (I'll talk about the eyebrow in the next post), taken before I put plugs in the  countersunk fastener holes.

-- Bob

   Me Gusta

   Nonsuch 26U #233

[Bath Water]

WoW Bob,

Thanks for the comprehensive install description. Look forward to the eyebrows.

Cheers,

Mike and Ashley Read

NS 26C #120 Nauti Girl

Bath, Ont

[Bob Neches (Me Gusta, Nonsuch 26U #233)]

The eyebrow story turned out to be too big to fit in a post, so I turned it into a PDF.

-- Bob

   Me Gusta

   Nonsuch 26U #233

[Thor (26C Brentwood Bay BC)]

We have use a two part varnish for over 18 years.  On the great lakes we get 8 years between touch ups. All we do is red pad the surface and paint on another 4 coats, takes two days. Best done on a cool shady day.

We are due this year for the third time, bought the boat in 2002.....

On Friday, December 16, 2022 at 9:00:31 PM UTC-8 Bob Neches (Me Gusta, Nonsuch 26U #233) wrote:

[Bob Neches (Me Gusta, Nonsuch 26U #233)]

Thor,

Eyebrow and handrail replacement is really best for boats where the teak is too far gone.  It's enough work not to be worth it if the teak's good and can be maintained.

If you have to do a replacement, though, there's a good argument for going synthetic.  The material's a lot more pliable and easier to get into position.  And, easy as occasional maintenance may be, maintenance-free is easier.  (Assuming you're like me and game to do new things, but don't appreciate the zen in doing maintenance repeatedly.)

-- Bob

   Me Gusta

   Nonsuch 26U #233

[Bath Water]

Again, WoW. What a great job and more so, what a great methodology/description, replete with photos for folks like me that don't English well.

Like the idea of the big piece around the front. Clamps for the rear...Awesome. Heat gun, lovely.

I'd love 12' sections, however shipping across the border will be fun.$$$$$ Tempted to drive to Ohio if I could figure out the harmonized code.....

Notes on getting them to custom rip and use a round-over bit seem the way to go.

Great archival note on a job many of us are facing at 40+.

Happy my question phrasing offered a pain point to focus on;)

Thanks again,

Cheers,

Mike and Ashley Read

NS 26C #120 Nauti Girl

Bath, Ont

[Bath Water]

Hi Thor,

We are having great success with our current stain that applied with a rag,..easy and  looks good for 3 months before it needs doing again.

Mind you, "it needs doing" is sort of a standard that my wife sets. As Mr Eedson and Mr Stewart beside me can attest to the impossible/impractical neatness standard that Nauti Girl must adhere to. Spider poo and flaking varnish are simply not on. Our deck does not echo the cry "Thar she blows", but rather "Out, out damn spot".

Soooo, the leap to Plasteak is a last flailing grasp at the dream where a day masking and rubbing stain are as distant a memory as CRT TV's.

Cheers,

Mike and Ashley Read

NS 26C #120 Nauti Girl

Bath, Ont

[alst...@aol.com]

I will vouch for Nauti Girl's show room shine, she always looks as pristine as a young bride heading down the aisle for the first time.  Keeps Ted and I on our toes just trying to keep up appearances.

Alan Steward

30C # 144 MagnifiCat

Bath, Ontario 

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[Bath Water]

I empathize with my slip neighbours, but alas, I've been told I was born with an unfortunately common chromosome pairing that prevents me from hearing my wife's voice, and recognizing filth when it needs cleaning up. Good thing the Captain does not suffer from these impairments;)

Cheers

Mike and Ashley Read

NS 26C #120 Nauti Girl

Bath, Ont

[329a...@gmail.com]

Wow and thanks Bob, great narrative and insight to the eyebrow install. Gary/Aloki 

. 

[Thor (26C Brentwood Bay BC)]

Yup, replacing it is a job. I have a crack in the brow, been there since I got the boat.  But the replacement of the whole brow does not guarantee it will not reappear...  so I patched it..  I have been toying with scarfing in a replacement but I'll need to ponder that in a sober moment.

As far a varnish

We have used Honey Teak in the past but it is no longer available. We tried Bristol Finish but it was not as good.  We will use Perfection now. The trick is to clean down to bare wood with a scraper, not sandpaper. Clean with a good teak cleaner and apply 2 coats per day, after each coat is just dry to the touch. More than 2 a day and it tends to sag.  Let dry overnight , rub with 3M red pad clean with IPA and reapply.  45 to 55 weather with a slight breeze is perfect.  You need air movement to help cure it so if you take the rails home you will need to run a fan.

[Randy Gadikian]

I too was not happy with the prospect of maintaining teak so while repainting my topsides and repairing some rot I replaced my cabin top railings with stainless and removed my eyebrow.  I like the look of the boat without the eyebrow.   I think the new railings will be more functional where they are now located, but it did involve making new holes in the cabin top and filling the old ones.  

Randy Gadikian

Phoenix

Nonsuch 26C # 37

Buffalo

[Ernie Abugov N22 - #56 "Moustaches" Toronto]

Hey Randy -

Would you have a photo of this completed job ??

Ernie A. in Toronto

PS - Nice weather, eh ??!!

[Randolph Gadikian]

Not a good one no.  This is as good as it gets. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 23, 2022, at 2:31 PM, Ernie Abugov N22 - #56 "Moustaches" Toronto <ernest...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey Randy -

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[Howard Wright]

Hi Randy, I would really like to see a picture of your boat with stainless rails and no eyebrows. Who made the rails for you?

Howard Wright

NS 26C “Merrythought”

Friday Harbor, WA

On Dec 23, 2022, at 6:32 AM, Randy Gadikian <ra...@gadikian.com> wrote:

I too was not happy with the prospect of maintaining teak so while repainting my topsides and repairing some rot I replaced my cabin top railings with stainless and removed my eyebrow.  I like the look of the boat without the eyebrow.   I think the new railings will be more functional where they are now located, but it did involve making new holes in the cabin top and filling the old ones.  

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[Howard Wright]

Thanks!

Howard Wright

On Dec 23, 2022, at 11:48 AM, Randolph Gadikian <ra...@gadikian.com> wrote:

Not a good one no.  This is as good as it gets. 

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[Ernie Abugov N22 - #56 "Moustaches" Toronto]

Randy -

Lucky for me, Moustaches came with S/S handrails. But, they don't look as nice as yours.

Ernie A. in Toronto