Had a SS hand rail fitted and its crap...now what?

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Rang a local stainless fabricator who have a big workshop and make a lot of bespoke stuff for factories and commercial units. Asked if they could make a handrail for the console with marine SSteel and showed them pics of other boats. Standard M shape with two side vertical struts meeting over the windscreen and a centre strut to meet in the middle from the front centre of the console.

They quoted £275 and £10 to fit. Fair enough, didn't sound too unreasonable.
They came to fit it when my old man (owns the boat with me) was there as I was at work. He looked at it and thought it looked ok so paid them.

It looks exactly like the ones in the photos.....but when i got on the boat and pulled on it.... it isn't solid! If you pull on it, the rail moves/flexes a good inch or so and hits the screen. Old man has paid for it now.

Obviously first port of call is to phone them in the morning, but where do i stand. I don't think it is fit for purpose. The other hand rail on the console in front of the jockey is solid as. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Im taking the boat down to N Wales for the season on Sunday. So angry.

[biffer]

back it, they may be reasonable about it, stainless for ribs is different than yaghty stuff just by the nature of what we do with them, good luck!

[PeterR]

I would check to see if on the pictures you gave them.1.the size of tube they used compared to the photos.If different its reasonable to expect as they are the experts they should have used large enough tube the photos were for design and quality.I beleive even if you are unhappy with a job the law says you have to pay for it and then fight in court. So in a way your dad has done right.but probably wont make you feel any better.Dont rant when you speak to them cos that wont help

[PeterR]

Do you know if the ones in the photos you gave flex the same as yours .If they dont you have a case but if not ?.Good luck let us know what the outcome is

[Hightower]

My over screen rail is a bit flimsy too. It's made from 1" 316, but it's more to do with the design than the build materials.

I stuffed the RIB a couple of years ago and used it to help brace me during the impact. Basically when I got home and started to wash down I noticed it had bent slightly, was fairly easy to bend back, but to be honest it's fine for just helping me and crew to get around the RIB so acting as a grab rail to prevent crew from falling overboard, which was what it was intended for. It's also a safety measure to stop people from burying their head into the top of the screen too.

Mines the one on the left.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Originally Posted by Hightower

My over screen rail is a bit flimsy too. It's made from 1" 316, but it's more to do with the design than the build materials.

I stuffed the RIB a couple of years ago and used it to help brace me during the impact. Basically when I got home and started to wash down I noticed it had bent slightly, was fairly easy to bend back, but to be honest it's fine for just helping me and crew to get around the RIB so acting as a grab rail to prevent crew from falling overboard, which was what it was intended for. It's also a safety measure to stop people from burying their head into the top of the screen too.

Mines the one on the left.

Nice boat! The rail on Jono gartons Humber was solid, that's what I expected. Trouble is where it is fixed to the boat, it's an insert in to the tube screwed to the boat, rather than a flange shaped end to the steel screwed to the boat. See what they say tomorrow.

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

Nice boat! The rail on Jono gartons Humber was solid, that's what I expected. Trouble is where it is fixed to the boat, it's an insert in to the tube screwed to the boat, rather than a flange shaped end to the steel screwed to the boat. See what they say tomorrow.

I would hazard a guess that they might change the insert for a fully welded flange then. My Handrail uses studs welded in the ends of the tubes. These go right though the fiberglass into the console and have spacer tubes, washers and nylocs on to give a neater finish.

[Ian M]

Originally Posted by Hightower

My over screen rail is a bit flimsy too. It's made from 1" 316, but it's more to do with the design than the build materials.

I stuffed the RIB a couple of years ago and used it to help brace me during the impact. Basically when I got home and started to wash down I noticed it had bent slightly, was fairly easy to bend back, but to be honest it's fine for just helping me and crew to get around the RIB so acting as a grab rail to prevent crew from falling overboard, which was what it was intended for. It's also a safety measure to stop people from burying their head into the top of the screen too.

Mines the one on the left.

And mines the one on the right
I've got flanged ends to my screen surround - seems pretty solid to me, although there is a lot less of me than there is of Andy

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Ian M

And mines the one on the right
I've got flanged ends to my screen surround - seems pretty solid to me, although there is a lot less of me than there is of Andy

Oi! What are you trying to say......

