Need Help Aluminum Rail Below Safety Lines 1983Hunter 31

[davejet]

Need Help Aluminum Toe Rail Below Safety Lines 1983Hunter 31

I just pulled my 1983 Hunter 31 out for bottom painting. I have owned it about a year.

I have been trying to find a water leak in the aft quarter birth along the port wall. I think I have found it. In the morning I am going to test my theory with a water hose.

Well it appears that the boat was definitely had some sever damage and the previous owner tried to repair it with clear caulk.

With the Boat on the rack, I got on a ladder and looked at the Railing.

The aluminum toe rail that runs from the bow to stern that supports the safety Lines has a gap for about 6 feet about a 1/2 wide.

My question any suggestions on how to repair?? I have no idea on where to start. A friend suggested aluminum welding but that could heat up and burn the fiberglass. Also suggested using 5200 and filling the gab. I am open to any all suggestions.

 

[Don Crowther]

You might want to clean out that caulking first then try to tighten down the toe-rail (aluminum rail below the life line).

The cabin top is attached to the hull underneath the toe rail. The screws that hold toe-rail on also clamp the two together.

The construction has the two halfs coming together under the toe-rail. I'm not sure what kind of caulking Hunter used when they mated the two together.

My water leaks came from the windows not being sealed. The water runs between the cabin top and the headliner.

I also had a leak from the domestic water filler on the port coaming.
Hope this helps you find you leaks

 

[Allan12210]

There may be two things going on here. The first is the toe rail which appears to have split where it turns and forms the the protective side of the hull to deck junction. Maybe damaged and hammered back out resulting in the fracture. The second issue is the leak. Normally the only part of the toe rail that aids in the clamping of the deck and hull is the top where the screws pass through. That spreads the load across the deck flange. Underneath that outward flange which is the hull, there are washers and nuts. Like Don says, clean out that clear stuff and inspect if there is a gap between the two flanges. Make sure the flange underneath isn't fractured. Try blasting water in that gap and checking inside. If clenched tight it shouldn't leak even with the broken toe rail. There is butyl tape in that joint that should be secure. Maybe the boat was T-boned once and the deck is sprung. Hope not.

 

[davejet]

Update this morning I start spraying water where the toe rail was cracked only a little water was leaking in, but when I sprayed where the toe rail boats were on the underside the water poured in as you can see evidently when the boat hit something hard it split the toe rail an it also broke the fiberglass underneath around the nuts.
So thank goodness my son was around and we removed all the bolts and nuts holding the toe rail, took about 5 hours.
Now I plan on having toe rail welded unless someone knows where to buy a new one and then having the fiberglass repaired.
I only noticed the water in the boat when the rain was blowing sideways. I have never sailed the boat in really strong winds with the toe rail in the water, but I am just imagining how bad things could of been if I had.

 

[Jared1048]

Update this morning I start spraying water where the toe rail was cracked only a little water was leaking in, but when I sprayed where the toe rail boats were on the underside the water poured in as you can see evidently when the boat hit something hard it split the toe rail an it also broke the fiberglass underneath around the nuts.
So thank goodness my son was around and we removed all the bolts and nuts holding the toe rail, took about 5 hours.
Now I plan on having toe rail welded unless someone knows where to buy a new one and then having the fiberglass repaired.
I only noticed the water in the boat when the rain was blowing sideways. I have never sailed the boat in really strong winds with the toe rail in the water, but I am just imagining how bad things could of been if I had.

omg! thanks for sharing. ive been trying to find some leaks and now have some more suspects to vet!

 

[davejet]

Latest update...Welded the crack in the aluminum toe rail but I stripped lots of the bolts that hold the railing on. Waiting on the fiberglass work.

Anyone got any idea where I can get the bolts, washers and nuts for the toe rail????...Thanks Kevin

 

[H30Gary]

Ace hardware typically has a good selection of SST fasteners. Or, you can order online from McMaster-Carr www.mcmaster.com.

 

[davejet]

Well here is the final update. The leaking is fixed!!!!

the Fiberglass man fiber glassed the entire damaged area.
There was one are at the end that was not damaged and I could not fill with Butyl Rubber.
I ended up filled the gap with 5200. it was able about 6 inches long between the top deck and hull. The entire gap around the bottom is supposed to be filled with butyl rubber. Now mine is fiber glassed for about 10 feet on the port side hopefully it holds.

After the fiber glassing and before I put on the toe rail, I ran a hose water over the damaged area water was still coming into the boat. I was really upset. But I plugged the bolt holes for the toe rail and magically no more water. I uncovered hole by hole and the 3 holes not totally full of fiber glass was leaking.

I then put each bolt in with West Marine Life Seal (silicone). No leaking.

Something I learned the hard way. When removing the Stainless Steel Bolts do not use power tools. It will cause the stainless bolts to burr off shavings into the nut and lock it up so you can not remove it.

Best to have the boat out of the water and be on a ladder or scaffolding. If you simply use at least a p3 or p4 size Phillips head screwdriver and a socket wrench on the nut. Do not try turn the screwdriver let the socket wrench do the work. Also spray anti lock on all the nuts before you start and give it time to work and then start at the beginning of the Bow.

The toe rail will not have the curve of the boat. You will be able to get about the 1st 3rd of the rail on with no problem. In order to pull it to the boat use the pulleys and rollers for the jib and wench. It helps to move the rollers close to where you are installing the bolts, you can actually do it solo. Do not try putting a bolt in the front and in the back and working in between. It does not work very well.

Start at the Bow and follow to the stern inserting bolts in the toe rail and tighten as you go.

Also do not use power tools as you put them back on. You can get all new hardware at ACE.
If you putting them back it is easier if you spray a little lube on the lock nut before putting on the bolt. One guy uses antilock lubrication (in little silver packs at auto store).
At first every lock nut kept locking up as it barely got on. I could not figure it out until I talked to a lot of people. Stainless burrs up especially with power tools. No power tools and some sort of lubrication solved it all.