Rubbing strake to hull filler

[rex_seadog]

On our Westerly Fulmar the filler between the underside of the wooden rubbing strake and the hull has cracked and a fallen out. It came out as a bead about 1/4 inch square and only about a 12 inch length is affected although it's likely that we will eventually have to replace it all. The question is what filler do we use? I've thought of Sikkaflex but as it has to be applied underneath I think it might be too gooey not to droop before it has set. It probably needs to be something of the consistency of putty (perhaps that's the answer?) to hold itself in place. The colour is a light brown (similar to that of the wood) but, of course this may have changed over the nearly 30 years.

 

[Bodach na mara]

The original material on my Westerly Renown seems to be fibreglass body filler. I think that the function of this filler is to act as a bedding to get the strip at the right angle to the hull. I have several bits fallen out as described. They are all about 4mm thick and vary in width from 4 to 8 mm.

I thought of using some sort of mastic, which would be easy to apply with a gun, but did not. With good reason it turned out. One rainy day, I noticed that water was running from below the rubbing strip. It was coming (naturally) from the top of the rubbing strip. That made me realise that, if I sealed up the bottom of the joint, the water would be trapped behind the strip. The existing filler does not do this because it does not seal to the wood. My advice is to do what I did in the end. Nothing. No-one sees this bit, there is no structural reason to replace small bits of filler that fall out and doing so may lead to unexpected problems elsewhere.

 

[gcostell]

Hi, I have a similar issue on my Pageant. About 9 inches of filler has fallen out on the stern rubbing strake. I'd love to get it filled as I see it every time I row out to the boat! Had not thought of the trapped water though, I imagine you'd have to apply sealer on the top side of the strake to counteract that?

 

[rhumlady]

If it is anything like my Konsort then a close look will show that the overlap of the deck to the hull is not filled in and so any water can track up to the top nad into the hull to deck glassing on the inside of the boat. I have a good bit of the rubbing strake off and am thinking of removing the rest, although the bits at the bow under the metal band will be a pig to deal with. Once i have clkeaned it all out I was thinking of using Sikaflex or some other non hardening go to fill it then replace the rubbing strake probably with new stuff and maybe have an 'L'shape on the inner edge to take it nearer to the hull side. We shall have to see how it goes at the time.

 

[Sneaky Pete]

I assume the rubbing strake is through bolted into the hull and as said before you don’t want to trap water after sealing top and bottom of the wood. Either remove completely and re-seal or you can try to pack filler into it. Use polysulfide filler available in any chandlers it flexes with the expansion/contraction of the boat adheres well to both surfaces can be sanded and can be painted over once cured.