Groove in Stainless Steel Railings

[Bouba]

A yacht on my port side just left and his stainless steel railings just left a four foot long groove in mine, conditions are blustery and it might have even been caused by the yacht on his other side pushing him off with boathooks.
Nonetheless, forumites what is the cure for grooves in stainless steel rails?

 

[sarabande]

Are the "railings" stainless tube or extruded solid ?

 

[Bouba]

Are the "railings" stainless tube or extruded solid ?

Its Beneteau so probably hollow tubes

 

[Nick_H]

If they are more light scratches than grooves then sand and polish them out, if deep grooves it may be possible to get someone to weld, grind and polish. Alternatively cut out the damaged section and weld in new.

 

[Bouba]

If they are more light scratches than grooves then sand and polish them out, if deep grooves it may be possible to get someone to weld, grind and polish. Alternatively cut out the damaged section and weld in new.

They are kind of a light groove or very heavy scratch. Welding is probably a step to far, I'm a bit worried that if I try and grind it out I would end up with a very shiny scratch

 

[Nick_H]

They are kind of a light groove or very heavy scratch. Welding is probably a step to far, I'm a bit worried that if I try and grind it out I would end up with a very shiny scratch

There is a process called "metallisation" which we use to repair worn shafts on industrial equipment, whereby a mist of molten metal is sprayed onto the surface and can then be polished down, but I'm not sure how portable the equipment is, or whether it can be done in 316SS, and anyway i'm certain it would be loads more expensive as a one-off than having a welder cut out the tube and replace it.

I'd have a go yourself with a grinder or emery cloth, then wet and dry and polish and see how it looks, and if you're not happy with it pay a fabricator to replace the damaged section. That's assuming you don't have the yachts details, as he/she should of course pay for a professional repair.

 

[Bouba]

There is a process called "metallisation" which we use to repair worn shafts on industrial equipment, whereby a mist of molten metal is sprayed onto the surface and can then be polished down, but I'm not sure how portable the equipment is, or whether it can be done in 316SS, and anyway i'm certain it would be loads more expensive as a one-off than having a welder cut out the tube and replace it.

I'd have a go yourself with a grinder or emery cloth, then wet and dry and polish and see how it looks, and if you're not happy with it pay a fabricator to replace the damaged section. That's assuming you don't have the yachts details, as he/she should of course pay for a professional repair.

A quick google and metalization looks like a serious industrial process. I think you're right, when I get the energy (and get over my shoulder injury) I'll try rubbing down with emery cloth a small section and see how it looks. I'm not even sure it wasn't the yacht on his other side, they had their boathooks out, its not rocket science but when you push a boat away it hits the other side, I try and not do that to others but some people don't really give a stuff

 

[rafiki_]

I get really irritated when I see people fending ff with a boathook. Very bad practice that ends in damage.

 

[Bandit]

I would not let an amateur near it with a grinder, its too brutal, stainless steel grindings will rust like hell on gel-coat.

Get a good stainless fabricator look at it to see about polishing it out if not wait till winter and get the section cut out and replaced. If he is good you should not be able to see the join.