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To repair the rub rail Liquid Electrical Tape repaired scuffs and cut through spots. It is similar to the Plastic Dip . Use thin coats to build it up It is self leveling. Too much at once will make it sag. From 10 feet away you can't tell.

All,

Thanks for all the advice. I have decided to try 3M 5200 (black) [since that is what I found at West Marine].

However, I have noticed that the damaged rub rail section seems to have "puffed out" some. So my question is...

If I squirt the 5200 in the damaged section and then apply a clamp (or two or three) to squeeze the rail back to its original shape will the 5200 hold the rub rail in its correct shape or will it "puff out" again?

The top and bottom of the black rub rail are fine. Only the outer edge is ripped for about 8 inches but the top and bottom edges are flared out where the rip is.

Another thought is to put a few small screws through the top/bottom of the rub rail and into the lip of fiberglass that is under the rub rail.

Any thoughts on how to proceed would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

Hmmm - well, the 5200 holds like crazy! Assuming you can adequately clamp the rubrail down into its channel, that may work okay. Seems you'd need to run a strap completely around the hull bottom and across the top deck. Hard to explain, but I'm thinking beamwise so the strap crosses the rubrail on opposite sides of the boat.

I'd definitely NOT want to screw it down. Another impact at same place would have those screws ripping and tearing something. Seems that those new screws would also create yet another potential leak.

Not sure what you mean about flaring out ... sounds problematic.

Frank,

I will try and get a picture of the damage and post it. Not sure what you mean about the strap...the deck and the hull aren't separating. Just seems like the rub rail is loose.

If the 5200 is as sticky as you say then probably just clamps will do the trick.

Thanks,
JIm

I couldn't picture a clamp that would work, hence the strap.
Since you've got the clamps you need ... go for it!
The clamps - that's the picture I'd like to see!