Slimline flat-sided oval bow railing on winning powerboat

Congratulations to Timeless client Rod Hawkins for recently taking 2nd place in the UK Open Powerboat Association (UKOPRA) in the Poole Bay stage of the prestigious race series.

The boat-owner came to Timeless shortly before the race to get a boat railing formed from flat-sided oval tubing – a regulation safety rail required by all competitors. After shaping the slimline rail from marine-grade stainless steel 316L into 23x12x1.5mm flat-sided oval tubing, Timeless’s expert marine fabricators worked to Rod’s careful drawings to put a radius bend at each end of the rail using a triple roller machine.

The powerboat, which reaches speeds of up to 60.83 knots (70 mph), needed a removable railing for when the boat is used to tow water-skiers. The engineers therefore drilled a hole into a laser-cap and welded a bolt to the back of it to give it a seamless finish. This screwable fixing allows the rail to be removed and reattached to the deck as required.

Rod selected Timeless Tube because he was adamant that the railing should not compromise the elegant, streamlined shape of his boat. Rather than use an aluminium bar as many powerboat owners do, Rod sourced Timeless to make the railing from Timeless’s unique profile.

Once shaped and bent, the railing was hand-polished afterwards to a high mirror finish in the Timeless polishing studio.

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MD Tom McMillan comments, “Both functionality and aesthetics were important to this client, which is why flat-sided oval tubing was selected over standard bar rail alternatives. It is especially exciting that this local boat owner won this race in our hometown of Poole.”

Find out more about Timeless Tube’s custom boat railings and marine fabrication services.

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