BoatBanter.com - hand rails.... how heigh ?

Before our circumnav, we raised the wire lifelines on Swee****er, our
Swan 57, to 36". We just swapped out the tubing on each straight
stanchion, left the bow and stern pulpits the same, and had a welder
extend the gates on each side. 36" is OK, but not generous. We used
harnesses and tethers whenever we were offshore, day and night.

Our latest project, Fintry, has 42" bulwarks and it would be very hard
to fall over them, but I'm not sure I'd go to 42" on a 53' boat -- it
might look too high, particularly if you go to hard rails.

I strongly suggest you use stainless -- at least 303 or 304,
preferably 316. It certainly costs more, but the labor will be the
biggest part of the project and as a steel boat owner, you certainly
know that stainless will be easier to maintain, even if you paint it.

As for specifciation, this depends -- An all welded rail system is
going to be plenty strong to keep people aboard even in smaller sizes
(1" or 1.25"). The issue is, what happens when something else pushes
on it -- a piling, a larger boat, whatever. If you make it really
strong (heavy), the whole boat will move -- if you make it lighter, it
will bend and will be hard to straighten. If you make it lighter
still, it will be easier to fix. Your choice.

Fintry is at Manor Marine in Portland (Dorset, not Maine or Oregon).
They do nice work at reasonable prices (by USA standards).

Jim Woodward
www.mvfintry.com

"Jassira" wrote in message ...
I have Bruce Roberts 53, steel, sailing boat (http://www.jassira.com) I
would like to fit taller solid hand rails. I think a height in the region
of 36"/42" would suffice, but what about diameter and wall thickness of the
tube. Stainless would great but I would happy with ordinary steel perhaps
with a
timber capping. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated, also do you know
anyone who could make and or fit them south east England.

Thanks