Spray Rails Mounting Location

So I'm sick of beating the crap out of the hull to stay dry....I can soften up the ride by digging the nose down but things can get pretty wet. Therefore, it's time to invest in some spray rails. I know a guy that will put them on for me but I want to get some experienced thoughts on mounting location and even brand. I've heard about the Smart Rails but I don't know anyone who has tried them...

Here's a pic for reference

 

Just wanted to bump this thread and also add where the spray is coming from. When hitting and cutting through the waves, the spray comes all the way up to the rub rail, gets deflected out, and then the wind typically blows it back into the face of myself and my passengers. I'm wanting to mount something that's aesthetically pleasing and also knocks the spray down before it gets to that point. I would initially think to mount along the chine but I don't think that would do much good on this hull.

Let me know if you all have any insight.

 

Thanks Brett. In my experience with the boat, I think they'd do more good mounted up closer to the nav lights. Then, in the stern, run a strip just above the chine. Would that theoretically work? I don't know the science behind it...this is why we have Brett

 

I took it out this weekend and took a minute to see where the spray was coming from...it actually looks like this placement pictured may work. I am also thinking about adding a bit of a reverse chine past this point where these rails stop but that would be after the fact. No sense in adding them if they won't be necessary.

This will probably be a project once things start to cool down. I'm not too worried about getting a little spray when it's 90+ over the summer...

 

Going to try and get a quote on Wednesday. I'm considering having the rails run as picture but just run them all the way along the chine to the stern. Any thoughts?

 

So you think just running them as pictured will suffice?

 

Based on my observations of where the spray comes from, I'm thinking either of these 2 applications:

 

I think this is a more accurate location based on my experience with this particular boat. If I plow into a big enough wave, the spray comes up and hits the edge of the gunnel. Most gets deflected away but sometime it will spray and roll over the rubrail, right into my face

The bow rails will be the most help...but the mid mounted rails I feel might be beneficial, as well.

I need someone experienced to ride with me and give me their thoughts...I'm just going off of observation and I don't really know what I'm talking about haha

 

Now that's a thought! The Vantage spray rails would be obsolete!

I spoke with the builder today. What a guy. His name is Raul Mas. Learned some more about the hull...this thing was built to be a tank and built to float shallow. Was the shallowest floating skiff of the day, apparently. Flip Pallot himself even owned one (same color as mine).

Raul also built the Man-o-War boats that are now being built by Gause.

Anyhow, he said that the era of boat from which this boat came, spray rails were more of a secondary and that modern technology has allowed the building in of spray rails into the hull's design. Many of the Cuda Craft 17'6" owners put them on after purchasing. According to Raul, rails mounted just a hair above the chine were the way to go. See below:



I'll have to update the page in the classics section with the info I got from him

 

You're making me blush