Attach top side to hull - Hydrostream

[RSWORDS]

I'm pulling my factory rail off and replacing it with the rail from taco marine

http://tacomarine.com/product/V11-3161/1-1-8-x-1-1-4-Sandwich-Style-Flexible-Rub-Rail

Since the factory rail that held the two halves together is gone how should i attach them to each other?

Will the insert in that rail with screws every 6" be sufficient?

Rail attaches like this
http://tacomarine.com/ccp51/media/images/product_detail/Taco_Marine_V22-3162_Sandwich-style-rigid-vinyl-rub-rail-insert-drawing2.jpg

[rock]

I am far from an expert on this stuff but when I did my Vector I removed the rail and epoxied the hull and cap together then used fabric on the inside everywhere we could reach. Has held up for 15 years or more so far with no rail.

Rock

[RSWORDS]

I am far from an expert on this stuff but when I did my Vector I removed the rail and epoxied the hull and cap together then used fabric on the inside everywhere we could reach. Has held up for 15 years or more so far with no rail.

Rock

Yeah, i think that's the route I'm gonna take.

[Scream And Fly]

I am far from an expert on this stuff but when I did my Vector I removed the rail and epoxied the hull and cap together then used fabric on the inside everywhere we could reach. Has held up for 15 years or more so far with no rail.

Rock

Randy, that Vector is beautiful. I really like the all-white color a lot. Very cool.

The way you bonded your hull and deck is the way my X-Stream was built from the factory. Since there was never any metal rail to begin with, they glass the hull and deck together from the inside. There are a few rivets, which must have been placed just to position the hull and deck while they were being glassed.

My boat also has a rubrail very similar to the one in that link, which I believe the newer-generation Hydrostreams came equipped with. I would be curious to know how Hydrostream bonded the hull and deck on the newer boats.

380508

[FrenchPhil]

+1 on the glassing/epoxy but I'd keep the vinyl rail for impact protection.

[1BadAction]

Randy, that Vector is beautiful. I really like the all-white color a lot. Very cool.

The way you bonded your hull and deck is the way my X-Stream was built from the factory. Since there was never any metal rail to begin with, they glass the hull and deck together from the inside. There are a few rivets, which must have been placed just to position the hull and deck while they were being glassed.

My boat also has a rubrail very similar to the one in that link, which I believe the newer-generation Hydrostreams came equipped with. I would be curious to know how Hydrostream bonded the hull and deck on the newer boats.

380508

Wow Greg, I never knew Xstream didn't use the old Hydrostream style rubrail! I always thought yours had the rubber cap on the OEM aluminum rail. I like how integrated and clean that looks, much nicer than the ugly aluminum rails, which are impossible to keep nice.

My Action was glassed together from the factory also, I think it makes the hull more sound, and for a shoebox style joint, gives a whole lot more for the rubrail rivets to hold. Couple that with the "exploding" style rivets and the rubrail isn't going to budge.

[rock]

+1 on the glassing/epoxy but I'd keep the vinyl rail for impact protection.

I always liked the no rub rail look but gotta agree with the impact protection. Total pain in the butt keeping it pristine.

Rock

[FUJIMO]

www.itwplexus.com (http://www.itwplexus.com) ...its all thats needed...no mechanical fastening nor inside bonding.

[RSWORDS]

I was thinking of using West system six10 and the screws in the rail.

[Bodhi]

I was thinking of using West system six10 and the screws in the rail.

Six 10 will work just fine. I found that it wasn't thick enough and more expensive than just mixing up epoxy and 403 microfiber. I built mine the same way Rock and Greg did from the inside out. Post pics up when your done

[RSWORDS]

Ordered the rail today. My suppliers at work all wanted a mint to ship the 12' sections of rail insert. Found out west Marine has free shipping to the store so that's a plus. Even though it's more expensive I'm not paying the $200 shipping. Lol

Got the actual rub rail coming through land n sea.

[outasite]

380651380652380653Good bead of 3M 5200, If your sure you don't want to ever take it apart.(home Depot $17)

[W2F a V-King]

I'm pulling my factory rail off and replacing it with the rail from taco marine

http://tacomarine.com/product/V11-3161/1-1-8-x-1-1-4-Sandwich-Style-Flexible-Rub-Rail

Since the factory rail that held the two halves together is gone how should i attach them to each other?

Will the insert in that rail with screws every 6" be sufficient?



That's actually better than what Hydrostream did with a zillion rivets.
Guessing this is just a rail replacement, as in you didn't separate the deck from the hull?

That (imho) needs more than just the clamped rail.

[RSWORDS]

That's actually better than what Hydrostream did with a zillion rivets.
Guessing this is just a rail replacement, as in you didn't separate the deck from the hull?

That (imho) needs more than just the clamped rail.

Yeah, gonna glue it together with some six10 the put the rail on.

[W2F a V-King]

I am far from an expert on this stuff but when I did my Vector I removed the rail and epoxied the hull and cap together then used fabric on the inside everywhere we could reach. Has held up for 15 years or more so far with no rail.

Rock

This ^^^ :iagree:

I am not expert either. I am in the midst of a deck off stream restore, and will be crossing this bridge myself in the near future.

I don't know what the six10 is, but if it's better than the secondary bond of epoxy, that's great! 3M 5200 is an awesome adhesive as well...

