Best wood for spray rails?

[RedBoatFl]

What wood would make durable spray rails?

Thanks,

Gary

[jimkeen]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

If you want them to last forever you could use Azek.
I prefer Clear Doug Fir. Knowing that it is sacrificial.

Jim

[waltwood]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

Azek is not a bad idea. It is floppy, that could be good if there is any edge set to it and bad if you need it to have any strength. Mahog. is what they used to be made of on many boats.

[JimConlin]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

Barbour Plastics makes extruded PVC spray rails.

I think that Hamilton Marine stocked it.

[David G]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

Terminology is sometimes confusing. By spray rail... do you mean what I call a rubrail (at the sheerline), or do you mean a proud piece of trim - what I call a spray rail - further down toward the waterline? If it's a rubrail... some do regard them as sacrificial. Depends upon the boat, the typical docking and rafting arrangements, etc. Spray rails, I do not usually regard as sacrificial. For a spray I've seen or used: white oak; mahogany; ipe; douglas fir; black locust; alaskan yellow cedar; sapele; and more. The two I prefer are white oak and black locust, but any of those others (and several more) will work.

[RedBoatFl]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

I think David and I have the same definition in mind.
Non sacrificial, durable. Actually at the Chine.
The profile will be approx. 1.5" wide X 2" tall X 26'
Must be edge set and bent. A very large radius, but bent.
I would guess I'll need to glue for length. Maybe laminate.
I think White Oak, but read it doesn't glue well with epoxy.
Mahogany glues better , I've read.
Never even seen "Black Locust"

Thanks for the input

[Big Fish Billy]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

Second the mahogany....

[spirit]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

Plastic wood is not great.
See: http://www.seegerweiss.com/azek-problems/

[CJ]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

White oak, just in case you do bump into the occasional dock, etc... might have to kerf it depending on the depth of the rails and the curve of the hull:

[spirit]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

Stunning boat Stinkpotter!
Please let us see it when you are done...
What is it?

[CJ]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

Stunning boat Stinkpotter!
Please let us see it when you are done...
What is it?

Thanks! Yeah, I love the lines of this boat too; it's the Ocean Pointer. Hope to have her done this spring and pictures will follow for sure.

[eflanders]

Re: Best wood for spray rails?

I used solid Mahogany on a restoration once but found out later that a solid strip wasn't the best way to go. About a week after applying them some areas popped off due to the rather sharp curves I needed (they were steam-bent and then secured onto the hull). I ended up making some relief cuts on the back side of these pieces that popped and was able to salvage them. I now use laminated strips. They are easier and much stronger. If use a laminate, you can use whatever wood looks aesthetically correct because the glue holding the laminated strips is really the strength of the whole strip.