Maineiac wrote:
I took off the entire rub rail, dug it out and cleaned it. The hull deck joint is put together with butyl and underneath the stainless was filled with copious amounts of polysulfide. Once cleaned, I taped it off and re-filled with polysulfide, let it cure and put all the screws back in. I didn't have 316, and since it's only trim, I used 304 (18-8). I found I needed some 1.25" screws here and there to catch anything, since it IS in a gap. Once cured, the polysulfide will hold an errant screw. Actually, I think I went up on size on diameter, too. Check the taper to make sure the head fits cleanly on the stainless rub rail.
I cleaned the heck out of the stainless, got any rust stains off and waxed it front and back before re-installing. It's nice to have a platform and a couple loops of line to hang the far end of the stainless piece while you start the first screw or two.
When you recaulked with Polysulfide did you put just a large glob on let it cure and then put the stainless rub rail back on? Or did you caulk and install the rub rail immediately so they conformed?
You scraped out the hull to deck joint too or just the polysulfide on the outside?