The inner fabric ( I'm using 1.5 oz csm ) belt glassed back in place is key (imo) to getting a strong hull to deck bond. The deck bond and the belted fabric bond create an "T" beam that runs the length of the deck to hull seam. Almost creating like a triangle of glass running the length of that seam. (Got this advise from another member here that did his deck off restore :thumbsup:)

Polyester or vinyl ester would work too, but you'd have less work time than with epoxy.

Please post up some pictures ! :thumbsup:

[XstreamVking]

If you don't glass the perimeter, especially the stern area, water will get in since it is submerged.

[RSWORDS]

If you don't glass the perimeter, especially the stern area, water will get in since it is submerged.

It will be completely sealed.

[XstreamVking]

Ok with me. I always encourage people to do it their way....

[RSWORDS]

Ok with me. I always encourage people to do it their way....

I want to do it right. Lol

A bead of six10 epoxy all the way around should seal it pretty well I think. Think I need more?

I've never done this, I'm a mechanic. Not a fiberglass guy

[XstreamVking]

Prob be alright with the bonding epoxy. The glass strip just adds a barrier that is impervious and gives a lot of rigidity to the hull. (it is a beoitch to do)I am a old glass guy set in my ways, and have always glassed the perimeter. New materials might be able to do the job if applied very carefully. You can always glass later if needed. jm2cts

[FrenchPhil]

Epoxy in itself has little strength, its the glass that provides it. You need both & the know how.

[JBMac]

My Valero Bowrider was bonded with what appeared to be thickened poly resin in pretty much the whole bow area, then 6" sections every 2' or so back to the transom. On the inside, looked to be 2 layers of 6" wide CSM strip everywhere they could reach. I know lots of people debate about epoxy vs. poly- for my money, its poly- it took hours to split just the bow area with a thin bladed pneumatic saw.

[W2F a V-King]

Epoxy in itself has little strength, its the glass that provides it. You need both & the know how.

True that! Also applies to polyester and Vinyl Ester. :thumbsup:

Guess what I was trying to convey is the bonding of the deck to the hull is more than just a moisture barrier, it is a structural part of the whole boat.

jm .02

[One Oldman]

True that! Also applies to polyester and Vinyl Ester. :thumbsup:

Guess what I was trying to convey is the bonding of the deck to the hull is more than just a moisture barrier, it is a structural part of the whole boat.

jm .02


I agree 100% but most are held together with many rivets or screws. I'm not saying this is best just that it's the way it's most commonly done by manufacturers.

[XstreamVking]

Streams are glassed together for a reason. The whole line of boats was designed to be unlike any other. Unless you have experience with them, it's easy to not see why they are built the way they are. They were ahead of their time and in some ways are still ahead of many other boats.

[1BadAction]

380651380652380653Good bead of 3M 5200, If your sure you don't want to ever take it apart.(home Depot $17)
5200 Actually being used for what it's intended for, damn near a first on this site. :cheers:

[JBMac]

It's kinda scary how flimsy the bare hull on an 80+ mph boat is when the floor, deck and core have been removed. Just goes to show how important all of the components- and how well they are bonded- are to the structural integrity of a 'Stream. I see so many HydroStreams for sale where the seller boasts of a new floor or transom, but no mention of the core!

[RSWORDS]

Streams are glassed together for a reason. The whole line of boats was designed to be unlike any other. Unless you have experience with them, it's easy to not see why they are built the way they are. They were ahead of their time and in some ways are still ahead of many other boats.

My boat isn't glassed together from the factory best I can tell. Should it have been? Or at least the few feet or rail I removed don't appear to have glass under them.

Is it inside?

[W2F a V-King]

My boat isn't glassed together from the factory best I can tell. Should it have been? Or at least the few feet or rail I removed don't appear to have glass under them.

Is it inside?

My V-King was glassed deck to hull with some kind of glass/resin mixture, not sure exactly what it was, save for the fact I had to make a surgical cut the length of the seam to separate the two lips (upper deck lip and lower hull lip) from each other and the same cut split the CSM belt, with exception being up in the very tip of the bow. This was after removing the 80 or so rivets and the aluminum rail.

The perimeter was glassed all the way around on the inside seam with what looked like 4"-6" CSM, again not all the way up in the tip of the bow area.

Likely no two were made exactly the same, not sure why. Have read many restore threads on these boats and it seems construction varied with some.

If yours was not glassed together, consider it a blessing. Not sure why some are, some are not.

[XstreamVking]

They are glassed together everywhere you can get to. Never seen one that wasn't.

[RSWORDS]

They are glassed together everywhere you can get to. Never seen one that wasn't.

On the inside?

Didn't look there. I don't actually need to separate the two halves, I'm just replacing the rail. Maybe I don't need to do anything other then screw in the new rail.

[outasite]

On the inside?

Didn't look there. I don't actually need to separate the two halves, I'm just replacing the rail. Maybe I don't need to do anything other then screw in the new rail.
It is a big deal to separate the hull.In most cases it is near impossible to do without damage to the splashwell.

[RSWORDS]

It is a big deal to separate the hull.In most cases it is near impossible to do without damage to the splashwell.

Yeah I have no need to and would like to avoid it off possible. Sounds like no need now.

[RSWORDS]

Got all the rail off last night. Alot easier then I thought it would be. Took a flap misc and hit the bottom of the rivetsvthen split the rail with a cut off wheel. 30 min start to finish.

Y'all are correct. It's glassed from the inside up to about 4- back from the bow.