Rub Rail Installation: Plastic Receiver Very Stiff

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Author Topic:   Rub Rail Installation: Plastic Receiver Very Stiff

bikingart posted 06-24-2014 05:02 PM ET (US)
I have installed several three-piece rub rail kits on classic Whalers that went on well and straight with some effort and a helper. I recently tried to help install one on a friend's a 1980 classic 17, and we found the plastic receiver piece to be so stiff and unwilling to lay flat that we could not get good results. We tried warm sun, a heat gun, etc but it just had too much memory and wants to recoil into it's circular shape in spite of our best effort.
Could this be from another vender or old stock ? I just don"t recall it being this difficult.
Any thoughts.
Art
contender posted 06-24-2014 09:17 PM ET (US)
Could be another type, also could have been rolled up for a long time, I would roll it out and lay something heavy (cover as much as you can, big peices of lumber with weights or blocks/bricks on it) on it for a day or so.
dg22 posted 06-25-2014 09:32 AM ET (US)
The one I ordered was really stiff too so I put it inside my car on a hot sunny day to warm it up. It still was a pain to install. I had my father-in-law help me hold it flat while I put in the rivets.
Jeff posted 06-25-2014 10:38 AM ET (US)
Art--Where did the rub-rail kit from come from? Was it ordered through Sue at Twin Cities Marine, Barbour Plastics or an other supplier / manufacture?
bikingart posted 06-25-2014 02:28 PM ET (US)
it was purchased from Sue at Twin Cities and drop shipped from Whaler in Florida.
art
Binkster posted 06-25-2014 06:24 PM ET (US)
I'm planning on doing a new rubrail on my 15 ed for footer tomorrow. I bought it from Sue, and it was shipped from Whaler in Edgewater. Couldn't be old stock coming from them.
rich
69wailer posted 06-26-2014 11:15 AM ET (US)
I used Irwin squeeze clamps working a few feet at a time. Keeping on each side of where the next screw/rivet will go and one further down the line to keep it off the ground. Slow but it worked out nice.
Binkster posted 06-26-2014 01:46 PM ET (US)
I'm in the middle of installing a rubrail now. Just taking a break for lunch. Well not really in the middle, maybe a third. I'm doing it the same way 69 suggests, and I'm working alone. It was tough getting started, and the rail is very stiff. I have no one to hold the L molding in place, so masking tape is my helper, taping in on about every four feet.

Back to work!
rich
bikingart posted 06-26-2014 02:32 PM ET (US)
My friend spoke with Tom at Boston Whaler and they are sending him a replacement plastic receiver piece. We plan on installing it using the above suggestion including laying it out straight in the sun for a few days.
Thanks all.
Art
Binkster posted 06-26-2014 05:26 PM ET (US)
How do you lay out the reciever piece to straighten it out. I tried that this morning, I put a concrete block on top of one end, and tried to roll it out. Before I was able to roll out 15 ft. the rubrail rolled the 45 lb block over. I just went with it the way it was,
you have to just manhandle it. It was tough getting the first two rivets in but after that, you need to just tough it out and keep moving. I used four clamps for about 5 feet, and kept on riveting and clamping. The usually tough part, the bow was simple on a 15 footer, as the receiver followed the natural radius of the bow no clamping needed or heat gun. What helped me alot was I taped the L piece all the way around before I started, used masking tape at about 2 foot intervals. I have about only six feet left to go tomorrow morning. Its a fairly difficult job to do single handed but taping the L piece on really helped.
Don't be surprised if the new receiver is the same as the old. You would think they would use a different material that was easier to use.
rich
buffman posted 07-07-2014 03:14 PM ET (US)
As some folks mentioned - Erwin squeeze clamps is a nice way to install these rub rails. Hold the rails steady with the clamps then rivet. Take your time and move down the rails a few feet at a time. I have a picture of the use of the clamps in this link - one clamp to push down on the rub rails the other to push the rub rails in.
http://youtu.be/a2u6-H4DUBY
bikingart posted 07-07-2014 05:44 PM ET (US)
We got this rail on if fine fashion over the weekend using some of the guidance here.
It helped to only uncoil a few feet at a time, and we had a third set of hands which while not necessary was helpful. We also used a few longer pop rivets with a longer grip to get a good grip right as it went around the bow.
Naturally the next one would go on quicker.
Thanks all for your advice.
Art

