Why not silicone to seal new rub rail?

[Glock Diver]

Started thinking about it tonight after I removed my old rail, and it seems like most people/manufacturers recommend an adhesive for new rub rail installs.

But Since screws every 4" are the force holding the new rail to the cap, why do I need 4200 or 5200?  Wouldn't a squirt of silicone into the old screwholes, and in the new screw holes, do just a good a job of sealing?  Seems like if I use the appropriate number of screws (and I pulled out about 140 screws of the old one!), I wouldn't need the adhesive too.
 
   

[Glock Diver]

Oh yeah, almost forgot:  

FOR SALE: Used Rub rail
White rigid plastic.
Mostly intact.
Will fit most 23' boats.
Highly recommend it be used on an Aquasport 225.
Did I mention it's RIGID?
Make offer  

[gran398]

The builders around here forego adhesive/sealant altogether.....they use a heat gun to stretch, then screws to plant the rubrail.

Guess the thinking is, why add sealant if not needed...will hold moisture, then mildew, turn black, more work down the road.

With regard to sealing the old screw holes on the pre-install...After the old holes are good and dry...go with Marine-tex, epoxy fill, kitty-hair, etc.

[seabob4]

Mike,
You are looking at a mechanically attached structure, you do not need an adhesive...silicone will do you just fine...

[Glock Diver]

Sweet, you guys are on the same page as me!    Why make things harder?
I'll go with silicone in the screw holes only.

Saves me $14, and the frustration of cleaning that 5200 crap off my hands for the next 3 days...  The AS factory definitely used some type of adhesive, looks like they bedded it in 4200?  Maybe just overkill.

[seabob4]

Sweet, you guys are on the same page as me!    Why make things harder?
I'll go with silicone in the screw holes only.

Saves me $14, and the frustration of cleaning that 5200 crap off my hands for the next 3 days...  The AS factory definitely used some type of adhesive, looks like they bedded it in 4200 maybe.  Maybe just overkill.

In answer to your question, Sikaflex 240...been there, done that...Hell, I may have even installed the rubrail on your 225!  

[Glock Diver]

...Hell, I may have even installed the rubrail on your 225!  

Bob, then you must have had a serious HEAT GUN to mold that plastic around the bow pulpit!  Either that, or 14 years of good use has hardened it up.  I noticed no installation flaws, sir!  

[John Jones]

and the frustration of cleaning that 5200 crap off my hands for the next 3 days...  

5200, anti-seize compound, and roofing cement.  If I just walk within 5' of any of that stuff I end up with it all over me.  I use rubber gloves and I'll still end up with it on my nose, my hair, or the seat of my pants.

[seabob4]

...Hell, I may have even installed the rubrail on your 225!  

Bob, then you must have had a serious HEAT GUN to mold that plastic around the bow pulpit!  Either that, or 14 years of good use has hardened it up.  I noticed no installation flaws, sir!  

Thank you very much!  No heat gun used.  You start by pinning the bow piece right in the center of the pulpit, then continue around each side of the pulpit until you get the the radius at the pulpit curving back into the bow.  Now here's the trick.  Put your right hand at the bend, then grab the loose end of the extrusion with your left hand and pull it back towards you.  This "helps" it out a little to try and conform to the radius.  That's on the starboard side, do the same on port, just each hand is switched.  You'll also notice several more screws per inch right in the radius.  Your basically pulling the extrusion in towards the hull/deck joint.  If you find some screws want to pull through your drilled hole in the extrusion, use a #10 flat washer to give the screw more surface area to exert the force needed to pull in the extrusion...

How are you going to deal with the doglegs, the downward curved sections aft?  Our woodshop formed them out of straight pieces heated, then shaped to a mold...

[RickK]

and the frustration of cleaning that 5200 crap off my hands for the next 3 days...  

5200, anti-seize compound, and roofing cement.  If I just walk within 5' of any of that stuff I end up with it all over me.  I use rubber gloves and I'll still end up with it on my nose, my hair, or the seat of my pants.

Ain't that the truth.  This afternoon I was doing some stain samples for the wall unit I'm building right now and I was very careful to not get anything on me while I made like a dozen samples.  The last sample I made was with "ebony" stain - turned around and had some of the "ebony" stain on both my hands (I had latex gloves on) and my shirt.  

[Glock Diver]

Another project crossed off the list.  Can I be done now?    sheeesh, enough with the chores I give myself!

But....
I think she looks good in black!
Original rail was 1.5" white rigid, new one is 1 7/8" black flexible, with a tubular insert. Not sure who makes it, but I paid $233 at Marine Connection, which included 70' rail and 62' tube. I had plenty leftover.

[seabob4]

Never-seize (or anti-seize) is the worst...humanly magnetic!  I swear!!

[seabob4]

Another project crossed off the list.  Can I be done now?  

I think she looks good in black!
Original rail was 1.5" white rigid, new one is 1 7/8" black flexible, with a tubular insert. Not sure who makes it, but I paid $233 at Marine Connection, which included 70' rail and 62' tube. I had plenty leftover.

Nope...

[Glock Diver]

For those undertaking this project in the future, I had 20' of rail leftover, so i could've gone with a 50' roll instead of the 70'...  Which would've cost me only about $175 at the Marine Connection, but oh well!  They had a huge stock of 50 and 70' rolls, at $3.50/ft., which includes the tube insert.  Just remember that the flex vinyl should be streeetched.