Redesigning the Toe Rails

So, for Tuesday evening, the 22nd of September, I took time to create the general toe rail design for Froonie. The original rails were pretty beat up and weathered, with a couple sections replaced without care taken to re-create the original shape and contours. So, I thought to myself, "self, why don't you go ahead and replace those toe rails...and while you're at it, just go ahead and put your stamp on their design." Okay, I thought...why not. Well, I have secured a slab of teak (2 & 1/16" x 8.50" x 9'10" in length. I got a great deal on this African teak (Iroko), and didn't want to pass it up. I also secured some shorter length boards with same width and height dimensions, and will use them for the forward hatch.

Below are pics of the toe rail mock-up. I used strips of cardboard to create the general shape - playing with the height off the deck. I first built a mock-up with a full 1" above the deck, leaving 3/4" of an inch dropping down the topsides. I thought there was a little too much material rising above the deck, so I dropped the toe rail down 1/4" (3/4" above the deck, and 1" dropping below the deck). You can see from the photos (yeah, not really) that the toe rail to the right, the one with less material height rising above the deck, seams more "in scale" with Froonie's lines. I will finish the toe rail with a half oval of bronze running fore to aft, and acting as a rub rail / accent piece. The corners will have a nice radius in them as well...soft on the toes!

I will be ripping the teak slab on Saturday the 26th....