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(I edited this post subject line as I thought it was too vague)
I recently purchased a new to me bow rail from a gentleman in Texas. Unfortunatly he failed to mention that the vertical bow rail section in the center of the bow had made solid contact with something and was bent and dented. I looked at the pictures of the rail before I bought it and it was not obvious in the picture either. Any way before I install this on my Montauk I will be getting a new piece made. Trouble is my boat never had a bow rail so I am not positive as to where I should be securing it to the hull.

My feeling is that the the piece that is damaged is the center post on the bow and that would be the critical installation point to ensure the rail went on straight. So my question is should I just make a pattern on cardboard of someone elses bow rail section that is not bent and have the new piece made from that or should I mount the rest of the railing the best I can and then make a new piece that fits in to the rail as installed?

Any other ideas?