Toe rail cap

[Minnewaska]

I've seen boats with a nice brass or stainless cap on their toe rail beneath the life gate. It's a great idea. We removed the varnish from the toe rail last season and liked the look, not to mention the reduced maintenance.

However, the toe rail is stepped on and is getting dirty and even minorly worn. I can't think of a practical way of having a custom stainless cap made.

Any ideas of a method to protect it?

[Faster]

Have you seen this stuff?? Used as chafe guards on coamings and cabinsides etc.

Wear and Tear Pads | Self Adhesive Stainless Steel | Fiberglass Protection..

I've also seen clear non-skid self adhesive tapes too.

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by Faster

Have you seen this stuff?? Used as chafe guards on coamings and cabinsides etc.

Wear and Tear Pads | Self Adhesive Stainless Steel | Fiberglass Protection..

I've also seen clear non-skid self adhesive tapes too.

Cool stuff. If it came in larger pieces, it may have been the trick. The life gate opening must be two feet wide and I would like to cover as much of it as possible. Even 14"-18" would probably do the trick.

[poopdeckpappy]

I've done a couple boats ( step/wear pads ) where I use fineline tape, system 3 clear epoxy and fine silica sand.

Looks pretty dang good with and without a varnished caprail

[Hartley18]

Originally Posted by Minnewaska

I've seen boats with a nice brass or stainless cap on their toe rail beneath the life gate. It's a great idea. We removed the varnish from the toe rail last season and liked the look, not to mention the reduced maintenance.

However, the toe rail is stepped on and is getting dirty and even minorly worn. I can't think of a practical way of having a custom stainless cap made.

Any ideas of a method to protect it?

The brass stuff you've seen on older () boats is usually just flat-bar cut to length with the sharp edges filed off and a screw each end to hold it on. It's sold in hardware stores for stair-tread protection and comes in standard lengths you cut down with a hacksaw.

I'm sure you could do the same with stainless, but highly-polished stainless would show scratches more readily - from people stepping on it from the dock with bits of gravel in the soles of their shoes..

If you've bare timber, go with the brass. Unless polished up, it'll go green eventually but will protect your toe rail forever. ..it's also good for dock-line chafe protection:


(with apologies for the crummy photo - taken for other reasons)

[Faster]

Originally Posted by Minnewaska

Cool stuff. If it came in larger pieces, it may have been the trick. The life gate opening must be two feet wide and I would like to cover as much of it as possible. Even 14"-18" would probably do the trick.

Worth a call to the manufacturer to see if they'll custom cut??

[chucklesR]

There is, in my opinion, only one way to do it -

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by Hartley18

The brass stuff you've seen on older () boats is usually just flat-bar cut to length with the sharp edges filed off and a screw each end to hold it on......

Thanks for the pic. Unfortunately, the toe rail is convex, so the tread needs to be curved along its length.

I also have chafe protection, but they are only about a half inch wide and a foot long and sit atop the toe rail's highest point. I've thought about putting a few of them parallel to each other, where the foot tread needs to be, but think it may look bad.

The idea of a tread came to me because a friends has a Taswell will a gorgeous brass thread at the lifegate, but its OEM.

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by Faster

Worth a call to the manufacturer to see if they'll custom cut??

Good idea. I sent them a note to find out. Looks like they are in England.

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by Faster

Worth a call to the manufacturer to see if they'll custom cut??

Sent an email this morning and they replied as soon as I assume they arrive in the office in UK. I'm always very impressed by that kind of responsiveness to a potential client. Highly recommend dealing with this company for that reason.

However, while they could custom cut, their applique won't adhere to teak, it requires gelcoat.

Still searching for a solution.