Cheapish, cost effective handrails?

Jan 6, 2014
89
Pearson Triton Cambridge
Hello all,

Sorry for the barrage of questions but just was up to my boat and have a bunch.

I have limited grab rails in the cabin and not enough on deck either.

I think mahogany premade ones would break the bank. Any suggestions on cost effective ideas? I'm not opposed to chrome/stainless/metal ones. I think if I need to grab something quick, I won't be too snobby.

Thanks
Paul
 
Jan 6, 2014
89
Pearson Triton Cambridge
Capable, yes. I don't have a shop. So everything gets done at or on the boat.
 
Feb 20, 2011
8,060
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Two nice tools to have are a bandsaw and a router table, with a big roundover bit.

But you could do it primitively, with handsaws and a rasp. Just takes more time.

Got woodworking friends?
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
look in Don Casey's sail boat maintannce book you will find a chapter on that very thing....

regards

woody
 
Mar 22, 2004
733
Hunter 30 Vero Beach
I've found the best place to find people to help with boat projects is your marina. I always ask my dock mates if they know "a guy". then go from there. I refuse to pay marina or chandlery prices unless I absolutely have to. Sometimes it takes me a while to finish projects but If it's not something that's crucial, I rely on patience and time. I have all the time in the world, but not all the money.
 
Jun 21, 2007
2,117
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
I looked up a picture of a Triton 28. Can't comment on interior grab rails, but for exterior, I expect you are looking to install on the presumably bare forward deck?

For the short span on your boat, I would think that about $100 or less for one stainless steel rail on each port and starboard set-up as in the attached picture would be doable. Tools needed are hacksaw, drill, epoxy, butyl tape or high quality caulk and a screw driver.

If really interested, I can probably find a post of mine from many years ago with more detail.
 

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Aug 19, 2013
129
Sirius 22 Minneapolis
Instead of wood how about the plastic decking you can pick up at the local home improvement store. Several colors to chose from, about 1 inch thick and an 8 foot plank should get you all the handrails you need. Makes great rubrails too. A bandsaw and a router would make the job easy.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Azek PVC plastic decking board is one of the better options. There are 2 brown colors that look reasonable, one is somewhat close to teak. Others have fabbed boat items out of Azek. I found samples at a local lumberyard that sells it, not a the big orange or blue box store. I intend to make treads for my swim ladder, but buying the shortest board for close to $100 is a big pill to swallow… (and a real long board to get home on top of the car ;)

I would NOT buy a composite material like Trex, or whatever it is. This is available at the big orange box store. It is bits of wood molded together with recycled plastic shopping bags. No, I am not kidding you, I saw it on a "how it's made" type TV show, and the company is proud to be recycling the bags. I don't think I'd want that to be a marine grab rail. It would do well as decking material, but I don't know that it has the integral strength for grab rails, or rot resistance for a marine environment.

Plasteak is a high density polyethylene product colored and molded to look like teak. Easy to work with, similar to Starboard. They will make you custom stuff.

Otherwise, look around at chandleries for pre-made teak grab rails and stainless steel. I'd be very careful of a home bathroom grade rail - might not be stainless enough for a salt marine environment.

Brian

Instead of wood how about the plastic decking you can pick up at the local home improvement store. Several colors to chose from, about 1 inch thick and an 8 foot plank should get you all the handrails you need. Makes great rubrails too. A bandsaw and a router would make the job easy.
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,935
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Aren't there any used boat parts places in your area? There are certainly a few online. You might find just what you want at a price you can afford.
 
Oct 26, 2005
2,057
- - Satellite Beach, FL.
Azek lumber, easy to do with a table saw to rip the board, a band or jig saw to cut out the hoops and a router for the edges.
I went with Azek because it is 100% PVC and the "composites" were using pulp (trash) wood which rotted and mildewed. Sounds like some have fixed this problem.
The pic shows a fwd handrail and Azek toerail. Bedded with Butyl tape.
 

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Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Commercial safety grab bars are an option. I have a shop full of tools so I was able to make anything I wanted and for the overhead I made large wooden cleats.