Towel Rail

[heymacaulay]

If anyone is still worried about Towel Rails, they are available from Binks Marine at $30.

To save some confusion, the add states that the Towel Rail they sell does not include the Nylon Slide fitting seen in the photo. I am not aware if the slide fitting is or is not available through Binks. The Black Nylon slide fitting seen in the pic on the website was made by either Trevor Baker or Brett Averay at B&SYC in SA.

If anyone is considering making their own Towel Rail, you are up for about $10 in parts for a basic Towel Rail, and the cost of welding unless you can get someone to weld it for you for free. Welding is $65 to $75 per hour and usually a minimum charge of 1 hour, so you can see the choice you have.

I prefer to make my own, and just had 4 made, as per the method below, which included my own custom made slide fitting made from stainless. It cost $18 in parts (basic towel rail plus two shackles and 35mm of tube), and another $18 each for the welding. Total $36, and that is the raw cost with no profit added as I supplied all the fittings, stainless rod and tube myself and only paid for the welding.

My method is as follows:

Before you make the Towl rail, get a 30-35mm length of stainless tube just bigget than the rail. A Largish (RF616) Standard D Shackle is welded with the tube sitting in the bottom of the U so that the shackle stands up at right angles to the Rail when fitted. The shackle holds the sail. Simple and no wear on the sail. This is a basic slide fitting.

You can get fancy and drill out the pin holes to take a Toggle Pin (RF115x1) and also add a smaller shackle RF150 or similar, welded at 30deg up and to the rear of the main shackle to hold a small pully block for the outhaul. The Toggle Pin and Pully will add another $23 to the price. You will need to run a drill through the tube to clean it out before it will fit on the rail.

Once you have finished you slide fitting, you get your stainless rod, cut to 205mm. Grind both ends to a slight tapered point about 5mm long, so that the ends will go into the hole on a Ronstan 3 hole Toe Strap plate. Bend two 3 hole Toe Strap plates at right angles at the middle hole to make the supports. Weld the rod into place in the hole on one support, with the foot pointing outward, put the slide fitting on the rail, and weld the second support in place ensuring that they are both in the same plane (in line).

If anyone wants to see one, send me your email address and I will send a pic. I have just taken some of the ones I just had made.

[melvinjenkin]

or you could save youself a lot of time and effort sourcing stainless steel tube, rod and free? welding by buying a towel rail from me. The towel rail I make has larger diameter rod which does not bend with high vang loadings of Sabres, like to old mirror fitting, that I suspect Binks is selling. My towel rail also includes glass filled nylon slider, clevis pins/retainers and pulley all for only $50 with free postage for October and November. This towel rail has been in use for over 7 years by top end boats and has zero failure rate in very high loading useage.
Note: The towel rail should be attached to boom with bolts and nyloc nuts. Pop rivets will fail eventually.

[penniscruggs760]

Hello John

My name is David Kirk and im from Cleveland Yacht Club in Queensland and I am building sabre 1711. Could you please give me some contact information in which i can arrange payment as i would like to purchase your product.

Cheers David

[liamedleston]

Ryan,

John is the state Measurer for Victoria.

Phone Number is 9729 1188

Email: [email protected]

Cheers

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