Weekend Workbook

Taco Marine’s SuproFlex rub rail eases retrofits.

A rub rail hides the joint between a boat’s deck and hull, thus accentuating the sheerline. On a practical note, it serves as a buffer between the boat and pilings, seawalls and other objects. Hence the name, rub rail.

With enough bumps and scrapes, plus deterioration from sun exposure, a rub rail can look ratty. When it’s time to replace, a DIY option is the SuproFlex rubrail kit from Taco Marine.

Each kit features a continuous 60- or 80-foot coil of flexible coextruded vinyl rub rail (in black or white), which features two levels of hardness: a high-durometer inner layer (with pre-drilled holes) for a durable installation, and a softer outside layer to cushion impacts. Choose from heights of 1.6 and 2 inches. The kit also includes a soft vinyl Flex Chrome insert, as well as stainless-steel truss head screws and stainless-steel end caps. Before starting, remove the old rub rail, and clean and scrape away any residue. Fill in the old screw holes. Now is a good time to reseal the crevice between the deck cap and hull. Also mark the location of screws with pencil marks on the gunwale above to avoid drilling into these spots later.

Try to match as closely as possible the height of your previous rub rail. If in doubt, go slightly taller.