Fitting a teak rubbing strake

matt1

matt1

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 Feb 2005
Messages
1,259
Location
Hamble, UK
Visit site
Hi all

So after 10 seasons I've decided to replace the existing rubbing strake (an aluminium channel, with a rubber insert). I'm fed up with the aluminium corroding, the rubber getting marked, uv damaged and retaining dirt etc (yes, I relaise teak has a host of issues too :). Nothing's perfect!

The current aluminium channel is screwed through the deck flange with short self tappers (which do not penetrate the hull).

Ideally I want to replace with a teak rubbing strake and was thinking of something about 25mm x 50mm. I'm aware that westerly used to through bolt theirs, but this won't be possible on my boat, so I am thinking of a combination of self tappers (covered with plugs) and a modern adhesive like sikaflex. Any advice or thoughts....type of timber, most appropriate size, methods of fixing, whether I need to steam / bend the timber first etc.

Thanks
 
Despite the through bolting, Westerly rubbing strakes still fail, partly because they used a short scarf. You will have to steam as teak of that section will not take the curve, or you can laminate. Making a rubbing strake is a skilled job as usually it bends in two directions and getting both the curve and the sheer right is a challenge, which is why such things fell out of favour and either no rubbing strakes at all or a more amenable aluminium, with or without rubber insert became popular.
 
I'm about to embark on a similar job, I've decided to go with fake teak toe rail from wilks and machine a 15mm channel to fit the joint. Having had major leaking with through the hull bolts I've decided to seal these and glue screw
 
matt1 said:
Hi all

So after 10 seasons I've decided to replace the existing rubbing strake (an aluminium channel, with a rubber insert). I'm fed up with the aluminium corroding, the rubber getting marked, uv damaged and retaining dirt etc (yes, I relaise teak has a host of issues too :). Nothing's perfect!

The current aluminium channel is screwed through the deck flange with short self tappers (which do not penetrate the hull).

Ideally I want to replace with a teak rubbing strake and was thinking of something about 25mm x 50mm. I'm aware that westerly used to through bolt theirs, but this won't be possible on my boat, so I am thinking of a combination of self tappers (covered with plugs) and a modern adhesive like sikaflex. Any advice or thoughts....type of timber, most appropriate size, methods of fixing, whether I need to steam / bend the timber first etc.

Thanks
Click to expand...

When I did my rubbing strakes on my last boat I made them in 3 sections to achieve the length required. The stepped scarf joints were made in a workshop where the tools enabled me to get good accurate joints. I then glued the sections together next to the boat with a foaming polyurethane glue and left for a couple of days before fixing to the hull. I through bolted but this did enable me to bend and fix without steaming (section was about 30 wide by 25). Self tapping screws and glue may well work but even a few bolts would help. I think one of the secrets to success is good quality scarf joints to prevent failures at the joint.

Yoda
 
Thanks all, some great, helpful advice.

I'm currently sourcing the teak and unsure what lengths it comes in......that will determine whether I can make the scarf joints at home or at the boat (preferably at home). If it comes in nice long lengths though I'll have to get it delivered straight to the boat.

Must admit I hadn't thought about the potential twist with the sheer (fortunately there isn't much on my boat). I don't think I can clamp it whilst gluing though and through bolting (other than perhaps the fwd end at the anchor locker) really isn't possible. I'd have to remove half the interior!
 
I did a similar job to Yoda though used epoxy glue at the scarfs, I found it helpfull to temporarily reinforce the joints by clamping angle iron top and bottom, removing after bolting through, I started at the stern as the curve was greater there, supporting the strake with loops of line from the gunnel. Never had any joy with steaming teak, it seams to have a memory and springs back to its original shape.

Plank
 
matt1 said:
Thanks all, some great, helpful advice.

I'm currently sourcing the teak and unsure what lengths it comes in......that will determine whether I can make the scarf joints at home or at the boat (preferably at home). If it comes in nice long lengths though I'll have to get it delivered straight to the boat.

Must admit I hadn't thought about the potential twist with the sheer (fortunately there isn't much on my boat). I don't think I can clamp it whilst gluing though and through bolting (other than perhaps the fwd end at the anchor locker) really isn't possible. I'd have to remove half the interior!
Click to expand...

Trying to buy teak in lengths more than about 12ft seems to become very difficult and expensive. making the scarf joints dry in a workshop and then glueing and clamping them at the boat worked well for me. I would try and identify as many places as you can where through bolting is achievable, even if only 2 or 3 are possible it will certainly help. Without seeing the shape of your hull and toe rail it's difficult to know however I have seen a clever well shaped piece of ply used to enable the rubbing strake to be wedged in place (bit difficult to explain!). PM me an email address and I will try to send a sketch.

Yoda
 
I did this many years ago on a Vivacity 20. I managed to get the right length of Utile timber( not teak as v expensive and only available in short lengths) - at least I think that is what I used. The secret is to get about 18" longer, start at the bows and work to the stern, both at the same time, tie the stern ends together to pull into the hull. In my case I could thro' bolt so was fairly easy and used plenty of sealant around the bolt holes.
 
I replaced a long length of teak rubbing strake on my Fulmar.I only had lengths of 120cms so I scarphed them together but also inserted bits of 10mm diameter stainless tube in the joints. All liberally glued with epoxy. The strake took the bend very well but it was through bolted and to be honest I believe it's the only correct way of doing it.
 
I removed the old rotten teak rubbing strake from my boat last year. It was held in place by hundreds of stainless steel countersunk screws & it made such a mess of the hull underneath that I most certainly won't be going down that route again. Maybe a nice bit of rubber fendering like they use to surround HGV vehicles?
 
Nicholas123 said:
I removed the old rotten teak rubbing strake from my boat last year. It was held in place by hundreds of stainless steel countersunk screws & it made such a mess of the hull underneath that I most certainly won't be going down that route again. Maybe a nice bit of rubber fendering like they use to surround HGV vehicles?
Click to expand...
Were the screws selftappers or machine screw and nuts?
 
I'm very fond of my teak rubbing strake.Despite the obvious disadvantge of the possibility of it catching on things like another boat or a pontoon it has already protected my topsides very well on a number of occasions.
 
Thanks all, great information. It does sound (unfortunately) like through bolting is the way to go.....but I just can't do that as it would have too much impact on the interior and in a way I'd rather it wasn't quite so structurally fitted.....eg I'd preferit to just "pop off" if I was hit...rather than potentially ripping bolts out.

So maybe back to the drawing board!!
 
I did my countess 28 this year using http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5W7MpPa4nzE&autoplay=1

The timber strake that it replaced was rotten , once I removed all the old thru bolts and there were many , I filled the holes with epoxy and smoothed the surface , fitted the rail supplied in 2M lengths using 35mm self tappers and sika , the rubber profile was then fitted but this a two man job and wasn't as easy as they make out in the video , finished off with stainless end caps .

I like wood but this is now almost zero maintenance, apart from a bit of cleaning once in a while .
 
If the problem is bending the wood, why not laminate it from thinner sections?
The inner layers can be glued and screwed, the last one just glued, covering the screws.
Scarfs in thin strips are easier!
 
This is my repair to the rubbing strake. I used 120cm lengths of teak scarphed together and reinforced at the joints with short lengths of ss tubing.
Before
barco%20010%20032_zpsiwk88vm0.jpg

and after
boat%20011_zpsu8sbzzlx.jpg

All through bolted and laminated over on the inside.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top