Serious question about Spray Rails

[gus]

I wish to fit spray deflector rails to my steel boat. I am considering using Iroko and would probably have to build up the profile in 2 or 3 layers and bonded with epoxy to allow sufficient bending to follow the curve of the bow which is a bit blunt - hence the need for the spray rails. Bolts would be fitted through the hull with nuts on the outside to create studs with plugs in the wood to hide the holes. My question is - is Iroko the best wood to use for the purpose considering that Iroko can be brittle or is their another suitable wood that would withstand the pounding of the bow wave? Would 10mm bolts at 1ft intervals be strong enough? I know that plastic stick on rails are available - at a price, but I am dubious about their durability. Any other suggestions?

 

[PaulJ]

There are several things to consider here and the first is that if my experience of replacing a rubbing strake on my last boat is anything to go by, getting any hardwood of a useful size to go round the complex curve that will be needed will be extremely difficult. Iroko is quite hard and doesn't have the nice long straight grain that would be needed for the job you have in mind. Depending on what thickness of section you are thinking of, you would probably need rather more than two laminations of quite thin strips - probably no more than 10mm thick each. Also, I would be very reluctant to drill holes through the steel in an area such as this where water will be constantly playing on it under pressure. No matter how conscientious you are with the sikaflex, water will eventually find it's way in. If you do go this route then I would either weld studs to the outside of the boat (but they will be potential rust traps!) or have a look at http://www.clickbond.com/ .... these are a kind of stick on stud for which great things are claimed. I haven't used them yet but they have been recommended to me for attaching a rubbing strake to my steel boat if and when I get round to that.

I haven't seen or heard of the plastic stick on rails that you mention but they sound like a pretty good option to me - at almost any price!