Toe Rail Replacement

BrooklynJoe

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Looking to replace my toe rails on my 2006 225 Tournament. The ends of the rails are all broken off.
Grady doesn’t make these rails but I can buy 2 rails from them for 385 plus ship and cut them to fit. The rails are 1 in. Thick Starboard. Boat outfitters can make them for a more reasonable price but they don’t have Grady white white in 1” thick. They have Seafoam or Fish White colors in 1” thick.
Has anyone done this project before or does anyone know what color would be close enough to the Grady color to use.
Thanks for any info.
Joe
 

Fishtales

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I have not done, but I'd factor age of the boat and extra cost and work for the GW material. The gelcoat fades to white and likely would be ok to use the cheapest alternative. A bolt on is always easiest.
 

BrooklynJoe

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Hard for me to tell....the edges broke off from stress on the bolt holes...pretty much cracked out from where they are screwed in...
Thanks for the input...
 

seasick

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Are you sure the rails are starboard, and not PVC? It would be very hard to break the ends off 1" starboard.
I see that BoatOutfitters suggests Artic White. I would call them and ask if you can get a sample

If you go that route, note that the original Grady method of attaching was poor and is responsible for a lot of the cracking. Assuming the toe rails are screwed in three areas, the middle can be drilled and screwed normally but the ends should have elongated holes and not be tightened to excess to allow for expansion and contraction. You also have to leave space at the ends if that abut a surface so that the expanding rail doesn't bind against the ends. ( If it does, the toe rails start to flex and may bow in or out, That also adds to the cracking pressures. In an ideal world, I wouldn't use the oval head screws that Grady used.
 
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chrisk

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Looking to replace my toe rails on my 2006 225 Tournament. The ends of the rails are all broken off.
Grady doesn’t make these rails but I can buy 2 rails from them for 385 plus ship and cut them to fit. The rails are 1 in. Thick Starboard. Boat outfitters can make them for a more reasonable price but they don’t have Grady white white in 1” thick. They have Seafoam or Fish White colors in 1” thick.
Has anyone done this project before or does anyone know what color would be close enough to the Grady color to use.
Thanks for any info.
Joe
I have used Boat Outfitters' Seafoam starboard and it is a very close match for my 92 24 Explorer.
 
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BrooklynJoe

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Thanks for the info, I ordered the color swatch from Boat outfitters. Will definitely look at attaching the ends differently.
Joe
 

ROBERTH

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I replaced my original toe rails with 3/4" Starboard in Seafoam. Seafoam is near perfect match and looks great. Easy job, just trace old one's onto a new piece of Starboard, cut and route, drill holes a bit oversized and put in new screws.
I measured and ordered from their cut to size feature on their website.