Dave - the dark area shown on top of the deck in the photo above is where the teak toe rail was through bolted to the deck, inside forward edge of the cockpit. The aft bolt was the water source - very obvious to see when you look at the hole in the deck, and the position of wet core under it.

If you go to the blog, you can expand the photos by clicking on them to really see what is happening.

I decided to upgrade to a windward sheeting car this winter. Check out the latest on the Rhapsody Blog.

Hi Bill,
Maybe you can help me source something. I have been looking and looking for the longs threaded bolts that are running through the wood handrails. I had one shear off and have yet to find a replacement / looked all summer

Thanks

Taras

I also need to pick some up for a replacement since one is broken. I plan on using threaded stainless rod. I think it is size #10 with 24 threads per inch but need to verify. Try Jamestown Distributors at this link.

I don't think replacing them with same size threaded rod is the best plan ... I think dumping the wooden rails is the best plan.
Or as a compromise see if you can go up a size without compromising an old piece of wood.

I have done two boats with SS rails and feel way safer than relying on these rinky dink long bolts from 30 years ago ... if one broke ... i am pretty sure the rest are showing signs of pitting as the photo indicates.

for some reason I kept the four best ones removed from 505 four years ago ... they all are pitted. I didn't have a problem with the wood rails until I ended up with a 225+ plus crewman when he was trying to put a reef in off shore. and then subsequently the pins started to break on 526.

Taras, I have (8) eight of them, they are 5.5 in x .160 in Flathead slotted SS. I saved them when I rehabbed my deck on Conundrum. I changed to Stainless steel handrails with welded 1/4 x 20 studs. 24 in long, from West Marine. Not shown in catalog but available as a special order, Rail-O-24-M Oval rail, male, $29. This one has solid flared bases. supplier is (www.Div-n-Dog.com ). I feel they are far superior.
The 8 bolts are yours if you want them. You probably want 10. They are not all perfectly straight, but free to a good home. See pic. The goo is just 4200 sealant, they'll clean up.





let me know at ddking3070@sbcglobal.net

Duh ... the ones I have are 4.75 end to end?

perhaps they have used different height rails during production runs?

[also replaced rails with WM 2fts]

It appears that there is plenty of thread. Seems that a Sawsall and a vice would make easy work of having 5.5" screws = 4.75" Or... Hacksaw and some elbow grease

Thanks to Charlie Stoddard, Rhapsody has a new set of teak handrails and cockpit toerails. A little swap we made for carpentry vs system integration services. I've sanded the custom made teak pieces that have already been trial fit to the boat. The picture shows the rails with 11 coats of Epifanes Wood Finish Gloss. Much easier to do this in my basement than on the boat.

Always nice to have fresh wood Bill. One of these days!