[biffer]

there is a couple of thickness's when it comes to 316 stainless, one's like a bean can and the other one ain't, also the console might need backing up on the inside to make it more rigid, the other golden rule is, and this is for all boats, NEVER SCREW SOMETHING YOU CAN BOLT, no rude comments that one is important

[HUMBER P4VWL]

calm now boys. They're both nice boats.... But whose is faster?

had a look at the rail this morning with the old man. Being fair the flex isn't at the joining points to the console and it is bolted in place. I think it's more the thickness of the rail and the strength of the console at the centre front point.

It's as thick as the support on the jockey back rest but not as thick as the hoop itself. Will post pics tonight.

As pointed out, it's fit for purpose of getting round the boat and a safety re the screen, and as the old man said, if it's much thicker it would be like scaffolding in your view.

Looks good though. gonna stick with it, it's fitted solidly on inspection and they aren't going to replace it with a thicker one for free are they, so other than perhaps putting a backing plate on the centre screw inside the console, (which we can do) not much to resolve it. (should have got biffer over to do it!)

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Originally Posted by Ian M

And mines the one on the right
I've got flanged ends to my screen surround - seems pretty solid to me, although there is a lot less of me than there is of Andy

I notice you have a rear bar fixed to the console too, that would stop the rearward flex I suppose. The design I have is like yours but with only the front bar, so if you pull on the frame from the top it pulls back and the bar touches the screen. It's similar thickness to your bars rather than the much chunkier ones I've seen elsewhere.

Driving boat down on Sunday, not going to change that!

[Ian M]

Paul,
If I read you right you have used a simple screw head to fix the centre support inside the console?
I always sandwich the gelcoat/fibreglass over as large an area as possible, which I think particularly important if there is obvious flex at your mounting point(s). Hence the flanged ends to all my tubes, even if they are not as elegant as others although there is no flex to my console (read effing thick!) At the very least I would suggest using a large penny washer inside the console. I always use marine sealant under mine as well.
Speed - well it is relative isn't it; and relative to Andy's mine is ................

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Ian M

Paul,
If I read you right you have used a simple screw head to fix the centre support inside the console?
I always sandwich the gelcoat/fibreglass over as large an area as possible, which I think particularly important if there is obvious flex at your mounting point(s). Hence the flanged ends to all my tubes, even if they are not as elegant as others although there is no flex to my console (read effing thick!) At the very least I would suggest using a large penny washer inside the console. I always use marine sealant under mine as well.

Yes but Ian he'd like it ready to use this year

[Ian M]

Now that's uncalled for I don't know what you mean, and if I did, where's the fun in that

[HUMBER P4VWL]

boys boys, less ribbing, more ribbing on the water!

They are actually bolted through and have a 2p sized washer/stainless section between the SSrail and the console so there is some support. Might need a bigger one on the inside of the console on the centre strut as this is the one where the fibreglass console is moving a little and creating the flex when combined withe the flex of the tube itself.

I think to some degree i had higher expectations and wanted thicker tubing. My own fault for not being there and being specific enough. It looks good and serves purpose so job done.

Now for some weather and breaking the 50mph mark on the gps. Last year we hit 49 with 140l on board and two up. After that, it got some weed, then at the end the alternator screw came out and couldnt get over 35mph. grrr. All sorted and ready to rock.

[Ian M]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

Now for some weather and breaking the 50mph mark on the gps. Last year we hit 49 with 140l on board and two up. After that, it got some weed, then at the end the alternator screw came out and couldnt get over 35mph. grrr. All sorted and ready to rock.

Sounds like you had your share of distractions, good luck for the new season

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by Ian M

I would suggest using a large penny washer

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

They are actually bolted through and have a 2p sized washer

Over-engineered.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by biffer

back it, they may be reasonable about it, stainless for ribs is different than yaghty stuff just by the nature of what we do with them, good luck!

Quite, yachtie stuff has to work in all conditions, you lot only go out when the weather is nice

Pete

[biffer]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Quite, yachtie stuff has to work in all conditions, you lot only go out when the weather is nice

Pete

less to break at 8knots pete