Proper screws for vinyl rub rail?

I was thinking about ordering these.

truss head 1 1/4 ss

You sure you want to use vinyl/rubber and not the original aluminum? The latter looks much better- they're even starting to revert back to it on newer boats.

Agree with original...I vote you need something with a little shine to blend the metal flake deck and gel hull together.

dangerwil wrote: Not really a fan of the aluminium. Mine is in really bad shape too. Going with standard taco rub rail with a black nylon rope insert will look nice. Just looking forward to getting past the gel coating and on to assembly.

The boat is nice enough for new aluminum - black nylon Will absolutely make that boat look hacked

Boat was already hacked up when I got it. My goal is not to restore to original, just build a nice boat that I like. Hopefully chicks dig it

Would not a fine thread be better for grabbing the fiberglass?

CrazyCanuck wrote: Would not a fine thread be better for grabbing the fiberglass?

No, with a fine tread, the difference between the major dia. and the root dia. is less than a coarse so in glass, they would not give you the needed "bite". Besides, in a type A truss head tapping screw, only one thread pitch is made. On a #8, the pitch is .164". You may be thinking about "drywall" screws!

I think of these as being "proper" in a 1" #8




I had the same alum. vs vinyl argument with myself 10 yrs ago.

I knew that chicks would dig the alum. BUT I also knew that if anyone let the boat even touch the dock with my brand new alum. I would then "freak-out". So now I just feel warm and cozy when the vinyl/rope touches the dock all the time.

[QUOTE=dangerwil] Boat was already hacked up when I got it. My goal is not to restore to original, just build a nice boat that I like.

It was hacked then, it is not now -   to me the rub rail is not an orignal or not question... its just a nice boat that looks great vs. A nice boat that has a big bulbous plastic bumper around it that looks completely out of place.   Its your boat and it can be undone, but as a guy with more than a couple of boats from that era that have later model rub rail put on them I can tell ya it sticks out like rudolfs red nose. Nothing short of full wetsand and buff on one of these boats makes a bigger difference than fresh aluminum rub rail.

8122pbrainard wrote: CrazyCanuck wrote: Would not a fine thread be better for grabbing the fiberglass? No, with a fine tread, the difference between the major dia. and the root dia. is less than a coarse so in glass, they would not give you the needed "bite". Besides, in a type A truss head tapping screw, only one thread pitch is made. On a #8, the pitch is .164". You may be thinking about "drywall" screws!

No, not drywall screws...lol
When I put mine back on I added extra screws and the coarse ones made some cracking sounds on the way in, so I had some stainless fine thread screws mixed in with a bunch my dad gave me. I used them and they seemed to work better, but pre drilling also worked. Just thought I'd ask, in case there was specific screw I was supposed to have used....
I did not help that the PO had put some rough ugly ones in there and they were loose and not holding at all.

And,   I just woke-up this morning (well,actually 5.5 hrs. ago) and realized there is one (1) thing I DO NOT LIKE about the vinyl/rope rail.
It, (the rope) stays wet.   So, when I put my Angola canvas back on after a busy 1/2 day of looking at real estate, the inside of the canvas gets all wet and soggy right around the rope area.
So, do I just get a power inverter and take along a shop-vac or just screw-on some one inch heater hose ?