H26 sole refinishing

[CHSN WND]

Happy Friday! I'm at the boat, crummy weather, so I've decided to tackle one of my 4 remaining projects: refinishing the sole.

I washed it with a teak cleaner, then gently hand sanded with fine grit paper last weekend. It cleaned up some, but there are still areas that show water staining and foot oils from its prior owners... I palm sanded with 150 grit, then opted for another round of teak cleaner. Some improvement, but still far from what I'd like to see. It's drying as I type.

My question is, how hard do I hit it with sanding vs. just accepting it's 20 years old and it isn't coming back?

The original varnish is like nails - it doesn't seem to come off with 150 grit paper and a palm sander. Do I go all kinds of crazy with, say, a 100 grit? If yes, for how long? I know the real veneers on these boats are only maybe 16th of an inch (at least on the table; take a guess how I know? #%*¥&@!!!)

Any help is appreciated. This boat is sweet, but she's taken some heat from the last guy who owned her. I'm doing my best to get her back, and largely succeeding. Just wondering where I go at this point on the sole...

 

[Stu Jackson]

can you not remove the panels and refinish them off the boat? If so, do a search on "sole" and find what others have used and how to be careful about the thin veneer.

 

[CHSN WND]

Wish I could! The sole is heavily glued. Most who try remove theirs destroy it and wind up replacing with a Pergo-type material.

Of course, if my PO was snart enough to fix leaks when they occur and maybe, just use the companionway / top cover HE KEPT STORED IN A BERTH, I wouldn't be in this spot.

Ahem, but I digress. I've just kept at it with 150 grit and while not perfect, it looks much better. 5 coats of Captain Jack's and she'll shine so much that you won't see the imperfections. Always gotta have a "plan b"!

 

[Fred]

I don't think that mine has varnish on it. I just use teak&stung oil on it. I have used this successfully on teak furniture. Repeated soaking with this oil seems to cause water staining to fade.

 

[jeffclown]

My 1994 H26 sole came out. It was laid in with silicone caulk (or else had been removed and installed by another owner). It had been varnished but was thin and not in good condition. I didn't want it to stay slippery, or hold water in and under it when I inevitably got some water in the cabin. So, I brought it home, stripped it, sanded with a hand orbital gently, cleaned, and then used some Penofin oil. I'm not a great woodworker, so others may say that's not the best, but worked for me and makes adding another thin oil coat easy later.

 

[John23883]

I used a belt sander and was just careful not to put too much pressure on it.

 

[RonniePH26]

I used a palm sander and then a coat of sealer and two coats of hardwood floor finish. Pretty happy with the outcome.

 

[RonniePH26]

I used a palm sander and then a coat of sealer and two coats of hardwood floor finish. Pretty happy with the outcome.

 

[CHSN WND]

Crazy Dave said previously that the way to refinish the sole is teak cleaner followed by light sanding. I used teak cleaner, sanded, then teak cleaner, then more sanding. Still had stains. I used a palm sander and 6 sheets of 150 grit paper (changed it when sanding efficiency started to taper off).

I did the best I could. Not real happy, but I guess it's better than it was. Sure made a mess of things, even with my shop vac running right next to the sander...

 

[flynhi4u]

Looks good Dave. Life sure was simpler with the 20 footer LOL!!!

Sam

 

[CHSN WND]

Tha thanks, Sam. I'm not thrilled with the results, but it's better than it was. The wood tones may even out a bit more as I add coats of varnish. The pic shows the floor after 2 coats, and I hope to add #4 tomorrow.

Yes, the H20 was easier, but the H26 is soooo much more boat. I just need to fight my natural tendency to expect perfection and live with the fact that you can enjoy the heck out of a great boat with an imperfect teak n holly sole. A few more years of therapy and maybe, just maybe, I'll get there haha!

It is what it is. She's a fine boat - my slip mates tell me they don't even recognize her, that it looks like a new boat. Yeah, they're trying to make me feel good about the effort I'm putting in, but I have to agree, she's the nicest 26 footer in our Marina, and that includes several H260's. I can take solace in that fact...

 

[Doug J]

I think it looks beautiful. I hope I can get mine to look that good!

 

[isaksp00]

That does look good. My 23 has water stained teak (or mahogany or whatever it is) on the side panels that support the settee tops, on the drop leaf table where the end was under water, etc. because the yard let it fill about halfway up with water when the PO owned it. It also caused some delamination on some the plywood bulkheads. I have tried teak cleaner and while it helped some, the discoloration is still pretty evident. So I think you did good there.

 

[CHSN WND]

Thanks guys! All we can do is our best. We're often our own worst critic..!

Doug, I've seen some of your handiwork. I can say with confidence that you'll get yours to look great.

Isacs - you've shown your metal by taking on a project boat. You did so because you know you can make it nice. I'm sure you will, even if you replace some wood over the winter. It's doable!

 

[Doug J]

Saving old boats one at a time!
It's definitely true you can make an old neglected boat look great again. It feels good to get a compliment from someone who says they can't believe the age of the boat - it looks great!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

When dealing with veneers, you have to be careful. I learned the hard way. CHSN Wind; do the best you can and go enjoy the boat. Life is too short. I am still cooped up building a 2000 sq ft. basement but the views from my little mountain top are beautiful... If you know where the James River begins in VA then you know where I live as we overlook the beginning of it.
I do not have a toy sailboat as yet to float in the bathtub but will get one soon not for me but for the grandsons.