Toe rail covers - there must be a better option

[Skipper]

Hi,

They want $1,400 to $1,900 for canvas toe rail covers for my 30-foot boat.

I mean, it's just 60 or so feet x 9 inches of canvas. I know there's labor and all that, but apparently they like to charge the same rates as lawyers.

I've looked for every possible alternative. All I need is something I call roll out and tie down at the stanchions, with maybe weighted material on the outside bottom, or a rope stringer.

Are there any ready-made things like this (seriously doubt it), or anything that any of you have done to cover the toe rails while moored, without spending multiple thousands of $?

Thank you

 

[Joe]

Make 'em yourself. Go to www.sailrite.com

 

[CalebD]

For that price you could replace all the teak on your toe rail and then some.

Make your own covers.

 

[Gunni]

...and plan on doing it again in 5 years, plus drilling fasteners into your deck / hull, and stubbing toes on them. Let it go.

I have teak toe rails, two choices - bi-annual scrub and oil; clear finish.

Mine are currently Cetol light w/gloss.

 

[Tejas]

Make them yourself might be a good suggestion. We've done that and are pleased with the results. We're on fresh water, so scrubbing with saltwater to mitigate mildew is not an option. We now use Semco sealer annually and before we had to apply twice a year with a lot more preparation.

We cut fabric strips wide enough plus 1 and 1/2" to cover the toe rail. Plus 1" will also work but seems more difficult to manage as will be described later.

For long toe rails, join strips together with a 1/2" seam and top sew.

On each end, fold 1/2" and then a length about 1/2 of the finished cover, and stitch.

Mark a line 3/4' inch from each edge. Lay webbing inside the line (3/4" of fabric exposed) and stitch the center side webbing, 1/8" from the edge.

Fold the exposed 3/4" of the fabric under the webbing and stitch 1/8" from the outside edge. Folding under 1/2" is doable but more difficult. Seam tape could be used. However, seam tape seems to gum-up the needle, so to avoid long runs with seam tape, press the folded-under fabric with a roller and staple with a pliers-like stapler. Be sure to remove the staples.

For the ends of the toe rail cover, fold each end inside out, stitch between the webbing 45 degrees across the end.

Cover can be secured via snaps, line, Velcro or a combination. We used a Yosemite bowlines on line, no snaps which seems to hold OK except in high wind. We're near the boat and adjust after high wind.

Here is a brief slide show.

http://s742.photobucket.com/albums/xx61/Tejasdave/ToeRailCover/?albumview=slideshow

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Fairly common here in Florida was you can imagine. A number of us have had them made for considerably less which leads me to assume they are not as common in your area.

Typical price here is around $4/ft.

 

[Skipper]

Yeah! I should make these myself. With the money they want for toe rail covers, I could by a canvas sewing machine, and have enought left over to buy a new feckin' hi-res chartplotter.

Thanks for the ideas, especially Tejas for his details. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Tejas]

Skipper,

Another consideration is to use polyester webbing rather than nylon webbing. I don't know for a fact, but apparently nylon webbing tends to shrink more than polyester webbing. We used polyester.

Having our boat in Texas, we used Tenara, a PTFE monofilament thread that is UV resistant. I don't think you need to do that for Annapolis. Tenara thread is expensive and seems to have sewability problems on some machines.

 

[rickspinner]

Fairly common here in Florida was you can imagine. A number of us have had them made for considerably less which leads me to assume they are not as common in your area.

Typical price here is around $4/ft.

The name of the company where you had them done for that price would be helpful. I Am looking to get mine done and was quoted a price here in Sarasota that works out to $21/ft. Thanks in advance for your information.

 

[MSter]

Check prices here at SBO. They made my Bimini, a good price and quality as well. They,re
Made in Florida.
Mike S

 

[Steve Dion]

Consider going to an upholstery shop or a seamstress.

 

[alexco38]

Buy a boat with no exposed wood outside.

Woodwork = wood+work.

Since youre going to cover it up anyway, whats the point to have wood.

My $0.02

 

[Skipper]

Buy a boat with no exposed wood outside.

Woodwork = wood+work.

Since youre going to cover it up anyway, whats the point to have wood.

My $0.02

The canvas protects the wood when you're...um...not looking at it. IE: during the week(Which is 71% of the time, for those of you in Toronto), or during the worst of the winter. You remove the canvas when you visit and sail your woodworked boat on the weekends.

I've done this process with the handrails and hatch boards, and they still look like brand new fine furniture after over a year since last maint coat. The toerails and cockpit coamings still look fabulous, but are showing signs of sun exposure and will need another maint coat this summer. I'd like to preserve them in the same fashion as the handrails and hatch boards.