O'day 39 toe rail replacement

[Panta Rei]

As noted in a earlier Thread, Crest aluminum has sections of toe rail and rub rail for the O'day 39 and 40. I just received it so now the question is : How to I replace and seal it. The toe rail is thru-bolted through the hull deck joint and then completely glassed in on the inside.
I intend to drill out each bolt since I assume the bolts will not budge after being glassed in. I'm thinking I may try to bed the toe rail with Butyl caulk and use self sealing bolts and forgo the the fiber glass on the inside unless of coarse it leaks. I then can seal it with fiberglass.
The Stanchion sockets breakup the toe rail so I will be replacing three 8 foot sections. The two forward sections near the bow have very little bow in them. One section midships has considerable bow. It will take some force to get it into place. I'd like to use butyl tape but It might interfere with bowing the rail
Anyway... I'm look for opinions and suggestions. thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Wayne12069]

As noted in a earlier Thread, Crest aluminum has sections of toe rail and rub rail for the O'day 39 and 40. I just received it so now the question is : How to I replace and seal it. The toe rail is thru-bolted through the hull deck joint and then completely glassed in on the inside.
I intend to drill out each bolt since I assume the bolts will not budge after being glassed in. I'm thinking I may try to bed the toe rail with Butyl caulk and use self sealing bolts and forgo the the fiber glass on the inside unless of coarse it leaks. I then can seal it with fiberglass.
The Stanchion sockets breakup the toe rail so I will be replacing three 8 foot sections. The two forward sections near the bow have very little bow in them. One section midships has considerable bow. It will take some force to get it into place. I'd like to use butyl tape but It might interfere with bowing the rail
Anyway... I'm look for opinions and suggestions. thanks in advance for your help.

I replaced the toe rail on my O'Day 28 with slotted aluminum that i had scrounged off a junked boat. I cut the long piece into 4 pieces to fit between the stanchions, polished them, and had them powder coated. I filled the holes where the teak was attached and drilled new holes to match those already in the toe rail. I applied liberal caulk under the rail and in the holes and used stainless screws the size indicated by the existing hole. Your guess is correct in that the rail requires more bend as one moves aft. The first three sections I was able to push and screw at the same time. The aft section required a line and rigging leading to the winch on the opposite side. This rigging was positioned so as to exert force just so to line the new rail up correctly and was re-tensioned as each screw was installed. The force needed was substantial and I was not certain that the newly installed rail would not spring lose when the tension was released, but it never moved. I had that boat for several years after that installation and never had a problem or leaks.
Good luck!

 

[Panta Rei]

. The aft section required a line and rigging leading to the winch on the opposite side. This rigging was positioned so as to exert force just so to line the new rail up correctly and was re-tensioned as each screw was installed. The force needed was substantial and I was not certain that the newly installed rail would not spring lose when the tension was released, but it never moved. I had that boat for several years after that installation and never had a problem or leaks.
Good luck!

Great Idea to use a line and winch. I will do the same.

 

[Panta Rei]

Well things are warming up a bit on Lake Superior. I still hear that there is 10% ice coverage but it's time to get to work.

Crest Aluminum's toe rail and rub rail are an EXACT match for the factory parts.

O'day's rub rail and toe rail design on the 39 and 40 is both unique and the best I have seen for ease of replacement. As you can see from the photo, the toe rail fits between the stanchions and the rub rail runs continuously just under it. The Stanchion bases, toe rail, and rub rail all work together and interlock.

From the Stanchion/base toerail photo you will see the lip on the stanchion base that adds to the stanchion base's strength when a force is applied inward. It also makes for very easy installation of the toe rail as one simply slides it behind the lip and bows the toerail outward in the center and slides it down into place.

I was very concerned that the glassed in machine screws were not going to come out. A unfounded concern. The machine screws were coated with tefflon so nothing stuck to them. This allowed the threads to be molded into the fiberglass. The screws came right out and back in just as easy. I am surprised that this is not the standard method of attachment as it required no access to the underside of the toerail connection inside the boat. WHAT A RELIEF !!

The deck hull connection is the typical shoe or hat box arrangement with the deck folding over 90 deg. to prevent the hull from flexing out. It is sealed and the rub rail machine screws pass through the lap from the outside horizontally through the overlap to clamp the joint together. Again, the nuts are glassed in on the inside so nothing leaks.

Sealant was used under the toe rail so I did the same with 3m 4000. It took some force to pry the old toerail up.

The key to the project is to accurately cut the toerail setions being sure the machine screw holes are the correct distance form the end the section. Crest Aluminum's holes spacing is dead on so if you measure the end of the section to the first hole correctly, everything will fall into place.

The rub rail comes without pre-drilled holes. I simply cut the old rail at a screw hole and used it as a template for the new. The end of each rubrail was held down by the screw at the joint. All very easy.

The guys at the marina have a pool going for when I first smash the new rail.

I cleaned up the old rail with bartenders friend and everything matches well. Much better than I would have expected matching 30 year old parts to new.