Teak toe-rail replacement

[noswellplease]

Being a bit cack-handed on the tiller I managed to damage a foot or two of the teak toe-rail on departure from the quay wall in choppy weather recently. Inspection of the teak strips showed that it was nearly biscuit like in texture as I guess some 40 years of exposure had taken its toll. I plan to make replacement of some sections my winter project. Question, I came across a couple of thin strips of teak wedged under the main teak rail, was this simply to keep things flush or was it to create a barrier type insulation? I guess any replacement rail is simply held in place with a good dollop of sikaflex and stainless steel screws. Would forumites have suggestions as to tools needed to shape the teak rail or should I get a carpenter to make the new rail from old castings and fit myself? Thoughts as alway much appreciated.

 

[pandos]

I did this 2 years ago.

Because of the way that the boat was in the yard( up against another) I used different methods for each side.

The side I used the original pieces as templates was the least successful.

If you can get access to a router you can do really fine job by cutting the rough shape of the rail using a jigsaw. Then temporally fix this in place and use the router to scribe/ shape the wood to match the shape of the hull.

You can then take the wood off and round it and cut the groove in the underside etc.

Send me a pm if this is not clear enough.

Tony

 

[noswellplease]

Thanks for that, latter method seems the way to go. I take it the groove is just to help keep the rail physically in place with a tongue overlapping fibreglass to help reduce water ingress?

 

[Billjratt]

I have to do this job as well. Have you got a decent source for the teak yet?

 

[noswellplease]

Got a small piece made last year by a local joinery which seemed to work out ok and reasonably priced. Not sure if I buy into the Burmese teak is best if the alternative teak is free from knots and has the grain the right way, it will surely do. My boat is old for starters and can't really justify spending loads, as I have in the past and foolishly at times!

 

[Avocet]

K J Howells in poole made me 6 lengths of teak angle section to my drawing and posted them to me. I scarfed them together and fitted them to the boat. Overall, I was very pleased with the sections although the colour match between individual pieces wasn't great.