This piece of wood on my transom...

[edokarura]

…is looking pretty sad.

What's the quickest, easiest way to deal with it so that I don't have more problems later? Sand off the varnish then sand it smooth and apply tung oil? Is it safe to assume it's teak?

I don't much care how it looks. It just has to function and not deteriorate further.

Oh, yeah, the PO tried to varnish it and let several drips run down the transom. Can anyone tell me how to remove it without taking gelcoat with it?

Cheers!

Ed
"Kinnaree"
'91 E-34

 

[lnill]

Acetone will clean up the gel coat. You will probably get a range of opinions on the wood treatment. On mine I stripped the remaining varnish off, sanded smooth, and then 3 coats of Cetol. Cetol does not last as long as some coatings but it is forgiving and looks good. You will need to touch up every couple of seasons with it. I am guessing your handrails need work too? Same treatment.
Lee

 

[PDX]

Its definitely teak.

Your options are:

1. Cetol. Mentioned above. Probably the most popular way to finish exterior wood now. Biggest upside is you can renew it periodically without getting so much build up that you need to strip/sand all the under coats off. Disadvantages are some types tend turn the color orange, and that you won't get a classic mirror finish build up if you are in to that sort of thing.

2. Varnish. Advantage is its the best looking. Disadvantage is it will eventually start to alligator and/or bubble and then you will have to strip all the undercoats off and start over.

3. Rubbed oil. Similar to Cetol in that you can reapply without fear of needing to strip everything off eventually. Advantage over Cetol is it doesn't turn the color orange, but it does darken it over time. Other disadvantages is that it provides little if any protection to the wood, and needs to be reapplied most frequently.

With any of these methods I would recommend sanding down your strip first. Teak sands easily.

 

[Loren Beach]

Yes it's teak.
Any of the refinishing suggestions will work.
We have a smaller teak piece on the top of the transom on the Olson. I put some Cetol Light on it every few years. There's no one "right" answer, tho.

And once you clean up the old varnish spills, DO blue tape (use the good stuff, from 3M) the area on both sides before putting any more finish on it!

Loren

 

[Christian Williams]

Razor blade works to get the old varnish off stanchion bases and gelcoat.

Any finish on this curving piece of teak, with its cleats and stanchions and (instantly mildewing) white vinyl cowl vents, is difficult to protect against the UV and elements exposure that shortens the life of the finish.

It so happens that I spent yesterday designing a brilliant and innovative solution, part of the solution being gin and vermouth, that will solve this vexing cover issue forever. I am now about to build it from the elaborate pattern, and will share the results.

I was going to replace the whole piece of teak with a new one, until I actually examined its fairly complex shape and the 50 or so fastenings. Fergedaboutit.

 

[edokarura]

Many thanks, all!

Is the orange coloring of Cetol reminiscent of varnish (which seems dark orangish to me) or of, say, a hunting vest?

Can anyone recommend a particular make and model of Cetol to avoid the orange color?

Oh, and doesn't oil protect the wood insofar as it inhibits water penetration? Hasn't someone thought to put some sort of UV blocking chemical in it as well?

Cheers!

Ed

 

[lnill]

I like the look of tinted Cetol. It is trying to mimick what teak looks like but does tend to be more orange than natural teak. You can buy untinted as well. If you want to avoid getting more and more orange, buy a can of each. Put down the tint for the base and finish with the clear.

 

[Christian Williams]

What's the quickest, easiest way to deal with it so that I don't have more problems later?

Yes! as Stephen Colbert would say.

 

[tenders]

My solution to two, much larger, vertical pieces of wood like this (cockpit side coamings) was to unscrew the old pieces, buy a 3/4" slab of Dolphin Grey Starboard, use the old pieces as templates (table saw/jigsaw/router), and put down new pieces.

Know what I've done to it since installing it in 2005 (maybe 2006)? Nothing. Might have scrubbed it with a Scotchbrite pad once or twice.
Guess how it looks today? Exactly the way it did the day I installed it.

I'm a rank amateur woodworker and the piece you've got there is even simpler than mine was.

I would estimate it will take you twice as long to fabricate a new piece out of Starboard as it will to sand and varnish the one you've got.

 

[Rick R.]

What's the quickest, easiest way to deal with it so that I don't have more problems later?

Yes! as Stephen Colbert would say.

Yes! And then some.

 

[G Kiba]

Alternate finish

I too, am not too good with wood and would rather sail than sand. Don't like Cetol and varnish is too difficult for me. Discovered this two years ago. Olympic water seal from Lowes. Water soluable, looks better than Cetol, easy to apply and clean up, inexpensive. I apply 2 to 3 times a year. Covered with sunbrella (hatch boards, hatch and handrails),once a year.

 

[cawinter]

What we did...

- Heatgun and scraper cleanup down to clean wood.
- Clean and prep teak. I use a hand-rubbed oil finish to get life back into the wood. See if you can do it without removing the stanchions.
- CETOL, three coats (and keep up with maintenance every year or MAX. two)
- Put a thin bead of 4200 or something on the seam to the glass to make sure no moisture gets in.
- Put on rubbing strakes and a step plate (accompanied by appropriate intimidation of careless crew!) to avoid abrasion.

Has worked for years now.

 

[Shelman]

teak oil

The teak on my 1985 26' has never had anything but teak oil on it. It greys out if not kept covered, but that's as bad as it gets. I prefer the feel of the raw wood compared to a varnish. I apply a good soaking double coat every few months.

 

[Christian Williams]

Here's the weekend transom teak cover project. For simplicity's sake, it just lies over the appendages, with one button snap at each end. The hems are weighted with old half-inch line.

That wood on my boat was pretty bad. I've brightened, cleaned and oiled it three or four times in the past 18 months, but stains remained. I think it might have had a coat of Cetol in the past, which was preserving old discoloration. Aggressive sanding brought it back better than I'd expected.

I'm experimenting with a product called Deftoil. It darkens teak somewhat, but seems more protective than simple oil, and tends to hide discolorations. Advocated by a nearby boat with promise that it lasts longer but requires no removal.

Don't know if it will look the same on everyone's color monitor, but it is to me a pleasant amber and not the color "of, say, a hunting vest" -- a phrase which made me smile.