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I got a pm request for some intel on how I built the wood grab bar on my son’s boat “Bare Bones”.
It may take me a bit to dig up the photos, but here we go.

I’m fortunate to have a cnc, but parts can be cut out with jigsaw.

Here is a shot of the glued up parts.
Used a 3/4” rounding over bit to make a round bar. So in essence, you start out with a 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” square rail.

Fabricated a pocket below deck to receive the base of the bar...

That work is clean-as, AA, nice job. Great idea to tie it directly into the frame like that, that never occurred to me. Like too many of the posts on here, this one has me thinking!

j

Thanks! That's the one I was remembering!

Mine's going to be more of a mix of a seat back, console and grab bar rolled into one. Yours' is better looking!

Nice AA!!! Jeff

Thanks guys. Carrying on with details.

Covered the grab bar with a carbon fiber sock and epoxy. Used tape and a non-stick sleeve to tighten up the cf sock at the arc of the bar.

Here are the final details. After the deck went was glued in, I routed out the socket holes with a bearing bottom bit.


This is the best photo I have of the finished product.The bar is very stiff and I’d like to think unbreakable. I faired the grab bar with epoxy and coated it with UV protective marine clear coat. What I like is the absence of screws poking through the deck.

Hi Richard,
I have seen it before but never so well documented from scratch. You know I build a grab bar for my FS13 which looks ugly as sin. But this post of You made me decide what to do this coming Winter and hopefully I can get near your perfect grab bar. I will give it even a separate name to the boats name Tarpon you remember what be both have seen on the Homosassa river.
Greetings from Karl

Thank you for a well documented work of art!