Oh lucky me …
I have no exterior wood. My companionway is sheathed in stainless and I have stainless grab rails. MOUSTACHES is NS 22 #56 out of 58 boats and was built in late 1986. I will bet that these grab rails were built by Klacko.
I just have a feeling …
Ernie A. in Toronto
Wow, well done…!
The painted double-line around the cabintop makes a nice low maintenance eyebrow, too.
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch 26U #233
Ernie,
Without the hours of sanding and vanishing how is it possible to reach the Zen state of Nonsuch boating?
Mark Powers
Mark P,
With the hours of sanding and varnishing a state of war is just as possible. I must conclude that one does not, or only partly, relate to an other 
Mark H.
I agree with Mark, not a skill, talent or hobby, it is a state of mind… I mean, who does not yearn to sail a Nonsuch but own a splendid Taiwan build vessel with miles of teak to varnish from dawn to dusk, when you could be passing the day sailing your Nonsuch.
Leaving it go grey is an option and when uniformly grey it looks quite lovely
As you know Ernie Phoenix is accessorized with all wood hand rails, rub rails and even the gunnels !!
And happy to do the work,
Terry Cutts C.E.T.
647-856-0377
#404 NS30U
Ernie, what do you varnish the stainless with? You still have to varnish, it’s the rule.
Guys -
So, like, do I have the ONLY Nonsuch with stainless grab rails ??? I would be very surprised. I’d love to know about other boats with this arrangement.
FYI - I varnish these (very carefully) by spraying them with a hose. Sometimes, I even wash the entire boat with a bit of soapy water and they get hit with that, too. However, the painted double-line eyebrow is, in fact, tape and it’s looking ratty and will need to be changed. I was thinking of having an eyebrow fabricated out of stainless, sort of like a 58 Caddy chrome bumper.
My zen moments aboard are spent sailing, drinking coffee and watching PBS. At least, those are the zen moments that I am at liberty to discuss.
Another FYI - the grab rails have black lucite end caps and are mounted on black lucite rectangles that are screwed (or bolted ???) into the cabin top. I should bite my tongue (a lot more than I do … ) but, so far, so good. They are absolutely trouble-free and strong as hell. The interior grab rails (one on either side) on the ceiling are teak and are perfect.
I love all of 'em, frankly.
Ernie A. in Toronto
There are two schools of thought on this topic:
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch 26U #233
Not bad Bob, but …
3: not crazy about varnishing and like wood.
… Cetol Marine + Cetol Gloss, the perfect 30´ finish with a fraction of the work!
(viewing distance)
Paul M
NS30U #211, Sandpiper
Cowichan Bay, B.C.
Just out of curiosity Paul, what’s the brand name printed on the can “Cetol Marine / Cetol Gloss”? That wouldn’t be Sikkens, would it?
mark h, n36#25, eu, nld
Yes Sikkens Cetol. It comes in a lot of formulations. The marine versions come in at least the original “Marine” as well as “Light” and I think they now have a “Natural Teak”. Lots of people don’t like the Original Cetol Marine for its colour but I do and it gives good protection.
This is the appearance I get for about four hours over three days annually. It’s not as perfect close up as varnish but way less work.
Hi Ernie,
Definitely not.
The Brigadoon and other 324’s have SS, not varnished.
—Willi
— Toronto Islands
— Brigadoon X
— NS 324 #109
Willi -
Your rails look like actual grab rails but they are fashioned out of SS tubing. Very nice. My SS grabrails look a little less “salty” and more kitchen towel rack.
Are yours original to the boat ?
Ernie A. in Toronto
Kitchen towel rack. I can feel my Zen state slipping away. Where is the badger hair brush? Ohmmmmmmm.
Mark Powers
hi Willi
Thanks for the photo of Brigadoon. A few questions, who made the handrails & were they original with the boat? Also, the what seems to be an exhaust by the port side hatch and lastly, the horizontal bar below the lower life line..can you clarify what or why it was done?
Many thanks, Gary / Aloki /Oyster Bay NY
Hi Gary,
The SS hand rails I believe are part of the standard built of the 324.
The exhaust is from a Force10 propane cabin heater, you know for those cold shoulder season days when the boat needs some heat when on the hook.
The horizontal bars are for tying of things like fuel containers in longer passages. I am also considering moving them
Up and using as solar panel supports.
Willi Powell
Toronto Canada
laser1125@gmail.com
VXone - CAN255 - *Airbender*
Nonsuch 324 - 109 - *Brigadoon X*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chancy came to me maintenance free (hahaha). After trying to keep a couple of square feet of teak ship shape on a previous boat, I like this. I don’t know if this was the way it was built in 1979.
I too would like to replace the vinyl tape, does anyone have any experience with this? Best tape? How to make sure it doesn’t look like a road through the Rockies?
Mike Jennings.
NS005 Chancy.
Port Moody, BC.
Mike,
my believe is that your anchor roller has been bent at some point. The stainless steel chocks are later additions as are stainless steel strip along the hull/decl joint and the grab rails. I know there were always slight variations in the boats when they were produced but I can’t find a single picture in the Photo Gallery of an early 30 with stainless grab rails. The double turning block for the main halyard is a Murray Cressman item and would not have been original either.
Chancy looks good with the wet look.
Mark Powers
