railing loose

[vamanos]

1988 Sea Ray 268 has some of the railing loose. How do you tighten this rail and get it more secure? Could you please tell me the actual and correct name for this railing that runs around the top of the boat from helm to bow?

 

[DBreskin]

Re: railing loose

I'm pretty sure it's simply called the bow railing. You probably need access to the underside of the mounting points to access the bolts that tighten it but you may first want to investigate why the railing loosened in the first place and make sure the mounting points aren't damaged.

 

[rbh]

Re: railing loose

If they are that loose put some sealer under them.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: railing loose

as rbh stated; do your self a favor and re-bed them.
if there like the ones on our "88" weekender, this is how i did ours.
you need a philip head screw driver and 7/16, or 3/8 socket.
on ours i loosened enough to squeeze 5200 sealant all around the stanchion base. then tightened. the front stanchions nuts were able to reach from in side the anchor locker.
the next ones back are under the head liner. to get a socket on them, feel the head liner till you find them. then take a sharp razor knife and make a small slit just large enough to work the socket thru and on to the nut. the rest you have to look outside and get an idea where they are inside. inside the cabinets and ect on both sides

 

[vamanos]

Re: railing loose

OK, it's quite clear that the headliner will have to be cut for acccess to some of the mounting/bolts points. Any suggestions as what to do with the headliner after the cuts have been made? Some sort of patch maybe? What did you do after cutting the headliner?

Some of the mounting pints are behind or above cabinets. Do you just forget aobut them and the railing being loose or do you remove the cabinets? What experience do you have with this?

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: railing loose

i was able to keep the slits small enough that, unless you know they are there you don't see them. i saw another boat where they took a round circle cutter (i'm guessing a gasket punch of some sort and spun in a drill) just large enough to go over the nut, and cut small hole to access each nut and left nut showing. this didn't look to bad either.
as far a cabinets ect. i was able to work thru openings-doors- and get to all mine.
i wouldn't leave any loose.
the toughest ones i had to find were on the starboard side behind the helm cabinet and above the head area

 

[rbh]

Re: railing loose

Like J+J said small slits, maybe a little glue after theyre tight, "measure twice, cut once"

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: railing loose

actually there pretty easy to find-feel under the head liner rbh.