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Author	Topic: Rub Rail Installation: Plastic Receiver Very Stiff
bikingart	posted 06-24-2014 05:02 PM ET (US) I have installed several three-piece rub rail kits on classic Whalers that went on well and straight with some effort and a helper. I recently tried to help install one on a friend's a 1980 classic 17, and we found the plastic receiver piece to be so stiff and unwilling to lay flat that we could not get good results. We tried warm sun, a heat gun, etc but it just had too much memory and wants to recoil into it's circular shape in spite of our best effort. Could this be from another vender or old stock ? I just don"t recall it being this difficult. Any thoughts. Art
contender	posted 06-24-2014 09:17 PM ET (US) Could be another type, also could have been rolled up for a long time, I would roll it out and lay something heavy (cover as much as you can, big peices of lumber with weights or blocks/bricks on it) on it for a day or so.
dg22	posted 06-25-2014 09:32 AM ET (US) The one I ordered was really stiff too so I put it inside my car on a hot sunny day to warm it up. It still was a pain to install. I had my father-in-law help me hold it flat while I put in the rivets.
Jeff	posted 06-25-2014 10:38 AM ET (US) Art--Where did the rub-rail kit from come from? Was it ordered through Sue at Twin Cities Marine, Barbour Plastics or an other supplier / manufacture?
bikingart	posted 06-25-2014 02:28 PM ET (US) it was purchased from Sue at Twin Cities and drop shipped from Whaler in Florida. art
Binkster	posted 06-25-2014 06:24 PM ET (US) I'm planning on doing a new rubrail on my 15 ed for footer tomorrow. I bought it from Sue, and it was shipped from Whaler in Edgewater. Couldn't be old stock coming from them. rich
69wailer	posted 06-26-2014 11:15 AM ET (US) I used Irwin squeeze clamps working a few feet at a time. Keeping on each side of where the next screw/rivet will go and one further down the line to keep it off the ground. Slow but it worked out nice.
Binkster	posted 06-26-2014 01:46 PM ET (US) I'm in the middle of installing a rubrail now. Just taking a break for lunch. Well not really in the middle, maybe a third. I'm doing it the same way 69 suggests, and I'm working alone. It was tough getting started, and the rail is very stiff. I have no one to hold the L molding in place, so masking tape is my helper, taping in on about every four feet. Back to work! rich
bikingart	posted 06-26-2014 02:32 PM ET (US) My friend spoke with Tom at Boston Whaler and they are sending him a replacement plastic receiver piece. We plan on installing it using the above suggestion including laying it out straight in the sun for a few days. Thanks all. Art
Binkster	posted 06-26-2014 05:26 PM ET (US) How do you lay out the reciever piece to straighten it out. I tried that this morning, I put a concrete block on top of one end, and tried to roll it out. Before I was able to roll out 15 ft. the rubrail rolled the 45 lb block over. I just went with it the way it was, you have to just manhandle it. It was tough getting the first two rivets in but after that, you need to just tough it out and keep moving. I used four clamps for about 5 feet, and kept on riveting and clamping. The usually tough part, the bow was simple on a 15 footer, as the receiver followed the natural radius of the bow no clamping needed or heat gun. What helped me alot was I taped the L piece all the way around before I started, used masking tape at about 2 foot intervals. I have about only six feet left to go tomorrow morning. Its a fairly difficult job to do single handed but taping the L piece on really helped. Don't be surprised if the new receiver is the same as the old. You would think they would use a different material that was easier to use. rich
buffman	posted 07-07-2014 03:14 PM ET (US) As some folks mentioned - Erwin squeeze clamps is a nice way to install these rub rails. Hold the rails steady with the clamps then rivet. Take your time and move down the rails a few feet at a time. I have a picture of the use of the clamps in this link - one clamp to push down on the rub rails the other to push the rub rails in. http://youtu.be/a2u6-H4DUBY
bikingart	posted 07-07-2014 05:44 PM ET (US) We got this rail on if fine fashion over the weekend using some of the guidance here. It helped to only uncoil a few feet at a time, and we had a third set of hands which while not necessary was helpful. We also used a few longer pop rivets with a longer grip to get a good grip right as it went around the bow. Naturally the next one would go on quicker. Thanks all for your advice. Art