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The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
I finally took some photos of what I have worked on during past couple of years. Well, mainly the companionway boards and trim removing varnish and going with teak oil, then installing Sunbrella cover - About 2 years ago.
2018. - Replaced outside cushions and all inside cabin upholstery with Sunbrella matl from a Pasadena, Md Upholstery store.
This Spring, completed all exterior wood, grab rails, etc stripping varnish and going with teak oil, then installing Sunbrella covers.
This Spring, replaced Porta Potti and made wood support/slides to hold it in place. This Spring, replaced the solar vent. This Spring, cleaned up hull sides and applied 2 coats of Poliglow as usual.
Hi Larry, Robin's Nest is a sharp looking Catalina-25!
Especially, all the work you've done on the exterior wood trim. It shows handsomely! Can you share the products you used in paragraph number three beginning with This Spring?
I've been researching products to use on the wood trim to obtain the handsome outcomes you have. There is so much out there, like your comments on sails!
She looks beautiful! Best wishes on sail hunting and many thanks for sharing.
Kevin Walsh Segelboot 1984 C25, TR/SK Sail No. 4433
There are two varnish strippers that I used, both bought at Home Depot - Motzenbachers Stripper, which is water soluble and safer to use but slower to remove varnish, and the second one was Kleen Strip Premium Stripper which works quicker but more toxic, gloves and ventilation a must. 2 years ago on the companionway boards and trim, I started with the first stripper but switched to the 2nd to make faster progress. This Spring, the hatch slide rails and the thin long (100” +) thin wood trim pieces, I did in place and used the Motzenbacker Stripper. The grab rails, I removed and worked them at home with the Kleen Strip Premium stripper. Still, regardless of stripper, it took 3 separate strippings to get all the years of varnish off. A stripper scraper from Home Depot works well but then I would also use medium grade sandpaper. For the grab rails, I also tried a stripper scraper from Home Depot that you attach to a power drill - Not sure what the it was made of - Not metal, not steel wool, sort of a plastic matl wheel, like a grinder on a power drill worked pretty well on the grab rails. Then used Starbrite teak cleaner followed by teak brightened and then teak oil. All wood was treated with 3 applications of teak oil...not teak sealer or etc products. Allowed it to dry or saturate between applications. Waited about an hour between 1st and 2nd applications, then a day later between 2nd and 3rd applications.
But teak oil will only last 2 months or so, unless shielded from the elements, that is why I bought Sunbrella matl from Sailrite and made covers. That way, I get longer life and can just refresh with another application months later. If exposed to the elements - No covers used, teak oil can always be bleached out easily and teak oil re-applied after a teak cleaner and brightener used. Many prefer not having to revisit this project 2 months later and so they then try prolonging life using a teak sealer versus just teak oil. So, teak oil lasts a relatively short time without bringing it back to parade rest again but not hard to do. A teak sealer gives longer life but varnish or Cetol lasts the longest but then if it begins to chip, you eventually have a much bigger project on your hands, years later.............so, that’s why I went with Sunbrella covers....but then they have to be removed and re-installed before/after sailing. Or do nothing and let it turn grey.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.