Shortly after I was asked to write an article detailing how to make handrails, I found myself swinging from one handrail to the another on a rough offshore passage late in November 2010, crossing the Gulf Stream in conditions that gave me a renewed appreciation of how vitally important these items can be. These humble pieces of joinery may very well be among the most important pieces on any yacht: They may save your life. It was the very handrail design shown on the following pages that graced the deck of SONNY, the 70' sloop I was delivering. Not only are these handrails used above deck, they are found throughout the yacht's interior as well, and in a subtle way they visually join the exterior to the interior. The handrails described here are not your run-of-the-mill, CNC-routed, off-the-shelf version. They are complex as handrails go, but they are also functional, beautiful, and easy to maintain. They are fastened from below, allowing them to be completely prefinished before installation, and they'll be easy to remove without having to pop out bungs and ruin brightwork. The light plays off the concave sectional shape and shouldered base, creating a striking bit of detail. These particular handrails will give you a way to dress up what is often a typically ordinary piece of joinery. Alternatively, you may omit the hollowed, tumble-home sections and detailed end profiles if you'd like a more common design.
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