I have my boat in Hawaii. Am refinishing the teak topside. Which is better? Oil or Varnish? There's not a whole lot of wood topside to worry about, so I'm not worried about the effort and time, just looks and durability. Whata bout salt-n-wind? 12 to 15 knts daily. dan
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Karl Berntson
Sealer
Dan, The previous owner of our H30 which we bought this spring, had used varnish on all exterior teak. It looks terrible and peels a lot. I don't know how many coats are in there, but a lot. I have started redoing it and am scraping and sanding down to bare wood and then I use two coats of teak sealer. It looks great! I did try teak oil on the cockpit grating, but that doesn't last very long in the sun. I'll stick to the sealer. Regards, Karl
Dan, The previous owner of our H30 which we bought this spring, had used varnish on all exterior teak. It looks terrible and peels a lot. I don't know how many coats are in there, but a lot. I have started redoing it and am scraping and sanding down to bare wood and then I use two coats of teak sealer. It looks great! I did try teak oil on the cockpit grating, but that doesn't last very long in the sun. I'll stick to the sealer. Regards, Karl
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Mark Johnson
I'd use neither..
Sikkens Cetol has worked much better than oil or varnish on my boat. Properly done and maintained (which doesn't take much), my teak after 3 years still looked great. MPJ
Sikkens Cetol has worked much better than oil or varnish on my boat. Properly done and maintained (which doesn't take much), my teak after 3 years still looked great. MPJ
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Dave Desforges
Ditto, Another Testimonial
I used oil for years. Three or four times a year. I used varnish once, lasted a year before crazing. I bought a new boat and tried a new aproach. Put Cetol on over a year ago and it still looks great. I will probably clean, LIGHTLY sand, and add a coat next spring (per mfg.) even though it may not need it. We'll see what 18 months will show,
I used oil for years. Three or four times a year. I used varnish once, lasted a year before crazing. I bought a new boat and tried a new aproach. Put Cetol on over a year ago and it still looks great. I will probably clean, LIGHTLY sand, and add a coat next spring (per mfg.) even though it may not need it. We'll see what 18 months will show,
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Stephen Ostrander
Cetol
I tried oil, and it turned black and green. I tried varnish, and it came off. Finally I wised up and tried Sikkens Cetol and it has lasted and lasted. I'l never use anything else.
I tried oil, and it turned black and green. I tried varnish, and it came off. Finally I wised up and tried Sikkens Cetol and it has lasted and lasted. I'l never use anything else.
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Mark
One more happy camper
My boat originaly had varnish on all the wood. The Chespeake sun can do a number on varnish but nothing like what you experience in Hawaii. I sanded off all the varnish and used CETOL. Life couldn't be better. When I do get a ding in the wood, just sand it and put more Cetol on it. About every other year we lighly sand the Teak and apply another coat. Can't be much simpler than that. Now when it come to sanding your handrail on top of the cabin, the easiest way is to take off the handrails off first. To do that, take a small straight edge screw driver (a little smaller than the teak plugs). Place the blade with the grain of the plug, slightly tap into the teak plugs and break them apart, now get out your power screw driver and remove the screws. W/ two handrail each side it took only me only 30 minutes to remove all the rails. As you remove each hand rail remembar to label each one as to port -stbd and which end was forward. Sand and apply all your coats of Cetol while the rails are off the boat. When reinstalling the rails, make sure you squeese a little caulk into each screw hole before puting the rail on also ensure a little caulk is in the hole of the rail and around the base of the rails. Have fun Mark Whitson S/V Tequila
My boat originaly had varnish on all the wood. The Chespeake sun can do a number on varnish but nothing like what you experience in Hawaii. I sanded off all the varnish and used CETOL. Life couldn't be better. When I do get a ding in the wood, just sand it and put more Cetol on it. About every other year we lighly sand the Teak and apply another coat. Can't be much simpler than that. Now when it come to sanding your handrail on top of the cabin, the easiest way is to take off the handrails off first. To do that, take a small straight edge screw driver (a little smaller than the teak plugs). Place the blade with the grain of the plug, slightly tap into the teak plugs and break them apart, now get out your power screw driver and remove the screws. W/ two handrail each side it took only me only 30 minutes to remove all the rails. As you remove each hand rail remembar to label each one as to port -stbd and which end was forward. Sand and apply all your coats of Cetol while the rails are off the boat. When reinstalling the rails, make sure you squeese a little caulk into each screw hole before puting the rail on also ensure a little caulk is in the hole of the rail and around the base of the rails. Have fun Mark Whitson S/V Tequila
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Jim Oursler
Cetol-but watch fumes and touch
I did a boat three years ago with Cetol. Works well, but had a terrible reaction to the stuff as I was doing a lot of wood, and got it on hands and smelled a lot of fumes.. Definitely. only apply to well ventilated objects. Practical sailor also votes for it. .
I did a boat three years ago with Cetol. Works well, but had a terrible reaction to the stuff as I was doing a lot of wood, and got it on hands and smelled a lot of fumes.. Definitely. only apply to well ventilated objects. Practical sailor also votes for it. .
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