Finish on interior Hunter 356?

[Jimongee]

Good morning from Lake Michigan.
I have a 2002 Hunter 356. It’s in basically pristine condition...except for the paneling on either side of the companionway. The finish has seriously faded and basically degraded. There is no delamination—just appearance related surface degradation (kind of like the finish just wore thin). Funny thing is I am a pretty skilled woodworker so refinish is typically easy for me. However I’m not certain what the original finish was. So if any of my sailor friends know what finish product (brand/manufacturer) or color palate was used on the 356...that would save me plenty of stripping, sanding and color matching efforts. If you have knowledge or experience with this-thanks for your time and comments.
Jim n Kathy on SamiDog

 

[sail sfbay]

You might find the owner's manual attached pages 30A-30B for refinishing your interior wood and the materials to use helpful.

https://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_356_17722697.pdf

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

However I’m not certain what the original finish was.

If it's anything like my '99 310, all interior panelling was finished with teak oil.

I've had good success on dings and defect with rubbing teak oil into the surface with 1000 grit wet or dry. However if it's faded as you say, there's no telling how deep the discolorization goes. My best bet would be to experiment in an area which will not show (and we all know how well that works). Also try heavier grit in increments until you get something that works.

Good luck and glad it's you and not me on this one .

 

[disputin]

While I don't own a Hunter 356 (it's a hunter 260), I found a bunch of documents on an FTP site that marlow-hunter.com runs a while back. I tried to get back in and look at it, but it now seems to need a password. I downloaded all the H260 and generic documents I thought I might need. I do have some miscellaneous documents from the site with the word teak in them. I have attached them.

However my 260 owners manual under the topic of 'teak care' specifically mentions the product 'Seafin Teak Oil, manufactured by Dalys'. They are still in business and you can order the Seafin teak oil from them. I would check your owner's manual and see if it lists a particular product.

Take care,

Sean

 

[shemandr]

I had a 2002 H356 and had the same fading. It is UV damage I think. When I researched what product Hunter used I found the company was Mohawk. They have a variety of finish products.
I don't think those veneers are very thick so go easy on the sanding.
I think this is the company. I had a hard time finding a local source.

Mohawk Kits

Mohawk Kits

www.mohawkproducts.com

 

[Jimongee]

Thanks to all who responded. Here’s an update; I tried teak oil on a small -nearly hidden-but well damaged section. I did 2 coats and WOW it looks nearly new. Sounds like a real good bandaid for the eyesore. Guess my sandpaper will be held hostage until something bigger turns ugly. Jim ...(currently drinking beer aboard in a slip in a VERY WINDY Mackinaw City, MI)

 

[chuckwayne]

It's the mohawk product, spray lacquer on the 356. you will have to clean off the teak oil, sand very lightly, and restain- either use a teak stain or some people have had success with minwax, I think it was dark cherry #356. The final finish is Mohawk Ultraflo clear lacquer, satin, M102-0452. it comes in a 13oz spray can, can be found on Amazon. Check the archives here, I think the color match for the stain has been posted.

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

Chucks correct - Here is a picture of the product Hunter used. Get this, spray on and walk away for a while. Has a lot of lacquer and smells strong for several hours. Will touch up all finished on board. Came with my boat at Commissioning and I have bought in the last several years on Amazon. I think the original can lasted me about 15 years.

 

[Arbee]

I'm about to tackle a cabin timber touch up project on our 2004 306. I managed to source a can of the matching Mohawk on ebay and just getting my head around the task. I imagine that masking the areas will be a huge job due to overspray with an aerosol. It's mainly the chart table top, a couple of patches on the hull sides and the galley fiddles. Any advice from folk who've done this would be much appreciated. I've been tempted to switch to a brush-on satin polyurethane to avoid the overspray hassles, but I suspect it will start a much bigger project if I take this road!

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

It's the mohawk product, spray lacquer on the 356.

Lacquer on previously oiled, teak paneling ? ? ? ? Where do these ideas come from ? ? ? ? Lacquer is not known for its resilience to the elements or any other adverse conditions for that matter.

@Jimongee, stick with the original oil finish and you can't go wrong. Try #1000 or #1500 wet/dry paper and you MIGHT some further improvement as you remove more of the surface of the deteriorated veneer.

Once you get the surface to where you want it, oil it every couple of months for the FIRST year, twice during the SECOND year, and maybe every other year THEREAFTER. Rest assured that no children will die at the end of the day if you don't stick exactly to this schedule. I've maintained all my interior teak for 20 years in this manner.

 

[chuckwayne]

Ralph, in 2002 Hunter switched, starting with the then new 356 to a sprayed lacquer finish. Not my choice, I loved the oiled teak, but it's generally held up well for 18 years with only minor touch up. I use lemon oil to polish and kill any critters and that does come off for refinishing.
JImongee, you might look into Pettit Seagold; I talked to Pettit, and it's more varnish-like and much more oil tolerant that the lacquer might be. Easy to apply, build coats, and should be water tolerant - I'm looking to redo my dinette table this spring.
For spraying, cover with plastic! and ventilate after application. The lacquer should be easier to blend with the surrounding areas than a varnish

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Ralph, in 2002 Hunter switched, starting with the then new 356 to a sprayed lacquer finish.

Gotta get over to Specialty Yachts (Hunter Dealer in these parts) and see what the latest Hunter interior teak finish is. If it is even teak.

As a somewhat long in the tooth hobby woodworker, spray lacquqer is the last thing I would use on interior boat walls. If I had new, unfinished teak walls, I would use five coats of varnish with each coat sanded to a mirror flat finish.

I could oil two boats in the same time as spraying one boat with lacquer when masking is required. And when you've got a ding, you'll never repair lacquer. And really, at the top of the list, lacquer is really just a cheap, fast finish under the right conditions. It is not sought after. And maybe we've hit the nail on the head right there: cheap and fast. Somehow they've come up with a method of applying the lacquer without masking the surroundings.

 

[DOCKHAND]

I had the same area that was lightly damaged from the cabin doors being blown open from a hurricane. I went to Sherwin Williams paint store and had them color match it to a piece that had been cut out to install my solar panel controller. Light sanding, stain the complete area coming down the companionway out to the corner, let dry over night, finished with two coat of polyurethane and that was three years ago, it still holding up. I just followed what my brother in-law told me how it repair it, he had 40 years as a paint contractor.

 

[chuckwayne]

I'm not touting lacquer - just answering the question! That's what Hunter did, and that's their recommended repair finish - A can of the spray came with the boat. As I understand it, the furniture parts were cut on an NC saw, sanded and then moved into a spray booth - all before assembly into a boat interior. I would have much preferred an oiled finish, but it wasn't an option.