"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
...

"Nathan Branden" wrote in message
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I've been tempted to use the stainless steel bathroom handrails on my
cabintop. They are those handrails you see in Lowes or Home Depot,
pretty sturdy bent tubing with only two welds. How will they stand up
in a marine environment? They definitely long strong enough and mount
over a wide area. I just think the boat store handrails are
outrageously expensive and the bathroom ones a much less expensive and
even look better.

Nathan

Nathan,

If you own or sail a properly designed sailboat you need no hand rails
on the cabin top. Hand rails are used only on sailboats that have side
decks. A proper sailboat has a flush or raised deck. Instead of walking
precariously along the side decks, on a proper sailboat you walk on top
of the flush or raised deck. Here is a picture of a proper raised deck
sailboat. http://www.sailboatlistings.com/sailimg/6070/SJ2003.jpg
and here's another http://captneal.homestead.com/files/stbsd.jpg Note
the total absence of unsightly hand rails.

Wilbur Hubbard

You are risking your life if you ever need to go forward on either of those
boats in a real blow.