Dented Toe Rail

[Nelsonhow]

When I bought my old H-30 years ago it had a dented toe rail. It appears that there was a minor collision with another boat. Only a little gel-coat crack but no apparent laminate damage and no leaking. I'd like to know if anyone has any ideas on how it might be straightened short of cutting out the dented section or taking the toe rail off.

Here are a couple of pics I snapped last weekend.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[J Hunter]

Maybe cut out all of the damaged part with a sawzall and get a fresh piece from either a salvage yard or http://www.rigrite.com/Hardware/Toerail/Toerail.htm and cut out a piece to match and fill in the chunk you cut out, making deep bevels so an experienced aluminum welder could make penetration welds that you could grind off flush and then polish. At the Newport boat show last fall there was a guy who had a booth and was selling a DIY coating for refurbishing black anodized aluminum and the samples he had looked pretty impressive, I didn't get the name of the company though.

 

[rardiH36]

Don't know how I would react if I had a dented toe rail. Probably as you, it would be a constant eyesore that can't be ignored.

Alternatively to repair/replace, maybe think creatively about camouflaging the section. For safety reasons to prevent slipping while stepping onto a wet toe rail, (which happened with great pain as a consequence), I did as per the attached picture to a section of my toe rail. (Haven't slipped again yet!) The gray stuff is 3M's 2" wide self stick anti-slip product for stairs which is available at most ACE hardware stores. Maybe something like this, but on a bigger scale and extending the entire vertical top-to-bottom toe rail width, could improve the appearance of your damaged area? Certainly cheaper and easier than replacing the section.

But you've gone many years with the blemish ... so in any case keep on sailing!

 

[rardiH36]

Looking at your pictures again, got another thought.

Maybe this has some risk, but something I would try. Get a large adjustable crescent wrench. Put it vertically over the spot on the toe rail at the spot with the most deflection. Close the jaws so they are tight. Then lever the wrench in the opposite direction from the indentation. Be sure to pay attention if the levering might cause too much stress on the fiberglass. Maybe you can get the worst spot of the bent area relatively straight again. Or ... place a piece of wood against the most bent spot. Rap it with a hand sledge hammer. Not too hard. Maybe that will do some straightening.
Or ... call a mobile automotive dent removal company. Promise not to complain if they don't get it exactly right. Maybe they can do something as per the above to get the problem area back to a look that doesn't "jump out" every time the eye happens across the area.

Again, not a perfect solution, but quick and probably not too expensive. If you are careful, the downside is nothing.

 

[rardiH36]

Obviously I don't have much going on this evening. So here's suggestion #3!

Get a strong piece of wood like a 2x4. Get a very strong C-clamp. Align the wood on the outside of the depressed area. Put the C-clamp fixed side on the inside of the most dented spot of the toe rail top. The screw side of the C-clamp on the other side of the 2x4. Tighten the C-clamp. See if the dent straightens out against the 2x4. Maybe contour the 2x4 with a little convexity so the tightening can go a little beyond straight if the straight 2x4 edge isn't enough.

Again, won't be perfect, but might be enough of an improvement to be no longer objectionable.

That's it --- no more ideas from me!

 

[Manny]

I'm not sure I would try banging on that area with a hammer, since aluminum is so brittle.

Depending on the location of the affected area I would maybe consider cutting off the dented vertical part flush to the deck, then install a cleat in the "gap". I would then do the same to the other side to make it symmetrical. You could have a nice set of cleats for spring lines...

M

 

[Dick Cuthbert]

Agreeing w Rardi

Rardi has the right idea. I might add a piece of Rt. angle bar behind the 2 X 4 to give it more strength. I would also put a piece of wood (wiith a small piece of metal) on the the other side of the toe rail and then use a large C clamp and keep tightening it. If you need to go further you can add small wood spacers between the 2X4 and the toe rail. One last thought, how about rags between the wood and the toe rail to protect the finish ......

Good luck and happy straightening ........

PS .......post a picture after you are done ................

 

[Scampardo]

I have a small indentation on my toe rail also, a Hunter 22. I was thinking the C clamp idea is the best I can think of too. I am giving it a try tomorrow.

 

[rardiH36]

... I am giving it a try tomorrow.

Please let us know how the "operation" on your toe rail went?!

 

[Scampardo]

Worked perfect. "C" clamp and piece of wood on outside of toe rail. Little rubber padding on inside of toe rail. Nice and slow. Stop before going too far, no one will notice.

 

[Nelsonhow]

I tried a lager pipe wrench but...... no go!

The torque was putting pressure on the bottom of the rail along the hull so I stopped because I thought it would damage the hull. No change in the dent... I'll try the a large C clamp idea next....

 

[rardiH36]

The torque was putting pressure on the bottom of the rail along the hull so I stopped because I thought it would damage the hull. No change in the dent... I'll try the a large C clamp idea next....

Thanks for coming back with your experience. If the depression is deep enough that the hull and the horizontal plane of the toe rail is deformed, then my guess is that full restoration might be impossible without major work and big $'s. Maybe just straightening the top/crest of the vertical section best you can will be enough of an improvement ... then camouflage of some sort? Or as been opined, cut out and install a cleat?

 

[Scampardo]

I did not realize your rail was dented below the slotted section. Mine was only the slotted section. No damage was done to the lower area.

 

[Nelsonhow]

It's only dented on the top slotted section but using a pipe wrench on the slotted section and trying to bend it back into shape puts pressure on the lower section that lies against the top 2" of the hull. So I'll try a c clamp.

 

[Scampardo]

I just went out and finished the "C" clamp on toe rail operation. This time I got tough with it. No padding on inside toe rail. "C" clamp pad itself is the size of a half dollar almost. Then used an old flat chisel on the outside. I cranked it pretty good. It's a big clamp about 16" x 8". After I couldn't turn it by hand anymore I used a 1/12" piece of PVC 20" long and cranked it more. Indentation is almost gone. There is some paint missing but very little. Just the skinny part on top. I don't think you could find it once the paint is touched up. Unless I told you where it was.

 

[Scampardo]

Sorry, I meant used a 1 1/2" by 20" piece of PVC pipe. Not 1/12", very skinny pipe that one is.

 

[Nelsonhow]

Boy the slotted toe rail on my H-30 is one tough item.

As you may recall the top was dented inward (see prior pics) and I was unable to use a large pipe wrench to bend it back. I tried using a large pry bar on the outside and 2 7" C clamps to draw the bend back. Bent both 2 C-Clamps. I needed more juice so I took the top of my medium bench vice off my work bench and used it like a "BIG CLAMP". With the heavy metal pry bar on the outside of the rail I then inverted tie vice so one side of the jaws was centered on the dent on the inside and on the pry bar on the outside. I cranked away and was able to remove about 80% of the dent. I guess this is as good as it's going to get. I was about to snap a few pics but the rain started and I ran for cover. I'll post a pic of the result next week.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[rardiH36]

Great to hear from you that the indentation is now less objectionable after your vice method. Besides being a "tough item" it's also possible that the original impact elongated/stretched the aluminum which no can't be compressed again as it is straighten back towards it's original length. With the improvement, maybe now the camoflague idea something like my #3 ?