Stern Rub Rail on Beneteau 323

Jan 5, 2019
12
Beneteau 323 City Island, NY
Hi there, Am new to the forum and fairly new to my 2007 Beneteau 323. There are several challenges (as I like to think of winter projects) that lay ahead including what I'm hoping is the simplest one. The rub rail that goes from one side down to the stern swim platform and up to the other side, detached while I was underway this summer. I snatched it up, secured it to the deck and kept going. There were no leaks, so I figured it would be perfect to do from the quiet of the hard. It seems to be made of silicone. I was wondering if anyone knew or had recommendations for what kind of adhesive I should use in the rub rail's chanel to reattach it. There were no nails or screws. It just seemed to be snugged on with adhesive - most of which seems to have dried out. Thank you in advance for your advice and help.
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
First, welcome to the forum; you’ll find lots of help here with anything pertaining to sailing.
I would send an inquiry to Ward Richardson at Beneteau USA for the adhesive used at the factory. Beneteau used a variety of adhesives on different components. If the parts department can’t sell it directly to you I would think that they could recommend a suitable alternative. 3M 4200 might be suitable; however, I wouldn’t use it without checking with Beneteau first. Please post your findings; I may need to do the same repair in the future. Again, welcome aboard!
 
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DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Welcome to the forum...
My suggestion would be not to use any adhesive with silicone in it, and reattach the rub rail on a relatively warm day. Try your local hardware, lumber yard, or big box store to find a clear, silicone free, all weather adhesive. Apply it to the groove in the rub rail with a caulking gun, reattach it to the hull joint, and secure it with tape until the adhesive sets. Mask the areas of the hull and transom where the adhesive is likely to squeeze out to help avoid a messy cleanup. That‘s my two cents for what its worth.
 

ToddS

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Sep 11, 2017
248
Beneteau 373 Cape Cod
Please post whatever you end up doing (and whether it is a success or failure). I have a 373 with similar transom, and my rub rail is SLIGHTLY loose at the very bottom... because my children swim there, and insist on climbing/pulling themselves out of the water by pulling/kneeling/sliding against the rub rail DESPITE A SWIM LADDER BEING WITHIN REACH (!?!?!%?1&%$!!!). Mine is still stuck in there well enough that the very middle pulls out 1/2" or so, and I just press it back into place a few times each summer with my foot, but I suspect that in the coming summers it will get worse and I'll be in the position you are in now. Incidentally, if your rub rail is a bit discolored/dirty/scuffed like mine was, I can say that a quick (but careful) wipe down with acetone rejuvenated mine pretty well.. just a quick scrub with a rag dipped in acetone, followed by a water rinse and it improved significantly with very little effort. Not sure about your assessment that it is silicone. I can't say for sure what it is. Good luck!
 
Jan 5, 2019
12
Beneteau 323 City Island, NY
First, let me thank Big Easy, DougM and ToddS for your suggestions and key information. Let me assure you that I will keep you all informed as I set about fixing (reattaching) the rub rail. I'm writing to Ward Richardson at Beneteau USA this morning and will let you know what he suggests. I suspect that the "cure" will indeed require a couple of days where the temps are above 50-degrees F. But I promise to try and take pix and post. And thank you all for welcoming me. Have a wonderful weekend. Cheers!
 
Jan 10, 2018
260
Beneteau 331 Halifax
Although I have no issues with mine, I put two of those cable ties through the hole at the very bottom. The water still drains through. I picked this up from a Professional Engineer that I knew.

The very best construction adhesive is PL Premium, but I don't know about its ability on the lower part that is under water from time to time.
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Stick it back on with 3m 5200 and it will never come off again , Beneteau uses 5200 quick dry for the keel joint and most likely that too
 
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DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Stick it back on with 3m 5200 and it will never come off again , Beneteau uses 5200 quick dry for the keel joint and most likely that too
I would be hesitant to do that... In the event that you would have to replace that rubrail completely, you would have a miserable job getting the remnants of the old piece off.
 
