About two years ago we were all discussing our different methods of taking
care of the teak trim and our favorite brands. Some used the traditional
teak oil method while others opted for the cetol. I on the other hand chose
to use the WM version of cetol in gloss. I am happy to report that the
product is a complete bust. After carefully preparing the wood I applied
three layers with tender loving care. In less than a year more than 50% of
the product had come off and needed refinishing, but being one that would
rather sail than work on the boat I waited another year.
I have sanded back down to the original teak and this year I'm putting four
coats of Spar Varnish on it. Last year I replaced the kick plate in the
cockpit with a piece of teak that I finished with varnish and after one
year it looks great.
I know everyone says not to varnish teak, but it looks great and so far has
held up very well. The varnish I am using has ten times the UV protection that standard varnish has, so that might explain why it's holding up.
I was just wondering how the other products are doing that were used?
Rummy
07 Mar 2003
Dynamic Equilibrium is a 1976 Rhodes 22. My boat originally had teak
companionway hatch guides, probably the same as yours.
In the spring of 1987, soon after I brought the boat home, I removed the
hatch guides in order to sand & varnish them. The sliding hatch was still
working OK, the teak hatch guides just looked grey & dirty. They are easy
to remove, just 4 sheet metal screws in the bottom of the pop top hatch per
guide. The hatch guides simply prevent the companionway hatch from rising
up. The hatch actually slides along the top surface of the pop top. When I
pulled mine apart for the 1st time, I found I had a much bigger problem on
my hands than refinishing a few pieces of teak.
When you remove the hatch guides & lift up the sliding hatch cover, you are
probably not going to like what you see:
Abrasive salt, dirt, & crud tend to accumulate in between the fiberglass
reinforced plastic (FRP) hatch cover & the FRP pop top as well as between
the FRP hatch cover & the teak hatch guides. Over time, this abrasive
material has been wearing away at both the FRP surfaces as well as the teak
every time you use the sliding hatch. You may very well find that you have
no more gel coat remaining on the FRP hatch cover &/or the pop top. The
teak hatch guides are probably worn so thin that they are no longer
structurally sound.
The fix is relatively easy:
The FRP surfaces can be built back up with a thickened epoxy. Use Gougeon
Brothers, WEST system epoxy: 105 epoxy resin, 205 Fast Hardener, & 406
Colloidal Silica Filler/Thickening Agent. This will give you a structurally
sound & more abrasion resistant sliding wear surface for the hatch to run
on.
If the teak hatch guides are worn too thin; then, they will have to be
replaced. GBI can sell you new hatch guides in either teak or plastic. The
plastic parts will be maintenance free & will last much longer than the
teak. If you have a router; then, you can also make your own hatch guides
out of plastic or teak. I built my own new hatch guides out of UV
stabilized, black, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) in
1987. They still look & work like new in 2003. Note: If you are replacing
the teak hatch guides on top of the companionway; then, consider also
replacing the vertical hatch guides on the front of the companionway to
match.
Good Luck!
Roger K. Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
14 Jan 2003
We use a product call Armada. It does quite well down here in the
Florida sun. Kathy gets several years out of it. It comes in several
different gloss levels.
I use Ace Hardware's Spar Varnish on the tiller with good results, although
I do keep it covered when we are not out on the boat.
Bob and Kathy on the "NoKaOi"
07 Mar 2003
I use Daily Sea Fin teak oil. Come from WM. It will
harden to a gloss shean and will look like varish.
Layer on about 8 coats. If it get scratch, all you
have to do is layer on a new coat of oil. Best teak
oil I have ever seen.
Steve
07 Mar 2003
I must be the fool in the group. Not only did I get the last boat Stan
swore he would do with wood trim, but I added teak toe rails the full
length, except for midship cleat track. My ladder also has teak rungs,
but I also would always rather sail than maintain.
I originally tried Cetol, after oils,etc. but found although it held
the season, it didn't look natural-too orange. The spin-off company
Armada, has their version-I use the Satin Wood finish, which is more
brown, looks greenish grey in the can. It is much closer to teak's
natural appearance. I've used it 6 years with minimum touch-up during
my 8-9 month season of exposure, only where chafing hits, etc. I've
never taken the wood back to bare and unless there's any moisture or
natural oil underneath, one or two coats is it with minimal or no
sanding. Touch ups are easy to blend in, the grain shows through
significantly even though it's a pigment base, which is the UV
protection. Like all urethanes, it levels easily, and inexpensive foam
brushes work well.
I absolutely love varnish, and I use the Z-spar Captain's Varnish on
the tiller with 8-12 coats over West epoxy to seal it (also makes it
less subject to cracking from stress). But in our neck, I would never
try this outdoors. I actually use a standing garment bag as a drying
enclosure. What type of spar varnish did you use? If it works, is easy
to apply with good drying conditions, that would be my best choice.
Most people don't recommend it on teak because of these factors, plus
teak needs to be absolutely stripped of any internal oils with acetone
so coatings don't lift, plus touch-ups are a bitch.
Practical Sailors this month changed their focus on testing coatings to
best within types because appearance was most people's criteria for
what they used, with longevity and ease of application after that. My
stuff isn't listed, but hey, that's PS-they have representative
products, and used Armada's MC2000 Synthetic, a sealer.
Jay
07 Mar 2003
Regarding putting epoxy down before varnish; I agree with your experts. I
have had great results with a product called Clear Penetrating Epoxy
Sealant. It is a two part epoxy that is designed only as a wood "primer".
Just about anything you paint on over CPES adheres better plus CPES can help
strnegthen the wood. I first learned of the product on a Wooden Boat Forum.
Many great reviews on that board.
http://www.rotdoctor.com/index.html#1
I ordered on line after doing a bunch of research. Wood purist do not like
using epoxy but it works really well. CPES is an awesome product and I have
used on my wooden boat. It darkens wood very slightly and the wood really
soaks this stuff up deep. I used the injection kit to inject CPES into some
soft spots around the CB Trunk. I then covered with LayUp and Laminating
Resin. It works very well and it is a little pricey. West doesn't really
have a product that comes close to CPES.
On the R22 I have been using Teak Oil. I am getting ready to redo my tiller.
My tiller looks like crap. Once I get to bare wood I will put on two coats
of CPES then add several coats of varnish.
Warning this stuff is very toxic ....
Wally
10 Mar 2003
