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Author	Topic:   Removing Rub Rail Plastic Track
TCNS	posted 08-11-2011 12:09 AM ET (US)         How do I take off the [the plastic rub rail track that] the [vinyl rub] rail slides into [without] further damaging the fiberglass? It is riveted in. I think [I] [will] crack the gunwale if I just yank off [the rub rail track]. Once again, thank you on advance for any help you can offer. Ted
jimh	posted 08-11-2011 08:51 AM ET (US)             The rub rail plastic track is typically fastened to the hull with rivets. To remove anything fastened with a rivet you have to drill off the top of the rivet. Read the article in REFERENCE on rub rail replacement. Rub Rail Replacement http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/rubRail.html
TCNS	posted 08-11-2011 09:00 AM ET (US)             Thank you! Ted
tjxtreme	posted 08-11-2011 10:33 AM ET (US)          I used a Dremel with a small disc attachment. It ruins the rubrail, but you are replacing it anyway... I think it is much faster than drilling the heads off.
Tohsgib	posted 08-11-2011 11:28 AM ET (US)             On a 1983 the track is probably so brittle you can just rip it off. I personally don't want the rivets left in the boat so you will still need to pull them out with vice grips, etc. Before I mount the new rubrail I mark where the rivets were with a pencil so I know not to drill in the same place. The rivets are alum. You use a large bit and it takes literally 3 seconds to drill the head off.
jimh	posted 08-11-2011 06:25 PM ET (US)             My impression of how to handle the aluminum rivets was this: --if the hull laminate is not all busted up around the rivet, just cut off as much of the rivet as possible, leaving the far end of the rivet still in the hull; --if the hull laminate is already damage around the rivet, extract the rivet if possible without doing any more damage.
TCNS	posted 08-11-2011 11:08 PM ET (US)             It's off, I drilled the heads off, it took 2 seconds at most per rivit, the rub rail came right off and I had to vice grip some of the stuck rivits out, but a lot came out with the rail. Some got pushed in, only a couple, I tried everything to get them out but it is what it is. Here are some pictures of the process that may be helpful to someone as hopeless as me. Thanks for the help Jim. http://s1185.photobucket.com/albums/z360/TCNS1/?start=all Hope these will help someone, ted

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