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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Finishing teak - not

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/08/2010 : 05:47:51

I know, I know - another dreaded teak finish thread

I've spent way too much time in the past performing the teak refinishing routine. The skinny strip of teak above the portlites (introduced in 1986) only makes me anxious.

Several years ago I saw a C25 at our marina that had natural gray teak. It was clean, i.e., no mold or algae - actually it looked smart!

Has anyone here let their teak go gray and if so what do you clean it with to keep it from looking neglected?

Edited by - OJ on 04/08/2010 06:40:03

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 05:57:38

OJ, As far as I know gray teak is just unfinished teak. And I'm pretty sure it'll weather faster and get grainier if there's nothing to keep it from drying out.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 06:33:34

Some friends have a 30+year-old boat with lots of pristine silver-gray teak, and I know they put something on it--I'll ask them. Totally untreated, teak will deteriorate, crack and/or mildew in most environments.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/08/2010 06:39:29

TCurran
Admiral

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USA
588 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 06:59:42

I'm trying the PlasTeak route. Just ordered the handrails to start, if they look good I will continue, if not, I'm only out $180 for the pair. It may be sacrilegious, but time spent taking care of teak is time away from sailing.
tom

Edited by - TCurran on 04/08/2010 07:00:16

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 08:11:37

Just sand it down and put teak oil on it once a month or so. Takes 5 minutes. Get the teak oil at Home Depot. Not as nice as 10 coats of varnish applied every year, but acceptable.

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 08:31:27

In South Texas heat & humidity teak oil mildews within a month. That's why I switched to Cetol which lasts 2 - 3 years.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 09:11:25

Teak oil works great in the mild, dry San Diego climate. One area where I do varnish is the companionway boards. I do have 10 coats of Cetol on those and it lasts 2 - 3 years.

Tiller is varnished.

Also I may varnish the teak rings in the cockpit trays - these always fade and mildew rapidly with the teak oil.

I have a canvas boat cover that fits on the pop-top enclosure snaps which keeps the teak looking nice far longer.

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 13:26:35

If you don't finish the teak with varnish and wanted to go Grey,(Hmmm sounds like a hair coloring add) I wonder if you could use that stuff they put on fencing and outdoor wooden furniture. I think Its called Tomsens Water Seal. Anybody try this? This is just a thought so don't jump down my throat.

Might be better than nothing.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 13:56:24

[url="http://www.thompsonswaterseal.com/"]Thompsons Water Seal[/url]. I've had good luck with it on non-boat related projects, I've never actually used it on the boat, although I see no reason not to.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 14:12:09

Dave, Scott - thanks for your suggestions re Thompson's Water Seal. Long story short, I was a GC for 6+ years and all the pros use CW Flood . . . and the long term difference was dramatic.

Perfect case of he who has the biggest marketing budget does not necessarily have the best product.

Thanks again.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5396 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 17:06:28

I bought three gallons of the abovementioned Water Seal for my cedar deck and was getting ready to put it on, and a friend told me - "don't use that crap - it'll ruin your deck". His house by the beach has cedar shakes that he keeps in pristine condition, so I didn't argue with him.

"Use Sikkens Cetol, you will not regret it", said he. So, I already had three gallons (I have a big deck) and went out and bought three gallons of Cetol four years ago. I did five coats and it is still holding its own. I plan to touch it up this year.

My brother has a pressure-treated pool deck and he wanted to finish it, so I gave him the water seal. He's happy, I'm happy.....

I've never heard of CW Flood, but is it anything like Cetol? I googled it, but as you said OJ, they probably don't spend a nickel on marketing. Couldn't find it anywhere.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 18:25:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 I've never heard of CW Flood, but is it anything like Cetol? I googled it, but as you said OJ, they probably don't spend a nickel on marketing. Couldn't find it anywhere.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">http://www.flood.com/index.jsp

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2010 : 19:46:31

I e-mailed the following recommendation to Steve from friends with a beautiful, classic Mystic 30 cutter with a fair amount of teak, bronze, etc.:

Semco clear if he wants to go gray, probably still has to clean and recoat 1 or 2 times a season with a 3m red pad and oxyclean. We mix with Semco natural to get w teak pigment.

They do put some effort into their boat, and it shows. The teak is very natural looking, and in wonderful condition. It doesn't look brand new (like freshly oiled teak), nor is it "weathered".

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 02:51:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 Semco clear if he wants to go gray, probably still has to clean and recoat 1 or 2 times a season with a 3m red pad and oxyclean. We mix with Semco natural to get w teak pigment.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Perfect!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">They do put some effort into their boat, and it shows. The teak is very natural looking, and in wonderful condition. It doesn't look brand new (like freshly oiled teak), nor is it "weathered".
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I believe this will still be far less work than what I used to put into Ode to Joy. Seems like once you had a "burn-through" you were committed to take it back down to bare wood. Maybe someday after we get all the fundamental projects completed on this latest boat, we'll have a Sunbrella cover made that will cover all of the teak on the cabin top - and then return to Cetol. Thanks very much Dave!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 06:14:43

I wonder if Sunbrella over the hand rails wears them in a stiff wind. If so, a couple of pieces of pipe insulation can be popped on to protect them. I've used that for winter storage...

