Wooden strip for Stern Rail Seats
- Thread starter Ken13559
- Start date
Check prices for Ipe or mahogany, or maybe think about high density plastic like Starboard.
Thanks. What you're seeing is three coats of varnish with five coats of System Three Silver Tip epoxy underneath. I did this to the original teak strips a few years after I got the boat and they still look like this after 12 years.
Check with your local lumber supplier (not a big box store) for the cost of this stuff. It's about 1/4" thick and is called burlap in this form. Nice to work with but needs a lot of prep work for finishing.
Took mine off long time ago and use the stern seat cushions from Hunterowners store.
If you're in Singapore it should be relatively easy to find a tropical wood similar to teak that would do the job, you'd think.... Maintenance free Starboard or Seaboard has much to recommend it too, though.
Spoke to timber shop, they've Kapur wood which they claim is suitable for outdoor. It's a lot cheaper to Teak at US$7 for a 3m length of 12x70mm. Cut the 70mm in half and it should be good for stern rail seat strip. He suggest varnishing the wood. I'll give it a go.
Thanks all.
Ken Y
Thanks all.
Ken Y
me too - added a layer of starboard and used the cushions - no maintenance and more comfortableTook mine off long time ago and use the stern seat cushions from Hunterowners store.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,261
It seems the question is: What is esthetically pleasing to you?
I found a piece of pine stair tread at the wood store. $10 for a 4ft by 18inch piece. Cut it in 2 and added some stain, then varnish that I had at the house and viola 2 seats.
I left them out on covered last year to see what would happen. The varnish cracked, and there was a split where the glue suffered water intrusion. Took home over the winter, sanded, epoxied the split, 8 coats of varnish. Ready for next season.
I've been asked why not just use starboard. I could, but there is something about a little wood on the boat that makes me smile.
I found a piece of pine stair tread at the wood store. $10 for a 4ft by 18inch piece. Cut it in 2 and added some stain, then varnish that I had at the house and viola 2 seats.
I left them out on covered last year to see what would happen. The varnish cracked, and there was a split where the glue suffered water intrusion. Took home over the winter, sanded, epoxied the split, 8 coats of varnish. Ready for next season.
I've been asked why not just use starboard. I could, but there is something about a little wood on the boat that makes me smile.
Besides the hard wood exotics, like teak, Ipe, iroko, etc., there are also a number of softwoods that are excellent marine woods. I believe the Op is in Singapore? I don't know the softwoods there that would qualify, hence why I haven't said anything yet in this thread. Southern yellow pine, Oregon pine, there are others - but those are all North American woods and would be expensive in the Asian market. I'd see if I could find where the wooden boat builders are in the OP's area and ask what they'd recommend.
The question of esthetics is quite individual....
dj
The question of esthetics is quite individual....
dj
Don't know what season you're heading into down there
If you can wait until you have a couple of months of non sailing coming up, Do them in five coats of clear epoxy and three coats of varnish for UV protection. They'll look like wet varnish for many years to come.
Just realized you'd asked about kapur. Good choice.
Here's a bit about it:
Appearance
Kapur timber is lustrous with sapwood that is clearly distinct from heartwood. The sapwood ranges from almost white to light yellowish brown in colour and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood, which is red to reddish brown. Kapur wood exhibits variable grains from straight to spiral, to deeply interlocked grains that create a striking figure. The wood has a moderately coarse to even texture.
Common Applications
Kapur is suitable for general construction: posts, beams, joists, rafters, fender supports, telegraphic and power transmission posts and cross arms. It is used in door and window frames and sills, flooring, staircases and internal joinery. It can be used to make pallets (heavy and permanent types), tool handles (impact), internal plywood, laboratory benches and columns (light duty). In domestic flooring and internal fittings where a finished appearance is important, care should be taken in fixing because of its tendency to develop an unsightly black stain in contact with iron nails, screws or other fittings.
Workability
Kapur's working properties are good with a moderately hard rating (rated 3). The timber machines well, being easy to re-saw and cross-cut when green, but more difficult when dried. There is a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges caused by the presence of silica in the timber, which can be severe where the grain is interlocked. The material tends to break out at the bottom of cuts in cross-cutting and narrow band sawing. Planing is easy and produces a rough surface. Pre-drilling is recommended when nailing near extremities, but otherwise the timber takes nails and screws well. Polishing, staining and painting are also easy. Steam bending qualities are rated moderate as steaming operations release resin.
Origin of timber
Asia
I'd recommend hand selecting boards for grain matching (if you are concerned about those things). Stay away from the sap wood, make sure you get heart wood. High resin content wood so I don't know how well epoxy will stick to it. I've no experience with that species. Your varnishes should, however, adhere well - at least according to what is written about it.
Good luck - it's a very pretty wood!
dj
Here's a bit about it:
Appearance
Kapur timber is lustrous with sapwood that is clearly distinct from heartwood. The sapwood ranges from almost white to light yellowish brown in colour and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood, which is red to reddish brown. Kapur wood exhibits variable grains from straight to spiral, to deeply interlocked grains that create a striking figure. The wood has a moderately coarse to even texture.
Common Applications
Kapur is suitable for general construction: posts, beams, joists, rafters, fender supports, telegraphic and power transmission posts and cross arms. It is used in door and window frames and sills, flooring, staircases and internal joinery. It can be used to make pallets (heavy and permanent types), tool handles (impact), internal plywood, laboratory benches and columns (light duty). In domestic flooring and internal fittings where a finished appearance is important, care should be taken in fixing because of its tendency to develop an unsightly black stain in contact with iron nails, screws or other fittings.
Workability
Kapur's working properties are good with a moderately hard rating (rated 3). The timber machines well, being easy to re-saw and cross-cut when green, but more difficult when dried. There is a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges caused by the presence of silica in the timber, which can be severe where the grain is interlocked. The material tends to break out at the bottom of cuts in cross-cutting and narrow band sawing. Planing is easy and produces a rough surface. Pre-drilling is recommended when nailing near extremities, but otherwise the timber takes nails and screws well. Polishing, staining and painting are also easy. Steam bending qualities are rated moderate as steaming operations release resin.
Origin of timber
Asia
I'd recommend hand selecting boards for grain matching (if you are concerned about those things). Stay away from the sap wood, make sure you get heart wood. High resin content wood so I don't know how well epoxy will stick to it. I've no experience with that species. Your varnishes should, however, adhere well - at least according to what is written about it.
Good luck - it's a very pretty wood!
dj
Generally, Nov to March storm & rain, Apr to Oct weather is hot hotter hottest.
Yes, definitely coat all surfaces. Any uncoated surface will get wet and absorb moisture, Moisture incursion will eventually cause premature discoloration & failure of your varnish finish, and long term, deterioration of the wood. There is no advantage to leaving the bottom surface uncoated unless it is to be glued to a backing board. Then allow any surface to be glued to remain not varnished.
Last edited:
I always prefer to varnish all surfaces, including inside holes that you may want for attachments.
dj
p.s. I just noticed @BigEasy also just answered - I agree... (obviously)