Toe Rail Removal. what am I looking at.

davidpbo

davidpbo

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14 Aug 2005
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Boatless in Cheshire. Formerly 23ft Jeanneau Tonic
myweb.tiscali.co.uk
I am effecting a repair where the shrouds are attached (details here). I only have about 12mm to bevel the fibreglass by the toe rail, I may try that and see how it goes, fitting the epoxy coated ply core and laminating layer on layer whilst still tacky so as to get a good bond.

However, what am I looking at in the picture below?

It appears to me that the toe rail is the top strip only (that is fixed by screws through the deck, the guard wire stanchions also sit on it) and that that could be removed on its own. Can anyone confirm this. It is a Jeanneau Tonic.

Anyone eny experience of this and how difficult/expenesive it is. I presume it will have Sikaflex or similar underneath.

Would the lower extrusion have had a rubber bumper strip in it once upon a time. I haven't seen a Tonic with one that I recall.

If you want to add to comments regarding the deck repair it may be better to do it on the other thread to keep them all together.


ToeRaillabelled.jpg
 
The second extrusion certainly looks like a later addition (and I can't recall seeing anything like that on any boat, yet alone a Jenneau) but I doubt that it was intended to hold a proper rubbing strake. It's difficult to tell how big the lips (if there are any) are at the edge, but I would have expected something more substantial to retain a hefty rubber strip which would have to put up with some fair forces when coming alongside. It would be OK for a thin cosmetic strip but little else.
Which leads to asking the question what is it for. Perhaps it's just to cover up some nasty scratches below the toe rail?

On the question of removing the toe rail. In my book it's very much a last resort job. Only do it if you really have no choice.
 
It is worth trying Jeanneau. I contacted them by email with some queries about my boat (newer but not current) and got very helpful replies from someone called Gwenaelle.
 
The toe rail appears to be seperate from the cover strip but I would avoid lifting the towrail. as if you just try and ease up a section and they try and reseal that section then you are likely to have leaks and or a slightly raised and deformed toerail,
The alternative is do the whole rail or cut it niether of which I would fancy.
 
Rigger Mortice said:
The second extrusion certainly looks like a later addition.

On the question of removing the toe rail. In my book it's very much a last resort job. Only do it if you really have no choice.
Click to expand...

I don't think it is a later addition but would have to look at pictures of others. Can't find the ones I am looking for at present.

I agrees with you about removing the toe rail but I am concerned about the area available to bond with the existing deck top laminate as seen in post 27 of this page
 
On a lot of boats the toe rail is bolted down, with the bolts passing right though the deck/hull joint. Removing the toe rail is a big job, and replacing it requires care to seal all the bolt holes properly to avoid future leaks. The other extrusion below the toe rail looks just like the rubbing strip extrusion on my later Jeanneau, and should have a plastic strip in the centre, covering the screw heads (which should be countersunk screws).
 
I would say the lower extrusion is a separate strip from the toe rail. I have a Jeanneau with the same set up but there is a space between the two.
If the reair was just to the shroud fixing and If you've done most of the repair below the deck could you not just grind out the cracks and fill them. Rather that a complete redo of the deck
 
Rigger Mortice said:
The second extrusion certainly looks like a later addition (and I can't recall seeing anything like that on any boat, yet alone a Jenneau) but I doubt that it was intended to hold a proper rubbing strake. It's difficult to tell how big the lips (if there are any) are at the edge, but I would have expected something more substantial to retain a hefty rubber strip which would have to put up with some fair forces when coming alongside. It would be OK for a thin cosmetic strip but little else.
Which leads to asking the question what is it for. Perhaps it's just to cover up some nasty scratches below the toe rail?

On the question of removing the toe rail. In my book it's very much a last resort job. Only do it if you really have no choice.
Click to expand...

Plenty Jeanneaus around that period of build have that extrusion, mine included. It was never designed to hold any rubber rubbing strake. Like you though I've often wonder if it is purely cosmetic.
 
Spyro said:
Plenty Jeanneaus around that period of build have that extrusion, mine included. It was never designed to hold any rubber rubbing strake. Like you though I've often wonder if it is purely cosmetic.
Click to expand...

My later Jeanneau has one, but it does have a plastic rubbing strip. That extrusion looks a bit pointless without one.
 
Norman_E said:
On a lot of boats the toe rail is bolted down, with the bolts passing right though the deck/hull joint. Removing the toe rail is a big job, and replacing it requires care to seal all the bolt holes properly to avoid future leaks. The other extrusion below the toe rail looks just like the rubbing strip extrusion on my later Jeanneau, and should have a plastic strip in the centre, covering the screw heads (which should be countersunk screws).
Click to expand...

This is good advice, leave well alone unless it's absolutely essential to remove.
 
Thank you for the input folks.

Having spent a bit of time yesterday digging out the starboard chain plate backing pad (which was sound) because I thought it had come away from the internal fibreglass (Gel coat on top did have a crack in it and port side had suffered water ingress, rot in pad, balsa core non existent, but fortunately local) I have no wish to engage in unecessary work. However I do want what I do to be sound. I think I have enough of an edge (See Post #27) to make the repair if I lay and bond the pads and laminate in one go. It is not a large area
 
I have removed a Jeaneau toe rail similar to one in the picture. Very easy to do. Screws all along, No bolts. Damaged a few heads in the process and if doing it again would use electric impact screwdriver. (Wouldn't buy one especially though. Just use electric screwdriver.) Take one screw out. Buy some replacements before tackling the job.
Underside of extrusion had some foam strip similar to door sealant strips from B&Q.
This prevents water seeping underneath and leaving streak on hull. Same can be achieved with sealant.
Use clear sealant, not white. Clear is less noticeable around screws etc as it's not possible to clean all away.
 
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