Teak handrails - reinstall

K

kclancy

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Jul 25, 2016
197
Catalina 22 Sacramento
Hi All - I finally completed painting the decks with Kiwi Grip. It looks great - for a total newbie job! I'll post a pic tomorrow.

Now I need to reinstall everything. How do you recommend installing the grab rails? The bow handrail was installed with screws from inside the cabin. I think that I will reinstall these the same way, but use fender washers and finish washers to give it a more refined look.

The cabin top handrails were installed with bolts, with the bolt head and finish washer from inside the cabin. The nuts were accessed from the top and finished with a bung. Is this how you have your cabin top handrails installed? I was wondering if it would be easier to have access to the nut in the cabin?

Also, do I "over size the hole in the handrail, at least part of the way, to allow access to the nut and the installation of a teak bung?

Always learning (usually the hard way though...),
Kevin
 
Gene Neill

Gene Neill

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Sep 30, 2013
3,541
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
Through-bolted would be the strongest way for sure. But mine are just wood-screwed from inside, with oval head screws and countersunk washers.
 
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Jacktar

Jacktar

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Sep 14, 2014
1,252
Catalina 22 Pensacola, Florida
Dont over think it. the rails are really set on a cabin top so low that only small children or midgets can actually use them for grabbing on to go forward along the side deck. They are mostly decorative and keep floaties sliding overboard. But handy for drying swimwear.
 
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pclarksurf

pclarksurf

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Jul 13, 2015
900
Catalina 22 #2552 2252 Kennewick, WA
As @Gene Neill noted-- screwed from inside the cabin with finish washers is likely the factory version. In redoing my own (and having not had the originals to replace) my adapted set didn't conform to the inevitable native curves of the cabin top. I used a fair amount of weight ( gallons of water ) and worked linearly down the rail-- but it did cross my mind that a through bolt with a bung from the top would be far superior mechanically.
 
greg_m

greg_m

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May 23, 2017
692
Catalina Jaguar 22 Simons Town
Hi guys, I have to make new hand rails completely from scratch... so I found these things in my local hardware store and am seriously planning on using them.

Metal threaded inserts that get screwed into the wooden piece that then accept a 6mm bolt. So no holes from above with the need for plugs and then bolted in from below with nice stainless dome head bolts!

Found this video to describe the method...

 
LakeShark

LakeShark

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Sep 15, 2016
799
Catalina 22 Minnesota
Why not just use screws from the underside the way they were installed originally? If they strip out then you could go up to inserts but it is much harder to go smaller.
 
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K

kclancy

.
Jul 25, 2016
197
Catalina 22 Sacramento
My teak handrails were installed with through bolts when I took them off to refinish. I tried to put them back on the way the came off. However, the cabin top has different thicknesses is spots and the PO had a lot better skills at estimating how deep to drill the bungs so that the screws did not protrude too far into the cabin interior. At the end of the day, my reinstall was a total failure. I'm now going to fill the holes in the handrails with epoxy and then use screws and finish washers to attach them from inside the cabin to attach them. I did this with the small bow handrail and it was easy. I might then drill out some holes for teak bungs to make everything look good. At this point, I don't really care anymore. I just want to go sailing.
 
LakeShark

LakeShark

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Sep 15, 2016
799
Catalina 22 Minnesota
To fill the screw holes I have used this with some success

https://www.lowes.com/pd/J-B-WELD-KwikWood-Epoxy-Putty-Stick/999985990

It's a 5 min epoxy with fibers that can handle a screw easily. Just remember to protect the epoxy with varnish or something as it will yellow if it is exposed to the sun. If it is only on the underside then no worries. Roll it in your hands to mix to a uniform color, make a long hotdog shape and shove in the hole till it's full. Wait 24 hours for full cure, pilot drill a few holes through the cabin top while someone holds the rail in place from outside then butyl tape on outside and screw it tight. Just did this on one of my rails. Takes less than 5 min to fill holes and 15 min to drill / mount. Seems to work good so far.

Oh and if your getting frustrated put a piece of tape over the hole and go sailing. There is always a high wind or no wind day to get the rail back on. Fair winds
 
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