Grab rail fixings

[bellalistair]

Almost all our port grab rail bolts have their own little drip so it seems time to take it off and reseat properly. However one of the bolts appears to be behind the fiberglass top to the cupboard. Someone here must have had it off before so, any tips, is there a nut there or is it just blank? Would like to avoid cutting a hole just to find out it wasn't necessary! Tystie is an Honnor marine Rochdale boat.

[Dennis]

Hi Alistair

For there to be a nut there, the handrail would have to have been fitted before the cupboard (which is part of the interior moulding) was glassed into the hull side.
I think this is very unlikely.
On my boat (and yours was built around the same time) the "Flowcoat" resin applied to the underside of the cabin roof is also carried down around the cupboard for an inch or so indicating that the cupboard was fitted before the Flowcoat was applied, and the nuts and washers holding the toe rail appear to be fitted after the Flowcoat.

Is the bolt(?) or screw head at that location the same as the others? It may not be through bolted, but may have been treated differently.

Why don't you send Nick Scroggs an email, he may know.

[bellalistair]

Thanks Dennis, I hadn't quite thought through the implications of the surface inside, good point. I think I'll just give it a go and see what I find, I was just slightly wary as there is a plug in the rail at that point, but I haven't taken it out yet, what it hides we shall see when I take the rest off!
Will report back...

Alistair

[bellalistair]

Well that was interesting, there was bolt (machine screw) in that one exactly the same as the rest. That bit of rail didn't pull up so I took the plug out and it didn't just pull out but unscrewed relatively easily though there was a sound that could have been something dropping (or could just have been the blackbird nearby!!)

[Justin Greig]

Hi Alistair - Peggy's previous owner removed her grab rails and found that by the time he got round to refitting them they had lost quite a bit of their bend, and were very difficult to get back on. Peggy is an early SA boat so her rails are probably made from a different wood to yours - but I'm passing on the story just to encourage you not to dawdle!

[Dennis]

Well that was interesting, there was bolt (machine screw) in that one exactly the same as the rest. That bit of rail didn't pull up so I took the plug out and it didn't just pull out but unscrewed relatively easily though there was a sound that could have been something dropping (or could just have been the blackbird nearby!!)

It may well be that there is no nut at all. I am assuming that HM will have moulded in a substantial piece of marine ply as reinforcement, they appear to have done this wherever there are through bolts. No nut would be required if they drilled the correct tapping size for the thread.

I have used this technique a number of times with success. The double jamming cleat I have attached to my bowsprit is fixed in this manner.

Justin, HM boats have a laminated toerail which holds it's shape when removed. This is one of the "improvements" which HM introduced when they took over the production in 2006.

[Donald]

In case you have not yet removed the grab rail, I had a good look at this on Cape Whisper, hull 98. I have a small hole drilled near the top of the forward side of the cupboard through which I have passed the cable for my solar panel allowing it to exit through the forward hatch. I was able to peep through this and establish that the rail is, indeed, bolted through. I attach a blurry photo showing the bolt and nut coming through.

I then had a look at how one could access this through the cupboard, where the first thing which is in the way is the little shelf. I took a video looking vertically up the side of the cupboard and established that the shelf is screwed in with two screws into each side of the shelf, making it impossible to remove without damaging it. However something interesting is visible in the video I took, which shows screws coming through from front of the cupboard and an overlap which would indicate that the cupboard is a separate unit, screwed in place. So my betting is that if you remove the wooden frame around the cupboard door and unscrew four screws the whole cupboard will drop down. Another photo attached, viewing up the side of the cupboard showing the two shelf screws and a screw coming through from the cupboard frame (and my solar panel cable exiting at the top of the photo).

Bolt from grab rail.jpeg

Vertically up side of cupboard.jpeg

[bellalistair]

Ah ha,

that's very interesting Donald, many thanks.

I've got as far as taking the rail off but not got it fixed back yet, I had to chisel out the plug for the middle fixing so will investigate further with your pics to guide before concluding on the method for refixing.

[Malcolm Sadler]

Although the sort of detective work discussed here is part of the fun of boat ownership, do remember that if we choose we have access to the current builder of the CC (Tim Altham), who in turn is able to call on the knowledge of the two main people who actually did the work with Bob Brown at HM in Rochdale. I’ve passed a lot of ideas for improvements, gathered from you all, to Tim and I know he is willing to reciprocate with his know-how. There will be limits of course - a major part of his business is repairs and refurbs - but I’m sure he’ll help point folk in the right direction on small DIY jobs.

I believe there is much to be gained on both sides by owners having regular exchanges on technical matters with the builder. Future Cape Cutters will be the better for it, and we might save time and the risk of unintended damage in our annual maintenance jobs.

Cheers

Malcolm

[Justin Greig]

Good point Malcolm - over the past few weeks Tim has helped me with a replacement for my split rudder. He has been quick to respond and generous.