Adding grab rails to MKII

[jbrosecity]

I would like to add a pair of grab rails (aka hand rails) to the deck of my Catalina 22 MKII alongside the companionway hatch. I think a sailboat looks naked without them and they are handy to grab on to when crawling around the boat. As I see it I have two options... teak (as sold by Catalina Direct) or stainless steel. Since the boat has no other teak above decks I would like to go with stainless. I have walked around the marina and looked at hundreds of boats with grab rails... most of them are teak and most are shabby looking, though some people have snap-on covers on them. I have also seen a scant few with stainless and they look nice on the right boat. I'm looking the 54" stainless "Boat Grab Rail" at GreatLakesSkipper. The thing is that virtually all longer grab rails that I have observed are bowed inward to follow the contour of the cabin. With teak rails they are easy enough to flex and bend as you install each loop. I would imagine soaking them in water first would make it even easier. But how to flex the stainless rails? The 54" rails I have seen only have one center anchor point besides the two ends... I haven't found any at all with "5 loops" like the teak. I was thinking or ordering a set and experimenting with building some sort of jig out of 2x4's and gently pulling on them to create a bow. I also thought I might try heating them with a propane torch to faciliate the effort, though I was a little concerned about possible discoloration. I was wondering if any one has had any experience with this or can make any suggestions as to how to go about it, or perhaps recommend some sort of commercial shop like a muffler shop or something who can assist in bowing the rails.

 

[Bilbo]

the 4 loop teak rails were introduced in 85. The 5 loop ones were earlier... I believe. The bend is easy enough to do with the teak by simply doing it by hand when fastening it with the screws. In time the bend becomes more permanent. I'd probably tend towards the Teak IMHO but this is only an opinion.

 

[Ken]

Hand Rails

Why not use the white plastic hand rails? They would certainly match the rest of the boat.

My friend took one look at my MKII then proudly remarked, humph looks like a Clorox bottle.

His remarks were in fun, he likes wood on the boat....

 

[jbrosecity]

Hi - Thanks for the replies... I realize teak would be easier to bow to fit the contour... and so would plastic. But yeah, the chlorox bottle look is not my favorite. I'm looking to add trim as well as functionality. Teak adds a nice contrast, but usually winds up looking shabby. Walking around the marirnaq and looking at rails, I didn't see many that looked good. The boat has stainless lifeline stanchions, bow rail, swim ladder, etc, so I thought stainless would look best and also be maintenance free. I would think I could mage to create a slight bow in a 54" stainless tubing grab rail. I was just wondering if heating with a propane torch would make it any easier and whther it would discolor stainless like it would chrome.

 

[don12596]

jbrosecity you will never get the tubing hot enough to bend with a propane torch.and yes when you heat any metal hot enough to it will discolor and need re-polishing you would want go to a local metal shop and have them custom make them for you . they will have to make a pattern to mach the bow that you want unless you have your old wood ones then that might cut down on the price. good luck

 

[Bilbo]

Another way with the SS rails is to fill the old holes and redrill new ones in the fiberglass that are in a line. The arc on the wood ones isn't all that much anyway.
A matter of preference as far as I see...Clorox bottle or Cuisinart.
Stainless would be little to no maintenance compared to wood as long as the holes don't leak.

 

[Ken]

SS rails

LOL I will have to remember that one Bilbo...

I agree with JB heating the SS will discolor it, if you don't have the tools needed to re-polish it that will be something else to add to your expense.

Another thing to remember, back from my crewing days pieces would get added that ended up right where one needed to sit. You never said where you planned to add the rails, but should you place them close to the hatch that would sill give your crew that grand place to sit.

I've forgotten where I saw SS handrails but I believe it was Overton's that have three or four different lengths of the Stainless hand rails for sale.

I have seen the Stainless rails bent into a curve, but I would think it's where the bases are mounted that will determine how sever the bend could be.

You might try a conduit bender, the stern rail on my MK has a slight bend in it and there is what I have determined will be my first choice of a way to try bending it.