Rubbing Strake Advice

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I've just got 10m of D strake to wrap around my Searider, question is, how easy is it to do in one piece? I could split it at the bow, as I'll be adding a bit for anchor warp protection anyway. Should I glue the whole boat and strake and work quickly or glue a couple of meters at a time? How easy is it to fit right up to the ends of the cones, as on the Searider they're pretty pointy. I can see this getting messy.

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[MustRib]

Hi there
I did just the same thing on my searider.
Firstly - get someone to help, that strake is really heavy to handle neatly by yourself....and will allow you to do one complete side at a time.
I cut the strake at the point of the bow, and stopped it just before the cones start.
I then concealed the joint by running a vertical section of strake with the D opened up to make a fairlead.
I am attaching a couple of pics that may give you a clue!
Good luck.... get some help!

[free]

Cheers m8, that's just what I want it to look like. Roughly how far from the end of the cone did you stop? There's flat and D strake on ebay at the moment, well cheap.

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[MustRib]

Hey Free..

I finished the strake at the end of the tube before it starts to taper for the cone.

If you havn't used Bostik 2402 and 501 before, I strongly recommend that your first job isn't to fit rubbing strake.
If you can find someone with some experience to help you that would be the best solution.
The advice I can give is..
Bostik 2402 is CONTACT adhesive and lifting and repositioning isnt really possible with out forcing you to start again - a pain in the ass.
In brief, cut the rubbing strake to the size/length you want and can manage to fit properly. Do whatever tapering of the strake as well.
Offer it up to the tubes, mask off either side of the strake on the tubes.
Lay the strake face down (D down) on the ground. Get your drill with a wire brush attachment and run it all over the back of the strake to rough up the rubber a little. Then take the 501 and brush it over the back of the strake.
Clean the area on the tubes between the masking with 501 as well.
Mix the 2402 as per the instructions, buy some cheap plastic jugs from the supermarket for this and make sure you have some clean wood strips to mix with.
Brush the glue onto the back of the strake and brush a coat on the tubes between the masking.
Let it dry then brush a second coat on the strake and the tubes. When this is tacky - test it with the back of your hand - your knuckles, not your finger tips.
Then you have one go..you have to line it up because the glue will stick immediately, thats why I think you need help. Start at the bow, have your help hold the strake parallel with the tube but not in contact as you go along pressing it on starting from the bow and making sure it lines up first time.
Press it on really firmly - I made up tool to do this, with a blunt steel bar blade.
The fairlead section was trickier because the curve needed over the bow is enough to spring it even from the glue. As in one of the pics I used a load strap running down the fairlead and ratcheted it down a little to hold the fairlead section down ... that and a couple of brooms wedged into place!
Hope this helps you, but seriously, get some help and if its your first time using 2402, try something less ambitious first.
cheers

[free]

Cheers m8, great response.

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