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Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Not really ,I have removed 5200 no problem with heat from a heat gun
 
Jan 5, 2019
12
Beneteau 323 City Island, NY
Stick it back on with 3m 5200 and it will never come off again , Beneteau uses 5200 quick dry for the keel joint and most likely that too
Reaching out to Ward Richardson at Beneteau USA to get the right adhesive. But thank you. 5200 quick dry is indeed something that holds and holds and holds. Have a great Thanksgiving.
 
Jan 5, 2019
12
Beneteau 323 City Island, NY
Solution -- 3M5200. Emailed Ward Richardson - and he was really helpful. He said to use the 3M5200 and when the weather warms a bit, that's exactly what I will do. Thank you all - especially Mechone, Big Easy, DougM, Bluenose and ToddS. Hope to post pix when I do the job so you can see it. Thanks guys. Now -- about these rudder posts of mine.... But that will be for the New Year. Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday and wonderful New Year. Cheers,
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Solution -- 3M5200. Emailed Ward Richardson - and he was really helpful. He said to use the 3M5200 and when the weather warms a bit, that's exactly what I will do. Thank you all - especially Mechone, Big Easy, DougM, Bluenose and ToddS. Hope to post pix when I do the job so you can see it. Thanks guys. Now -- about these rudder posts of mine.... But that will be for the New Year. Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday and wonderful New Year. Cheers,
[/QUOTE
It's funny as soon as you mention 5200 people are like I wouldn't use that, however it does have a purpose mainly anything under the water line should be done with 5200 , Beneteau also used it for all thru hulls and transducers and so did Catalina ,I know I have removed all my thru hulls and transducers with a heat gun and other boats . 4200 or 4000 UV above the water line. I have seen many people use 4200 under water only to see thru hulls start leaking.
 
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Jan 5, 2019
12
Beneteau 323 City Island, NY
Well gang, I did it. I reattached the stern rub rail - with 3M5200, per Ward Richardson's suggestion. It took me and two other guys to actually attach it. The key (other than cleaning out the channel in the rub rail as thoroughly as possible) is to squeeze the 3M500 in small doses and attach the rub rail from the center. One of you lines it up with the hole, there's another person - up on the swim platform - holding up at least one of the ends -- the one that will be sealed and seated first and then the other. And the third person has a putty knife or a big flat head screw driver to coax the rub rail on. When it's lined up with hole, that third person applies the rubber mallet. We did it about two-feet or so at a time: press out some 3M5200 with the grease gun -- not too much - maneuver/line up the rail to the edges both top and bottom - and apply rubber mallet. Tempting though it may be to really thwack it, don't. It can crack the rub rail. I would have provided pix, but turned out we need the third guy to help with the task. Oh btw -- the weather didn't warm up here (NYC until two weeks - which is late - and then only for a day or so of 55-degrees one day, 40 degrees the next.) Even though we had temps in the low 70s this week, I understand there's a one-in-three shot we're going to get some snow tomorrow. I tell you this because 3M5200 says it should be applied in 70-degree temps. I'm hoping the 10 days I had before launching that were in the 50s and low-60s were enough so it would cure. I was uncertain if the 3m5200 Fast Cure would set too fast to do the task. I shouldn't have worried. At the end of the day, with the three of us on it - it took under 20 minutes.


Thank you all very much - especially DougM, Mechone, Big Easy, Bluenose and Todds. Here's hoping we all have a good season. Here in NY area we started splashing this past Monday (5/4).
 
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Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Happy to hear that everything went well with the rub rail project. Definitely more involved than I expected; however, that is usual the case with anything on my boat! Thanks for providing some insight with regards, to Ward's recommendation & your method of reinstalling. No sign on mine detaching yet... Hope you get to start sailing soon. Stay safe.
 
Jan 5, 2019
12
Beneteau 323 City Island, NY
Thanks for asking, Ron20324. I'm ready to do a commercial for it! Seriously, the stern rub rai remains firmly attached - after the '20 sailing season on Long Island Sound and half a winter one the hard in NYC. I had her hauled in late October. Rub rail was firmly attached. I visited her weekly since and rub rail still there. Totally satisfied. And the 3M5200 cured just fine in the 10 days it had. Worked great. If only all such repairs could be as easy. Cheers.