RUBRAILS! lack of

[undercutter]

Originally Posted by tp12

The same reason few modern monos have them - aesthetics.

Let's not spoil the lines!

Seems to me that rubrails were essential when most berths were comprised of fixed docks or piles. Now that most berths are floating the rubrails serve no purpose as they are too high.

Two places they came in handy were at the careening piles and when the Singapore Immigration boat backed into us after clearing us out at the Sister Islands. Dented the rubrail over an inch deep so I am sure that there would be significant damage had they not been there.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

No, it's only because cruising cat skippers want mini-keels instead of daggerboards All the designers know that daggerboards are better. And, with daggerboards, it doesn't matter if you are upside down or right side up, just the direction in which you lower the daggerboard changes. Upside down it just comes through the former deck and provides all the same lateral resistance as right side up. You just can't do that with a mini-keel.

Daggerboard or rigid wingsail..... how do you tell?

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by undercutter

Seems to me that rubrails were essential when most berths were comprised of fixed docks or piles. Now that most berths are floating the rubrails serve no purpose as they are too high.

Two places they came in handy were at the careening piles and when the Singapore Immigration boat backed into us after clearing us out at the Sister Islands. Dented the rubrail over an inch deep so I am sure that there would be significant damage had they not been there.

In Europe the majority of marinas will still jam you in stern or bow to so I suspect they still may come in handy. Finger piers haven't taken over the world yet!

[PaulinOz]

A Rub rail used to be an easy way to cover a Hull / deck flange joint. Construction methods and designs have changed.

[arsenelupiga]

because cats are made to go places and do not stay in marinas unlike other boats.

I, so far, have not seen any use for them when anchoring & travelling & on mooring & refuelling.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

because cats are made to go places and do not stay in marinas unlike other boats.

I, so far, have not seen any use for them when anchoring & travelling & on mooring & refuelling.

Well, if you should ever leave the benign environs of Sydney, and go cruising to distant places, you may find that there are places where you will be compelled to lie alongside some pretty rough walls, wharves or docks. Then you will see the beauty of a stout rubbing strake, whether in a cat or a mono.

It is a fact, though, that few modern designs of either type feature such helpful bits. They are not particularly aesthetic, and they add cost, but by golly there are times when they are a godsend.

It can be accomplished in some designs, though. Our boat, and quite a few other semi-modern shapes, is widest at the deck level. Our perforated aluminium toe rail incorporates an external rounded rib that runs the length of the hull, and provides at least a modicum of protection. Not as good as a teak 4x4 that some more traditional hulls sport, but a lot better than grinding glass/timber/paint or whatever against the rough concrete of a foreign customs wharf! Careful fendering can reduce the need for such strakes, but being human (barely) I've found myself "underfendered" in far too many places and been glad of the added protection from the rails.

The hull profile of many cats that I have seen does not lend itself to that solution, but it could work on some...

Cheers,

Jim

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, if you should ever leave the benign environs of Sydney, and go cruising to distant places, you may find that there are places where you will be compelled to lie alongside some pretty rough walls, wharves or docks. Then you will see the beauty of a stout rubbing strake, whether in a cat or a mono.



Cheers,

Jim

Yup, I have experienced these in med. Scary stuff. However, I would only do Med using island hopping by ferries. Much cheaper and enjoyable. So, problem solved.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

because cats are made to go places and do not stay in marinas unlike other boats.

I, so far, have not seen any use for them when anchoring

You are forgetting those pesky boats that drag into you .

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

You are forgetting those pesky boats that drag into you .

true. I see now !

[smj]

Can't think of a situation where it would be better to not have a rubrail.


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[robert sailor]

Rub rails are great, we don't have one but I wished we did, too cheap to write the cheque. When new boat builders throw nickels around like man hole covers don't expect them to include a rub rail.

[geoleo]

Island Packet offered them as an option. When I rebuilt my IP 44 I discovered that IP would sell kits to upgrade any boat with their beautiful plastic extruded solid rubrail s that they were installing on their new boats. So I bought a kit for $750 which included the 3/4 ss striker and all serews needed this was 80lf of rail. Its possible they are still available .

[Tayana42]

This is the rubrail on my Tayana. Solid teak with a stainless cap.



Some boats still have them.

S/V B'Shert

[lindabarzini]

Originally Posted by Sun and Moon

Or maybe because the designers can't figure out where to put them, since the cat is as likely to be upside down as right side up.

That's kind of a jackass comment.

[four winds]

From New Orleans to Key West 98% of my docking has been amongst pillings. Certainly doesn't seem to me that floating docks have overtaken fixed pillings.

Only two occations involved floating docks. Barber Marina near Orange Beach, Alabama and the new city dock in Gulfport, Florida. And both have a floating fingers divided by pillings to make two slips per pair of fingers.

My teak rub rails are an asset as a single handed sailor. The boat maneuvers well and even in windy conditions it's no problem to stick it in and stop, lay up on the leeward pillings, and secure a mid ship line. Then I can take my time having fun lassoing more pillings and centering the boat.

Rub rails are good to have. For me, I only use fenders after having docked.