Toerail repair?

[steve yates]

My toerail has a split, can it be filled or is it best to get another piece scarfed in?


Where do you source them from if so? Looks like a section was replaced on the other side, and there is a gap in the scarf joint, whats the best way to deal with this?
In

As a novice diy’r is this doable by me or should i hire someone? If so, any ballpark or price range for replacing a section?
Thx

 

[steve yates]

Excuse sideways pics, posting from iphone always baffles me

 

[pvb]

It would be possible as a DIY repair (although it's a 2-person job). The worst problem is that the toerail is bolted on to the hull, with the fastenings hidden behind the lining, and probably covered in GRP too. So it'll be a messy job.

 

[Norman_E]

That looks to me like rubbing strake screwed on with the screw heads underneath wooden plugs. It looks as if there is a plug visible in the second picture. If so replacement is not too difficult if you are dealing with screws under those plugs rather than through bolts where the problem is getting at the other end of the fixings..

 

[pvb]

That looks to me like rubbing strake screwed on with the screw heads underneath wooden plugs. It looks as if there is a plug visible in the second picture. If so replacement is not too difficult if you are dealing with screws under those plugs rather than through bolts where the problem is getting at the other end of the fixings..

It's a Westerly, they were through-bolted. I saw it happening in the factory.

 

[doug748]

"As a novice diy’r is this doable by me or should i hire someone? If so, any ballpark or price range for replacing a section? "

Have a crack yourself if you have the time, it's the sort of thing that could easily cost several hundred quid to have done.
I would not replace any section if I could get away with it, I might if I had a new Swan but not on my 40 year old specimen. If the surrounding timber is loose or lifting you may have to but otherwise leave well alone.

I have a small gap/poor joint that opens up in hot weather and closes tight in the wet, the toerail is secure and it does no harm but I put some glue down it to seal the end grain a little. It's been like it for 25 years. You could wack a wedge into it but the risk is that it could raise the joint.

Does the other photo shows a clean crack across the grain? You could glue it as best you can, with epoxy, then cut a piece out and let a new piece of timber in half the depth of the rail, to support the repair. When it weathers it's not the sort of thing that you notice.
The catch is that you need to fit the same timber for a match, teak is great because it generally settles to the same colour.

I am sure you can DIY it, with reasonable fits and good clamping pressure timber is the most repairable thing.