Toerail
Dear Friends, I am going to repaint the hull and therefore I am thinking to replace both toerails as well to avoid future corrosion stains on the new paint ( blue) . I am not going to replace with the original ones and my idea is to replace existing toerails with a flat stainless steel plate ( 3 mm thick ) and to cover it first in epoxy and the with a teak toerail. I remember that someone in Marciana told me that there is a drawing from Nautor which shows a template of the teak ( in section). Can anyone help me finding out this drawing?
fair winds
Sergio Clarion of Skye 042/48 ( former Eagle)

Dear Sergio
Removal of the present toe rails requires opening of their bolts which is a fairly tedious job, but I can suggest a way of speeding this up by leaving the bolts in place if you do not intend to re-use the rails.
The teak toe rail has a trapezoid shape with slightly sloping sides, but pls note that a lip is needed to cover the deck edge near the rounded hull flange corner.
Best regards
Lars

Dear Lars,

thank you for your suggestion that I will follow with no doubt. Do you know where to find or who to ask for the drawing of the teak toerail?

thanks
sergio

Dear Sergio
I do not think a drawing is very important, as the present width of the aluminium rail would be used also for the teak rail, unless you add a narrow strip of teak deck in order to reduce the width of the new rail.
The height could also be about the same as before.
If the stanchion bases now are on the horizontal aluminium flange it is necessary to decide where to put them, on top of the teak rail would be preferable, because if put inside the rail they will be on the deck sandwich area, and this causes much additional trouble.
It is suggested you consider these points.
Best regards
Lars

Dear Lars, thank you for your advices. I was thinking of putting the stanchion on the internal side of the toerail . To mount them on top of the toerail I think it is not so nice to see. An option could be to built the toerail around the stanchion ; this could be achieved welding the stanchion bases on the new stainless steel plate which will replace the existing toerail and then drill the holes in the teak to accept them.
I have also thought to keep the existing toerail and to re-anodize it but I am expecting to find very worn parts when it will be off the deck. a coplete new one ( provided I will be able to find one ) seems to be too expensive.
Kind regards Sergio

Dear Sergio
You could also make cutouts for the stanchion bases on the inside of the new rail, then they would be approximately in the same location.
The rail needs drain holes near the lowest point.
The stainless flat bar you suggest is not necessary for strength.
Best regards
Lars

Dear Lars, I tought - and I think that I a not the only one in this forum - that the existing toerail was structural with the boat. I remember someone told me that "swans were so well built than you could lift one from the toerail"Porbably this is too much but I thought that this was very close to reality. In Marciana there was a 65' who did the same job I am going to do and he told me that instead of a stainless steel plate as a replacement for the original toerail , he used 21 layers of carbon fiber to make it as strong as it was before.Now you tell me that I can get rid of the toerail withouth having to replace it. This would make quite a difference in terms of time and money. Can I say that - after the toerail removal - it would be enough to replace bolts and nuts and washers?

Dear Sergio
You are right that the aluminium rail provides exceptional strength, which is not really needed in normal conditions. A teak rail will also provide quite good strength as it has a bigger cross section, and I assumed you will install one. The bolts are always needed, but pls note that it is not necessary to open each one for getting the rail off if you cut through the aluminium around each bolt with an approx 30 mm hole saw. This would leave the bolts heads with aluminium washers on deck, and they can be hidden under the teak rail. Suggest you sell the rails to a home builder who can put in special washers in the holes
Best regards
Lars

Dear Lars, I realy appreciate your very useful suggestion. My only concer is that the existing bolts with the old alluminium toerail are the very bit that causes the problem.
I think I wil start trying to remove some to see how it is underneath and then I will decide which way to follow.
Thank you again for our support on this . Kind regards Sergio

Dear Sergio
The aluminium washer-stainless bolt combination will not suffer corrosion problems if protected so it stays dry under the new rail.
The corrosive action on the present rail could be stopped by adding plastic washers under the bolt heads, but this requires removal of all bolts and enlargening of the countersinking in the bolt holes.
Best regards
Lars