Boats For Sale:
Simplified Rubrail Rope Install |
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89Ski_Nautique 
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Joined: May-26-2009 Location: Windermere, FL Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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 Topic: Simplified Rubrail Rope InstallPosted: January-22-2011 at 6:24pm |
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I finally tackled the rub rail install for our '89 Ski. The job is really very easy. Perhaps it has been documented already... but I discovered no dish soap required, no heating the rub rail in the sun is required and or heating or the rub rail with a heat gun is required! My secret....I used snap ring pliers. Listed below are the steps I used for the install.
First off I obtained the replacement rope. I purchased 50 feet of white nylon twisted rope, size 5/8" from Lowes. Yes, there are other sources for bulk rope perhaps even cheaper elsewhere, incidently, I paid $1.17 per foot. 
Remove the old rope. The most time consuming step was in the preparation steps, throughly clean the existing rubrail so the new rope would not be contaminated with the rub rail dirt. 
Get out your snap ring pliers. 
Insert snap ring pliers into the groove and install the rope into the rub rail groove. The rope install is easy now that the groove is opened up slightly. 
Continue install using the snap ring pliers keeping the rope off the floor from getting contaminated with dirt. 
The only difficult section was near the stern. 
Using the snap ring pliers and a 3/8" extension to help save your thumbs, coax the rope into the groove. 
Although you can't see the wintness marks in the photo. However prior to installing the last few feet; mark a few witness marks on the stern to help align the end cap cover to the existing end cap holes. 
Finish the job by installing the end cap cover. 
Here is the old rub rail rope comparered to the newly installed rub rail rope. 
When you are done you should end up with a Mastercraft owner's best friend.....a Mastercraft tow rope... made from your old rub rail rope. 
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Air206
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Joined: September-28-2008 Location: Roanoke, VA Status: Offline Points: 3000 |
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Posted: January-22-2011 at 6:43pm |
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Great Job and very well documented!
Having a decent rub rail is a big help. Removing the rope from my 79 transom resulted in the brittle edge of the rub rail snapping and flaking off with the rope.... Time for a new rub rail! The trail tip for that install is to use the new "shouldered SS" screws that are avail with the rail kits. They deflect the rubber less, eliminating the wavy compression look......... Randall, You have a great idea with the 3/8" extension.... my thumb sure got tired! |
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Behl
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Joined: December-05-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 404 |
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Posted: January-22-2011 at 7:18pm |
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Can one get just an end cap? My Tique never had one when I bought the boat.
Steve |
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Air206
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Joined: September-28-2008 Location: Roanoke, VA Status: Offline Points: 3000 |
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Posted: January-22-2011 at 7:21pm |
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Steve:
Check with Billy (BoatDr) or Paul (NautiqueFanatic). Paul has a TON of salvage, used and lightly used parts. Both are great to work with........ |
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Behl
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Joined: December-05-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 404 |
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Posted: January-22-2011 at 7:29pm |
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Air206
Thank You, will do Steve |
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dochockey
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Joined: September-16-2009 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 638 |
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Posted: January-22-2011 at 10:25pm |
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Wow your boat looks like it just came out of the show room
I need to get busy on mine if I'm going to a reunion 
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1989 Teal Ski Nautique
1967 Mustang Harris Float Sunfish |
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MartyMabe
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Joined: February-21-2006 Location: High Point,NC Status: Offline Points: 3980 |
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Posted: January-23-2011 at 12:18am |
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Didn't someone use like a boxed-in 3/8 wrench or so to simplify the rope installation? But then again, heat would really speed up this process. Letting it sit in the sun for a couple of hours then the rubber would be more pliable.
But looks like it worked well, just take your time when doing these projects guys is the key. Don't try to break anyone's speed records. Always keep those ideas posted and YES the PICS to show the progress was well prepared and informative! Hope I never have to replace my PURPLE plastic ,vinyl, whatever it is in my 93 SN. By the way guys, what is it, Vinyl or Plastic? Could put a(Vikings)Gold back in it to really set it off  Or Pink for Donald
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MartyMabe
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Joined: February-21-2006 Location: High Point,NC Status: Offline Points: 3980 |
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Posted: January-23-2011 at 12:21am |
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Can THIS be used on any year boat with a rope rub rail? I see it only has 2 screw holes and the older boats had 4 screw holes.
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Donald80SN
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Joined: January-12-2009 Location: Denver, NC Status: Offline Points: 3896 |
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Posted: January-23-2011 at 12:00pm |
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Marty,
Yes, some have used the boxed end of a wrench and some have used a piece of Copper Water Pipe. However this method looks the easiest so far. I vote for pink on your 93 rub rail. You have to be true to yourself. I am glad this site is opened mined to people with ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES like yourself. Different strokes for different folks. 89 Ski, Your boat looks clean and beautiful. Thanks for sharing the tip. I will try to replace my rope this winter. LOL !!!!!!!!! Donald |
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tbeard
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Joined: April-26-2012 Location: Fort Worth TX Status: Offline Points: 379 |
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Posted: January-21-2013 at 3:29pm |
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For my rubrail I have found the 5/8 inch white Poly twisted rope at McMaster-Carr. They have 2 types:
1. Low stretch Poly P/N 3828T24 @ $ 54.65 for 50 foot. 2. Light weight Poly P/N 3837T133 @ $ 16.40 for 50 foot. As you can see a big dofference in price. Can someone provide some input on which rope to go with? My thought is if I do not need a low stretch why spend the money. Thanks |
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Thanks.......Tom
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TRBenj
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Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21184 |
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Posted: January-21-2013 at 3:48pm |
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Wow that seems cheap. Id get it.
