Fixing a stretched out rubrail on Catalina 30

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May 9, 2012
10
Catalina 30 mkIII North Star Sail Club
Gang,

First docking experience and I kiss the piling hard enough to pull about a foot of the rubber rubrail out of it's track and pucker it up. Can anyone suggest best way to get it to lay back down?

Rob Kirsten
Lake St Clair, MI
 
May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
They are not too horrible to replace them. As they age they tend to want to jump out of the track etc. Catalina direct sells the rubrail.
 

Bob S

.
Sep 27, 2007
1,805
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Same thing happened to me last year. I used my thumbs and some patience to press it back. You could try a little heat (hair dryer) to make it easier. I saw a topic on the Catalina 30 Yahoo group and evidently this happens frequently as the rubber ages. I just lightly tapped a piling and it pulled out about 8+ inches. I got it back but was quite upset at myself when it happened. It might be time to replace it?
 

weinie

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Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
soapy water in a spray bottle. Stretch it as you go.
 

mortyd

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Dec 11, 2004
952
Catalina 30 easy living
catalina direct may sell them but catalina yachts sells them for less money.
 
Feb 16, 2011
227
Macgregor 26X Michigan City, IN
I have found that hanging airplane tires (747 size) instead of fenders works quite well. Not to mention all the admiring looks I get. :D

Gang,

First docking experience and I kiss the piling hard enough to pull about a foot of the rubber rubrail out of it's track and pucker it up. Can anyone suggest best way to get it to lay back down?

Rob Kirsten
Lake St Clair, MI
 
Feb 26, 2008
603
Catalina 30 Marathon, FL
I had a small area that was pulled out but not bunched. I just rapped it back in with a dead blow hammer.

BTW, a dead blow hammer has a soft face and is filled with lead shot to give it some umph. You could substitute a rubber mallet. I wouldn't use a steel hammer :eek:

I also found that if you have dark marks on the rub rail from pilings, you can clean them off with a little acetone on a rag. Makes things look neater and works better than any cleaners I've tried.
 
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jrowan

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Mar 5, 2011
1,294
O'Day 35 Severn River, Mobjack Bay, Va.
Jim, I like the acetone idea for cleaning marks. I use a bit of soft scrub which works wonders on fiberglass marks, but that rub rail is stubborn to clean!
 
May 9, 2012
10
Catalina 30 mkIII North Star Sail Club
Thank You to all for your excellent responses. I will try the hair dryer and rubber mallet first, and will report back.

Really appreciate the help, thanks. Rob Kirsten
 
Aug 24, 2007
5
Catalina 30mkIII New Albany, IN
Rub rail pulling out

Gang,

First docking experience and I kiss the piling hard enough to pull about a foot of the rubber rubrail out of it's track and pucker it up. Can anyone suggest best way to get it to lay back down?

Rob Kirsten
Lake St Clair, MI
Had the same problem. Mine pulled out approx 5-6 feet from the stern. I pulled out the remainderfrom the hump to the stern. I then pinched the rubber and put it back in the frame. It will be longer. Just cut off the extra and put the screw back to hold it in place.l
 
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