Correct the hull deck flange is completely different on the aluminum rail boats versus the teak to rail boats. In my opinion the toe rail using teak result in a much stronger and waterproof overtime hull deck joint. :: Dave Scobie Howard Audsley <haudsley@tranquility.net> wrote:

Not sure that would work.

Seem to recall the screws that hold the toe rail in place run through the toe rail and flange only. There wouldn't be any room or flat spot to mount them on.

On Mar 7, 2014, at 2:18 PM, Tom Smith wrote:

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You know, another idea is to hack-saw a few inches off the toe rail, and use the mounting holes already drilled (one of them at least) to place a bow chock in the rail's place. You wouldn't have any balsa core worries because you be in the deck to hull mating area that is un-cored. t

t _/\_

On Fri, Mar 7, 2014 at 12:02 PM, Howard Audsley <haudsley@tranquility.net>wrote:

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I also have the aluminum rails and the bow chocks, but never got around to mounting them.

My plan was (is) to fashion some teak block spacers, long enough and wide enough to mount the chocks to elevate the base of them to about to the same level as the toe rail. Through bolts with backing plates as in some situations, there could be substantial shear force on them. Going from memory, this may be more tricky as it sounds, as there is balsa core in the fore deck. Not sure where it ends in relation to the edge of the deck and toe rails. If the bolt holes have to go through the balsa core, you would want to drill holes oversize and backfill with epoxy.

On Mar 7, 2014, at 1:13 PM, Tom Smith wrote:

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My M17 has teak toe rails, but I owned an earlier model that had aluminum (I frankly prefer the aluminum over teak (or whatever wood it is...). I've see some pretty nice mods to the aluminum rails, but have no pics. What about cutting/carving out chock-shaped openings, polishing them up nice, and seeing if that works?

I felt the need for chocks on my boat as well and nipped 6 or 8 inches off the bow end of the toe rails on my boat and installed chocks. I was able to re-use one of the holes drilled for the rail, and only had to drill one additional hole. t

t _/\_

On Fri, Mar 7, 2014 at 10:35 AM, <swwheatley@comcast.net> wrote:

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I am planning to keep my 1976 M17 (aluminum toe-rails) on a mooring this summer, but it is curiously bereft of bow chocks and I'm trying to decide what to do about that. The toe-rails are pretty smooth; do people just put some chafe gear on their mooring pendant and let it hang over the side? If not, what have people done to integrate bow chocks with the aluminum toe-rail? Photos of particularly elegant solutions would be appreciated. Thanks.