Railing Upgrade for 38(39)s-gctid353213

[Johnny_Vintage]

I was just looking at this picture of my stainless engine vents and remembered that I also added a top railing to the area along the salon where that white cable used to be. Before that I was hanging my fenders from the high grab bar and had to lift them out of the way every time I went forward. It was a real pain!!This turned out to be an easy job and also feels way more secure when you are going to the front of the boat.If anyone would like know how I did this, I can add more details.

[img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/656065=24849-Vents 3.jpg[/img]

[jmcannonball]

Please add the details - my first mate has been busting my chops for years to get rid of that cable.

[kwb]

I have seen this done and is on my list of things to get around to - basically you remove the top cable put T fittings on the top and cap the ends with a bimini base type of fitting which gets bolted to the anchor points of the now removed cable.

Your Material list is:

4 End pieces

6 T's

2 Lengths of tube

I tie my fenders to the top of the posts crossing the wrap to both sides of the cable and have no issues going up the side of the boat.

[MerlinV]

Hey JV - How's the Admiral doing now after last year's mishap?

[Johnny_Vintage]

The parts listed are correct but I recommend SeaDog stainless fittings.Also, make sure the tube is Type 316 Ornamental. If you use Type 304 you will getting spotting on the rail.The tube comes in 20 foot lengths. It's the same stuff they use for the bimini tops but if you buy it from a tube supplier, it will be way cheaper. You just have to figure out how to get it down to the marina. Most places deliver.Remove the top white cable. Then attach the rear and front rail fittings to the uprights and tighten them up. Measure from the inside to the inside of each fitting and then add about 6" as the front of the rail needs to have a curve. I wrap some masking tape on the rail so it's easy to mark. You can cut it with a hack saw but a mini grinder with a Zippy disc is the best way to go. It will cut the tube in a couple of seconds. Don't let the sparks hit your gel coat!!!To curve the end, place the end of the tube under the dock rail where you tie the boat. Push up on the other end of the railing moving it along under the dock rail the length you figure you need some radius. The tube will start to curve. Have you and a partner hold the rail up where it will go until you have the correct curve. Go slow as it's a lot harder to un-curve if you go over.Once you are happy with that. Push the tube into the rear fitting and tighten it down. Mark with tape the depth of the railing will go into the front fitting with masking tape and a pen. Set the front of the railing on top of the front fitting and then mark the rail. Cut the rail at that point.Remove the front fitting and slide the 3 Tee fitting onto the railing and then re-attach the front fitting to the new railing. Raise the front of the railing and position the Tee's over the uprights and lower the railing into place.Tighten it all up and you're done. Now you have a good easy place to hang your fenders and going forward now is a breeze. Now more fighting you way through the wet fender lines and fender jungle. Plus it feels much safer walking along in that area.BUSTED LEG UPDATE:Hi Merlin,Regarding my wife's accident, she's just starting walking without a cane a fair bit. She has a lot of nerve pain as they did not operate on her quick enough and she started to get what's called Compartment Syndrome. That's where your skin cannot stretch anymore because of the swelling so your leg begins to swell inward and crush your nerves. She waited in emergency for 6 hours without any pain killers and then was sent upstairs to a room where she was just laying there drugged out of her mind waiting for a bed in surgery. Sunday morning I realized something was going wrong as she lost all the feeling in her leg from the knee down. Her leg was almost 3 times the normal size!!!I freaked out, made a "bit" of a disturbance and finally got a doctor to come and look at her. He did a few test and looked at me and said, "this is becoming serious" and she was rushed in for emergency surgery. We've never been in a situation like this before but I was not very happy with the system.It might be free ( tax...tax...tax...) but it sure could use some fixing up.One good this is that once I figured out how the system works, ( nobody tells you anything ) I was able to get home care for here every 2 days for about 6 weeks. Also in home physio so that was good.I found out after the surgery from the surgeon that she only had maybe 2 hours before they would have had to take her leg off at the knee. I remember her signing a waiver about that, but at that point we were all pretty out of it.She's been back on the boat a few times and is determined be get back to normal. We figure probably another 6 months of physio. So hopefully by the summer we will be good. Almost a year later.One thing I do have to say is how "FANATSTIC" the Red Cross was. We were give a really nice wheel chair, a bathing stool, a 4 wheel walker and bathroom items for no charge. It's all run by volunteers and they only ask for a donation if you can.Using the "Freedom Of Information Act"I was able to obtain and release this photo!!

[img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/656297=24864-zipper.jpg[/img] :

[Guest]

I did this mod when I first got the '92 3888 in 2001 and I would recomend a 110 degree angle fitting for the post at teh stern and then a regular endcap for the forward portion and then bolt it through the loop for the cable.

If you buy a 24' section for each side you will have enough to do the job with a couple of feet left over if my memory servers me right.

[Shocking]

Hi all. Just looking for some clarification on this mod. My wife really wants it, so I want to do it the easiest/best way first crack!

Is there an end-cap piece that has 2 arms that you can bolt through the loops on the back and forward railings? I understand the rest of the project perfectly, just wondering how exactly people did that?

Or did you grind them off, put an angled end cap on the back, and literally tap new screwholes into the forward piece and screw in a flat bottomed bimini base?

Thanks all!

[aspen1880]

this is a neat idea that I would like to do. I did some searching on BOC and there was a similar

thread about 6 years ago. Here's the link to it:

http://www.baylinerownersclub.org/index.php/forum/motoryachts/4487-3870-railings#39555

for those who have done the "upgrade"::

Q1:: would replacing the lower life-line wire be too difficult?

related question:: Q2:: is there a way to cut the existing horizontal bow railing AND splice it

back together that doesn't involve any form of welding?