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tbeard
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Joined: April-26-2012 Location: Fort Worth TX Status: Offline Points: 379 |
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Posted: January-21-2013 at 3:56pm |
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which one? The Low Stretch one for 54.65 or Light Weight for 16.40.
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Thanks.......Tom
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TRBenj
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Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21184 |
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Posted: January-21-2013 at 4:12pm |
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Light Weight. The rub rail insert is not exactly a high performance application, ha. So long as it looks decent, it should be fine.
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phatsat67
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Joined: March-13-2006 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 6157 |
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Posted: January-21-2013 at 5:37pm |
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Most people need the low strength rub rail rope. Tim has a "high performance" need because at the speeds his boats travel the rope is prone to stretch and flap out in the wind! That is cheap!
That yellow 89 is a beauty and that rub rail rope makes all the difference! I will be doing that this spring now that I saw what yours looks like after the install. I have the same snap ring pliers too! Hey Steve, would a black one work for you? I have them here at the shop. 
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OldSchoolBlue84
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Joined: December-02-2012 Location: Valparaiso, IN Status: Offline Points: 814 |
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Posted: January-21-2013 at 11:19pm |
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Super clean and nice work on the rail! I used the same method for my 84 SN 2001 but cheated a little with clear liquid lubricant. Like you said, it's no race and take your time. I had double fun, needed to rescrew the rub rail and pulled the old rope out. I left the rope out too long and went to put back and notice, of course at the rear, that the rope shrunk! Well, off it goes and new one went up.
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Kostas
1984 Ski Nautique 2001 |
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tbeard
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Joined: April-26-2012 Location: Fort Worth TX Status: Offline Points: 379 |
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Posted: January-25-2013 at 3:47pm |
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Received my rope yesterday from McMaster Carr. I ordered this one - Light weight Poly P/N 3837T133 @ $ 16.40 for 50 foot. Total price with shipping was $23.22 The rope looks good. We are installing this weekend and I will report how it goes and looks.
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Thanks.......Tom
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Morfoot
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Joined: February-06-2004 Location: South Lanier Status: Offline Points: 5320 |
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Posted: January-25-2013 at 5:23pm |
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Tom, Just to reinterate what Marty said... Let the boat sit out in the sun to allow the rubber to become more pliable. When I did mine a few years back it popped right in with a rubber mallet after sitting in the April GA sun a couple hours. Didn't use soapy water or nuttin.
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"Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman"
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phatsat67
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Joined: March-13-2006 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 6157 |
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Posted: January-25-2013 at 6:39pm |
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Thats a great price Tom! I think I will get some from the same place for my boat come spring time.
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Donald80SN
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Joined: January-12-2009 Location: Denver, NC Status: Offline Points: 3896 |
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Posted: January-27-2013 at 12:10am |
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I tied a plastic pipe ( 18" or so) and made like a ski rope handle on the end of the rope. I used the handle to pull the rope through the rub rail. I started with a little longer rope for this.
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mann1ba
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Joined: November-27-2013 Location: White Lake, Mi Status: Offline Points: 88 |
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Posted: April-29-2014 at 11:07pm |
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Thank you for posting this thread. It made replacing my rub rail rope way easier than it would have been if I just winged it.
The one thing I forgot to buy was the snap ring pliers....... so I improvised and it actually worked pretty well. A few before shots:  IMG_0150 by mann1ba, on Flickr IMG_0151 by mann1ba, on Flickr IMG_0154 by mann1ba, on Flickr IMG_0155 by mann1ba, on FlickrThis is the Mastercraft tow rope  vs the new rope.  IMG_0156 by mann1ba, on FlickrTools of the trade. It was only a two Guinness job thanks to all the info.  IMG_0157 by mann1ba, on Flickr1/2" extension and 3/8" extension I happened to have in the back of my truck.  IMG_0161 by mann1ba, on FlickrThis was the method I came up with because I forgot to buy the snap ring pliers. In this photo I hadn't learned to put the rope over the leading 1/2 extension. Having it run over top helps to place the rope right where it needs to be as the 3/8" come behind to force the rope in(more on this below).  IMG_0158 by mann1ba, on FlickrThis pic shows the most effective variation I tried. I did't have anyone helping so I was not able to show you the position I had them in while using to hands, but hopefully you get the idea. The key was to work the larger 1/2" extensions in and apply pressure to the upper side of the rub rail. At the same time, with the 3/8" extension in the other hand follow behind the 1/2" as it raises the top of the rub rail. Once I got comfortable with it was was going 12in at a time without stopping. Drag the 1/2" angled toward the direction you are going to avoid snagging screws, while at the same time applying upward pressure.  IMG_0160 by mann1ba, on FlickrSome after Photos.  IMG_0162 by mann1ba, on Flickr IMG_0163 by mann1ba, on Flickr IMG_0164 by mann1ba, on FlickrWhile I had the rope out and was bleaching the inside of the rub rail with the toothbrush I noticed that I have a few screws loose  . Looks like have a complete rub rail replacement on the to-do list. Good thing I already know what I'm in for thanks to this site.Thank you again everyone for taking the time to share your knowledge, I have learned so much from this site. I have been on here everyday since I bought my boat it to the point my Fiancee doesn't even ask what I'm doing anymore, she already knows. Let me know what you think. |
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1986 2001
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mann1ba
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Joined: November-27-2013 Location: White Lake, Mi Status: Offline Points: 88 |
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Posted: April-29-2014 at 11:08pm |
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Tried to keep the Pictures small, May have been a little to cautious.
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1986 2001
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GlassSeeker
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Joined: November-26-2008 Location: Elk Grove, CA. Status: Offline Points: 2421 |
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Posted: April-30-2014 at 6:30pm |
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I love the rope rubrail might even put it on my highly modified non original Sanger.
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This is the life
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