Edited by - on

glen
Captain

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359 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 11:05:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 I wonder if Sunbrella over the hand rails wears them in a stiff wind. If so, a couple of pieces of pipe insulation can be popped on to protect them. I've used that for winter storage...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Our shop has made Sunbrella rail covers, and the customer said he liked them, but thought it was such a pain to keep taking them off, and putting them back on, he decided to never take them off. I think that kind of defeats the purpose of having the rails in the first place.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 12:00:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 I wonder if Sunbrella over the hand rails wears them in a stiff wind. If so, a couple of pieces of pipe insulation can be popped on to protect them. I've used that for winter storage...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Good point Dave, actually the Sunbrella is deployed only when the boat is closed-up and unoccupied. It'a one large piece of material that reaches from the cabin threshold forward to the mast - and to the bottom of the main salon portlites - port to starboard. It even uses some of the same snaps that the pop-top canvas does.

Edited by - on

farrison
Navigator

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USA
166 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 13:00:07

I have my teak refininshed with Cetol Light, and it holds up very well with a small, yearly light sanding and touch-up. Unprotected teak will degrade in the sun over the years. Just because it goes gray, it does not stop breaking down and eventually will have to be replaced. Our boat had been neglected for several years when we got it and the teak was damaged, but we cleaned, sanded and painted with the Cetol, but the grain of the wood was deteriorating and the sun damage was obvious. The best option is the one that OJ suggests. I have a friend with a Catalina '27 that has the full cabin cover that shields all his teak. He replaced/refinished his teak 5 years ago and keeps it covered with a Sunbrella cover and it is still perfect. If you are going to spend the money for handrail covers, I would take the extra step and expense to go with the thresshold-to-mast cover.

Paul

Paul

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 15:28:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by glen
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 I wonder if Sunbrella over the hand rails wears them in a stiff wind...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Our shop has made Sunbrella rail covers...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I was thinking more of a full cabin cover that would rest on the rails, and flap on them in a stiff breeze--not individual rail covers that can easily be snugged to the rails (and always seemed like excessive fiddling around to me).

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/09/2010 15:30:57

Kip C
Navigator

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USA
243 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2010 : 06:14:39

To answer you question Dave, yes it will. But, with a couple of Swim noodles strategically placed, it could be minimized. I made a complete cover and refinished my teak in the spring of '06 and this year I need to touch up the teak.

I admit it can be a bit excessive, but how else would you treat your mistress.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2010 : 07:12:49

I have a cover very similar to Kip's, but made from a powerboat cover bought on Ebay and modified for the C-25. Just curious, Kip, what did your cover cost?

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5904 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2010 : 07:13:34

I always kept a blue plastic tarp over the coach roof of my C25, and it does wear the finish off the top surfaces of the grab rails slightly over a long period of time, but it doesn't degrade the finish nearly as much as it would if you left the grab rails completely uncovered and unprotected from the sun and rain. If you regularly cover your teak, you might go 3-4 years between teak refinishing, instead of having to do it annually.

I made sunbrella covers for my grab rails on my last two boats, and also for my friend's boat. They have a small piece of velcro between each loop, and are easy to put on and take off, and they protect the finish on the grab rails from the sun and rain, so that you might never have to refinish them again, depending on how long you own the boat. They've been through near hurricanes, and never blown off.

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Kip C
Navigator

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USA
243 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2010 : 08:40:16

I really don't remember the total, but for some reason, under $200 sticks in my head. I had purchased 20 something yards of sunbrella on ebay a couple of years before, at about $8 or $9 per yard . It was 60" sunbrella, and I used about 11 yards of it.

Edited by - Kip C on 04/10/2010 08:44:33

Even Chance
Captain

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USA
393 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2010 : 09:50:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 I wonder if Sunbrella over the hand rails wears them in a stiff wind. If so, a couple of pieces of pipe insulation can be popped on to protect them. I've used that for winter storage...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've had the Catalina Direct rail covers on Even Chance for years. I haven't revarnished the rails in all that time. No, they don't wear the rails. And I only take the covers off for overnight sails.

Edited by - on

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1787 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2010 : 15:21:09

For what it's worth . . . I have unvarnished (natural) teak. I clean it once a season -- at the beginning -- and apply teak oil. Sometime in mid-August I apply a bit more teak oil as well. My boat is exposed to nature @ 7 months and under cover the rest of the time. The teak looks great at the beginning and weathers nicely through the season. The August application does not make the wood look much better but does help the long-term weathering. I know people who have gone the Sunbrella route, but IMHO the cost and effort to buy the cover(s) and put on and then take off each time you use the boat just is not worth it. The exposed teak on our boats is not structural and if maintained (cleaned/annual refinish) reasonably well will look fine all season.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2010 : 15:55:22

I wash wand wax Pearl and apply Watco teak oil at the beginning of my Florida season and again for the Lake Erie season, and that keeps it looking good.

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