Update on the Teak Sealer

Last summer I finally completed refinishing the teak. Just before winter (October-ish) I put on a maintenance coat of StarBrite Teak Oil and Sealer. After about six months of rain and cold, the sealer is starting to fade which is about how long I thought it would take. I always anticipated applying two maintenance coats a year. In general, I’m pleased with how it’s held up. The weather last weekend cooperated enough for me to knock this project out.

I first had to clean the teak. I used just some regular boat soap and a soft nylon bristle brush and lightly scrubbed all areas of the teak. The toe-rail was especially faded and had all sorts of bird and bug crap on it. It appears the horizontal teak surfaces fared the worst over the boat. I assume it’s because the sun and rain hits those areas more directly.

My goal was to apply two more coats that will hopefully last through the summer. I spent Friday cleaning the entire outside of the boat.  Saturday turned out to be too windy to do anything outside so on Sunday, once it warmed up and dried out a bit, I applied the first coat. I didn’t get a second coat on and I don’t know if I’m going to put one on.  It looks good with just the single coat, but I may have to do some maintenance touch-ups throughout the summer on the horizontal areas like the toe rail.

I really like how easy the sealer is to apply. Since it was so warm this weekend it didn’t take long for the it to dry.  I didn’t have to mask anything off and when I accidentally got a little on the gelcoat, it wiped off easily.

Earlier this year I applied two coats of sealer on the long hand rails on the cabin top. They had two coats on them when they were installed, but in order to put the teak plugs over the screws, Rich had to sand those areas which removed the sealer. I was a bit disappointed when I put the sealer on this year and where it had been sanded off didn’t match where the existing sealer was still intact. So I basically had some blotches at each teak plug that was a lighter color. The good news is that over the past three months or so the sealer has blended in all along the hand rails and appears as one color now.

The Cetol that Rich applied to the companionway hatch and boom gallows last year still looks good with the exception of a small piece that flaked off the companionway hatch. We probably should apply another coat of the Cetol clear gloss to those two areas before it starts to flake more or fade.