My Hunter 27

[jcc5169]

I bought the 1975 Hunter 27 I was considering in April 2010, and have been trying to get repairs done to it for 2 months. I have finally moved it to a place where I can bottom paint it and get the gel coat above the water line painted with a Emron/Awlgrip 2 stage paint.

The deck is missing the hand rails that are installed on the main cabin on the inner deck on each side of the mast. Does anyone have experience with non-teak hand rails and have a source of supply?

Any info would be most helpful.

 

[rardiH36]

If the look on the attached photos is something you would consider, I'll dig further into getting sourcing and installation info. My 1980 Hunter 36 also had original teak hand rails when I bought it. They needed to be removed when I painted the cabin top. I decided that I did not want sand/varnish every year. So I replaced as shown. This was an economical modification.

 

[MrUnix]

The deck is missing the hand rails that are installed on the main cabin on the inner deck on each side of the mast. Does anyone have experience with non-teak hand rails and have a source of supply?

Any info would be most helpful.

I replaced mine with Mahogany. Fabricated them myself from wood purchased at a local lumber yard. I've done this on 3 boats now including my H27, and the Mahogany has lasted as well or better than teak, and with less maintenance as long as you prep/seal it properly. The only problem is actually finding good mahogany these days!

I'm sure others will tell you to go for Teak, and that is what I would recommend also if you are going for the 'natural' unvarnished look. If you are going to varnish, then almost any hardwood will work (I've used Oak with great results as well). The key is to properly prep and seal the wood. Give it a good sanding to open its pores, then apply one or two thin coats of clear epoxy. Scuff sand the epoxy and wash with a good diluted solution of TSP or ammonia to remove any wax left over from the epoxy, then give at least three coats of a UV protective varnish.

Cheers,
Brad

 

[David in Sandusky]

Stainless Rails

A prior owner removed the teak rails on Lady Lillie, and installed 2 23 inch stainless rails toward the aft end of the cabin. They have integrated bolts like the 12 inch rails shown at this website:

http://www.boatersland.com/afi74012.html

The mounting requires drill/fill/drill to keep the new holes from wetting the wood core of the cabin roof. They are fastened inside the cabin with fender washers,, and nuts that cover the end of the bolts.

This provides a great, secure hold between the cockpit and the shrouds. Since the shrouds attach outboard through the toe rail, they provide the ideal hand-hold while going by the mast. We don't miss the rails forward of the forward lower stays.

The big advantage of this approach is that the cabin roof ahead of the grab rails, and inside the stays becomes a great seat forward for the crew. (No rail to torture your bottom.)

This is a great feature of our boat!