replacing my rubrail

[Sailmale]

I''m replacing the original rubrail on my 1976 Morgan IO. The original stuff is in the form of a "U", is made from black, flexible rubber and fits snuggly over a 3/4" by 1 1/2" flange formed where the deck joins the hull.

I have found only ONE supplier of this exact rubrail, a guy in FLA who wants $14 a foot for the stuff, which would total about $1000 to re-do the entire boat...OUCH!

As an alternative I have looked into metal channeling.

I have found a local supplier of aluminum channeling, and while the channeling is not a perfect fit, is certainly close enough. It comes in 16'' sections, so I can bend it enough along the side of the hull, and it would only cost about $175 to do the entire boat. The apparent downside is that the marina folks tell me that exposure to the Chesapeake Bay waters in and around Annapolis will soon cause the aluminum to pit.

Their response has prompted me to look for stainless steel channeling that would not cost and arm and a leg and would be flexible enough...but I have not been able to locate a supplier of this stuff.

My questions:

1) Does anyone know of a less pricey source for the flexible rubber version?

2) If I go the aluminum route, will, in fact, the stuff pit, and if so, how soon and how badly? And is there anything I could do to prevent or greatly retard that pitting process?

3) Does anyone know of a source for stainless steel aluminum channeling that would not cost an arm and leg and would be flexible enough?

Of course, any thought/suggestions on my project are certainly welcome.