[Rhodes22-list] Tessilmare Radial Flexible Rub Rail

Fri Aug 26 11:40:22 EDT 2016

Ted: 

After 7 years on the hard I am getting a touch anxious to launch as well.
Short of death or disaster I should be launching next spring. I am stunned
to think how long this rebuild has taken - although I can't do much in the
cold seasons. I told my wife it would take two years. She doesn't believe
any estimates I make now.

Graham Stewart
Agile. R22, 1976
Kingston Ontario Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of
Theodore Boender
Sent: August 26, 2016 10:12 AM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Tessilmare Radial Flexible Rub Rail

Graham,

I love the yellow hull. She really looks awesome! 

Can't wait for you to splash her! 

Cheers,
Ted

S/V AIRPOWER 
1991/2013 R22
Jacksonville, FL

> On Aug 25, 2016, at 12:23 AM, Graham Stewart <gstewart8 at cogeco.ca> wrote:
> 
> For those who might be replacing their rub rail I thought I would post
some notes and a picture of my boat after installing the Tessilmare Radial
Flexible Rub Rail system.(see:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=56893 
> 
> The system comes in two parts: a plastic track and a rubber bumper. The
track comes in 6' lengths and the rubber rail is continuous in the length
you choose. I ordered 55' and that worked out fine with about 3 feet extra.
> 
> The primary reason I choose this system was because installing it can be
accomplished working alone. I didn't want to have to find and then depend on
someone to help. Unlike the more popular Tacho system the rubber rail does
not need to be stretched during installation. In fact, I was able to install
it alone so that worked out fine. However, the time it took was considerably
longer than what was implied in the sales material.
> 
> The track goes on with screws. It is fairly soft plastic and if the screws
are driven in too tight the track bulges around the screw and this
deformation shows when the rubber rail is installed. As it turned out, and
in spite of various approaches,  I was not able to find the perfect setting
where the screw was sufficiently tight without creating the bulge. The only
way I could avoid the bulges in the rubber rail was to use a box cutter to
shave off the sides of each bulge on the track. That was not difficult but
it was time consuming. You can see in the attached picture slight dimples in
the rubber rail where each screw is located. You only see them when you look
along the rail with the light reflecting off the surface.
> 
> They recommend screws but say that rivets could also be used. Rivets would
compress the track much more tightly than screws and would bulge the track
considerably more so I don't see rivets as being practical. So unlike the
original rub rail I was not able to use rivets to install the rail and
secure the hull/deck join at the same time. I riveted the join first and
then installed the track with screws. I used 1 1/2" screws but should have
used 1" screws.
> 
> Screws go in easily and are spaced every 6 inches. After drilling the hole
for the screw I squeezed a dab of sealant into the hole. I suspect that had
little effect in creating a seal - but I can't be sure.
> 
> The sales material implied that the track can be bent around corners and
the bow without the use of heat. Once you get the kit you find out that a
bend in excess of a 40 mm radius required the application of heat. In the
case of the Rhodes the bow and both ends of the transom are too sharp to
avoid using the heat. That said, it does not require a lot of heat. I used
my heat gun on the low setting and moved it back and forward along the track
while I slowly  bent it around the bend. However, you need to put a length
of wire under both tabs in the track to avoid having them  lose their shape
and make it impossible to fit the rubber rail later. I used pieces of coated
clothes line wire and that worked perfectly. 
> 
> To install the rubber rail you bend it back to spread the tabs that grab
onto the track and roll the rail forward. By the time I was finished I had
developed the method and was progressing well but it took me a long time and
multiple tries at first. It can be done alone. If someone is there to help
they can manage the length of rail. I did this on a hot day and I suspect
thaat made the rail material much more pliable. I am not sure that I would
have been able to install the rail had it been cold.
> 
> At the sharp corners a gap forms between the rubber rail and the boat so I
filled the space with black Boat Life sealant.
> 
> The kit comes with plastic caps for the end. You can either put two end
caps on or use a join piece to end them together. I put a screw through the
ends of the rubber rail to make sure it  did not shrink back and then
attached the link piece with a screw. The problem I ran into, however, was
that the upper pintel on the rudder would not clear the cap. After
considering various options I decided to shorten the pintel pin, (or is that
called the gudgeon?), just enough to allow the rub rail to be cleared and
then drilled a hole in the pin so that I could secure it with a pull pin.
That seemed to work fine.
> 
> Unlike the Taco system, there is no insert that goes into the track that
will give a two-colour look - which can be attractive.
> 
> Attached is a picture of the rail attached. Not having installed the Tacho
system I really can't say whether the Tessilmare is better or easier to
install. Certainly the rubber rail seems beefy and should provide good
protection.
> 
> 
> Graham Stewart
> Agile. R22, 1976
> Kingston Ontario Canada
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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