removable splash rail??

S

svlittlewing

New Member
I removed the splashrail on my '66 Fish during a deck refitting, and most of the old brass inserts were loose/leaking. I sealed them "temporarily" so I could get back on the water, leaving the rail off. I've researched repair techniques and had planned it as part of my winter refit, but I have another thought. . .

I don't have a local fleet, but dream someday of Class racing (maybe not in this old clunker, but who knows). But for now, the splashrail's absence has actually made transportation much easier (I carry her upside down on 2X6 rails extending from the tailgate to a roof rack on a 6-ft bed pickup).

Any ideas for a secure, watertight way of attaching the splashrail that would allow me to install when (if) racing but remove when not needed and for transport? Would some form of clamp or simplified "wing nut" style installation be considered a disqualifying "modification"?
 
Plug up all those leaky holes and use,,,


Velcro®


,,, just be sure you get the Velcro® that has been repackaged in an official Sunfish Parts bag.
 
I'd thought about that. I wonder how large a wave it would take to pull the splashrail off . . . I guess I could tie a lanyard to something . . . ("no, you have it backwards: the daggerboard is holding the splashrail on")

And I've been saving my official Sunfish Parts bags for just such an occasion!
 
Velcro would be a stellar idea. I bet it could withstand most anything normal sunfish sailing would put up. If you do it, let us know how it works and if it is easy to take off.
 
Yea, velcro does sound like a good idea. I would take a trip to your local marine store and get MARINE VELCRO. Its not a brand but its more of a type and gernerally more coarse and tougher.

I took mine off and just plan to use the same holes with a marine adhesive. There were one or two screws loose in the first place but I dont see why the adhesive wouldnt take car of that ; ) .
 
I re-sealed my splashrail with 5200 and new rivets. It's definitely not going anywhere....especially off. I suspected a leak there and one rivet was missing altogether. I got the rivet kit through APS.
 
remington870_20ga said:
Yea, velcro does sound like a good idea....

There were one or two screws loose in the first place....
Click to expand...





Hmmmm..., nolo contendre.
 
Ego congruo. Commodo dico mihi: First I hope Molly is Italian or a Latin scholar and not "just" a lawyer otherwise I just typed jibberish, but also I'm unable to differenciate facetiousness (or is it sarcasm?) from real advise (though either one is fine with me . . . my question was written in a half-inebriated mourning over the loss of my "real" sailboat that required constant maintanance. It's pretty hard to keep oneself busy with a 14' surfboard on steroids :) !) Do you really suggest fastening my splashrail to my deck with velcro or do you (Molly) simply consider the question humourous (which I admit it is)? :) :) :)
 
She was serious and so was I. The industrial strength (heavy duty) velcro is pretty strong and if you were to run it along the length of the bottom of the splash rail, it should provide a pretty substantial area of contact. If there is a little leakage between the deck and the splash rail, no big deal. It still should deflect the waves just fine and the splash rail will be removable.

P.S. You can use any extra "loop end or soft side" of the velcro in the CB trunk. It will help with the CB action big time. I have this in my boat and got the tip on the forum.
 
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