Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by MaineCapt on 08/28/23 - 11:51 AM

I have the strangest problem with the front of my port side railing!

I took everything out of my 1969 13 foot Whaler to repair and paint. After finishing all that work, I put the starboard side railing back in just great as detailed in the Boston Whaler owner's manual drawing for side railing install.

But the port side railing will not go back in correctly. The front stanchion, though the original part and exactly the same as the front stanchion on the starboard side, will not let me screw the bottom of the railing in against the hull. It is sticking out about 1 1/2" from the side of the hull where it should attach like the starboard one. I can not push it againt the hull to put a screw in, it is under too much pressure.

This is crazy, each side is a mirror images of the other, what can be making this side so different. It wasn't like this when I removed them. No it is not bent. Like this, it is very loose and much too unstable and there's no way this can work.

I have removed the screws and filled with epoxy several times now because attempting to position the front of this railing by pushing it in towards the hull causes the stanchion mounting screws to loosen.
PLEASE HELP!!

Edited by MaineCapt on 08/28/23 - 11:53 AM

Posted by Joe Kriz on 08/28/23 - 1:29 PM

Any photos to help us see?

See the "13' Sport Side Rail Installation Instructions" in our download section here.
https://www.whalercentral.com/downloa...p?cat_id=6

Let us know if you find something different from what you have.

Posted by MaineCapt on 08/28/23 - 8:30 PM

Joe Kriz wrote:
Any photos to help us see?

See the "13' Sport Side Rail Installation Instructions" in our download section here.
https://www.whalercentral.com/downloa...p?cat_id=6

Let us know if you find something different from what you have.

No, nothing different. Like I said I followed those instructions to a T. I will take good pictures in the morning. Thanks for replying.

Posted by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 5:36 AM

I think the problem is the hardware. The stanchion makes it stand-off from the hull too far out and the T post holds it up too high. The high T post is actually an issue on both sides but is more of a problem on the port side where the stanchion is holding the railing too far out from the hull also. I don't know why the stand-off is ok on the starboard side but it surely is not on the port side. I may buy a shorter stanchion for that side. And I think I should cut the post for the T post down 3/4" on both sides and then both railings won't be under so much pressure, pulling the screws out.

How do I place more than 1 photo in the message? I'm going to try again.

Edited by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 5:48 AM

Posted by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 6:00 AM

well, if my solution to not being able to figure out how to put more photos into a single message makes anyone upset, let me know. And also let me know how to do it and I'll delete and edit all this into one reply. I apologize in advance.

But let me know any thoughts on my problem. I'm baffled how it was not doing this before I took it apart to restore the boat. Maybe it was forced into place and under pressure. I can tell you the old screw holes were quite large and needed filling.

Here you can clearly see the T post is too tall on this side too, so why I'm not having the same issue on this side with the forward railing end not touching the hull is beyond me. But even so, this T post being too tall is still not the best situation for fastening the railing to the side. Everything is much more relaxed in its place when the railing is not being pushed up in the middle from a tall T post.

OOPS, in post #7, I made a mistake, the railing is NOT against the hull on both ends on that side. I can't see the edit button on that post to fix that. I only see the edit option on the last reply I post.

Edited by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 6:10 AM

Posted by butchdavis on 08/31/23 - 7:44 AM

#10

I'm unsure I fully understand the problem. It appears to me the key is the center stanchion. If the railing is at the correct level in the center the fore and aft stanchions should allow for the railing to be parallel to the hull top along it's length.

Posted by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 9:10 AM

#12

Phil T wrote:
The side supports need to be switched. They are matched to the gunnel slope.

Take a close look at them on the flat.

You're saying the shorter one is aft and the other fore? I understood the drawing to show it the other way around, the way i have them, no?
Also, I have tried switching them around every way possible and it couldn't fix it.
And the other side is working fine with the shorter one aft? I'm not arguing, just confused what to do.

Here's a picture of the one that is fore now, the longer one, and what it would do if moved aft, pushes the railing away from the hull.

Edited by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 9:13 AM

Posted by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 9:18 AM

#13

I sure hope this pic doesn't post 3 times. I'm having trouble seeing it in my posted message even though I reduced its size to under 100kb and I see it in attachments. I'm not sure it's even in this post. Sorry.

OK, seems it's not. Baffled.

Edited by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 9:20 AM

Posted by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 9:23 AM

#14

butchdavis wrote:
I'm unsure I fully understand the problem. It appears to me the key is the center stanchion. If the railing is at the correct level in the center the fore and aft stanchions should allow for the railing to be parallel to the hull top along it's length.

Yes, correct about the height issue. There is also the problem of getting the port side railing to be screwed in against the hull on the fore end. The support holds it out too far away from the hull as I show in the 1st picture.

Edited by MaineCapt on 08/31/23 - 9:24 AM