Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
This winter, working on two projects: Having all the exterior and interior cushions replaced - All cushions at the upholsterer. They have the exterior matl on hand (carbon fiber vinyl) but had to order the interior cushion Sunbrella material (sort of a blue checkered pattern) and that had about a 6 week backorder from the distributor. No real timetable for completion but expect cushions will be ready, sometime in March.
The other project is a continuation of stripping exterior wood of the multi-layers of Varnish, Cetol, etc on them and then refinishing with teak oil. I completed the companionway boards & trim last year and made a Sunbrella cover with snaps to protect the teak oil from UV and weather conditions. based on excellent results thru the summer and only one 10 minute re-application of teak oil with no visible deterioration of the finish, I am going ahead with plans I posted back in 2012 to make Sunbrella covers for the rails, hatch slides and lower 1/2" trim that is horizontal with the rails. Then when complete, will strip the existing wood finish off the teak and apply teak oil. The original posting on this topic was "Protecting Exterior Wood" dated 6/5/2012 - following link should get you there - http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25167
I have a similar list however my interior cushions need some attention. I've begun spot cleaning each one with Resolve cleaner but now I find I need a way to rinse the cleaner out better. I think I'll use a large washtub and brush for rinsing, then let air dry on my sunny back porch. You mentioned you're removing Cetol. How? Did you use sandpaper or a paint scraper with a heat gun? I've used teak oil for internal wood items but how does it hold up to UV and dirt in an exterior application? You cover it with Sunbrella but does that cover everything from the grab rails to the companionway threshold? What about the scupper trim? Re-reading the old thread my Sunbrella tarp would mostly do it. While the fabric moving in the breeze would chafe, reapplying teak oil in those areas could be done using a rag dipped in oil.
Back in 1980, I had a new ODay 23 and used teak oil. The teak oil, exposed to UV and weather conditions did not hold up very well and I would wind up having to bleach it out and start all over again.
Early last spring, I stripped off the old coats of varnish, cetol, etc first using an eco-friendly stripper from Home Depot but it was extremely tedious work. So, I went back to Home Depot and got a much stronger stripper. Using the stripper, scraping, sand paper, whatever...I finally got down to totally bare teak wood on the companionway boards (exterior-side) and the adjacent trim. Then used the teak prep and teak oil which is very easy and quick to apply. During the winter, I had already had the Sunbrella Cover made and I bought the heavy duty snap tool to attach the snaps to it. After the teak oil was applied, I then snapped on the cover and only take it off when down at the boat/sailing. The cover does the trick - This time around, the teak oil lasts the whole season but easy enough to apply a teak oil again - Takes 10 minutes with no prep work and no signs of the existing finish having weathered from May - July or so. So, now it is almost February and the teak finish looks fine. That,s why I decided to go ahead and make covers for the cabin exterior trim/rails? The cover does not cover the entire cabin...I wanted to ensureI do not get mildew,etc from insufficient ventilationand I did not want to deal with a full cover (I have a custom full cover that I use if a lot of snow is predicted.)
The covers - They are fairly symmetrical. One for the port side ext trims and one for the starboard side. It extends past the exterior wood about 4" and will utilize snaps and grommets. If I have time, I will attach a sketch. I already shaped and cut the Sunbrella - Bought gobs of it from Sailrite. My sister is going to sew/finish off the edges with the Thread that I also purchased for the Sunbrella. When she returns the covers to me, then I will be working on the snaps and grommets but could post a photo before complete.
Capt Sam, USCG Master Near Coastal Isle of Hope, GA. Charleston,SC. Lake Murray, SC. Aboard Bobbin - 1982 Standard Rig-Swing Keel #2963 Dinette Model "On a powerboat you are going somewhere....On a Sailboat you are Already There!" Capt Sam
It is interesting the projects that one takes on and the projects not willing to do. I am having the new cushions made up and so another benefit of making these covers is that rather than re-bed the trim/rails (which is what is recommended to keep drips from entering the cabin from the screw/fittings and dripping onto the cushions), the covers provide addl protection besides the sealing I have done around the rails. Just do not want to re-bed the rails. I very rarely have a drip but sometimes...and just have resisted messing with re-bedding the rails.
...my interior cushions need some attention. I've begun spot cleaning each one with Resolve cleaner but now I find I need a way to rinse the cleaner out better...
I had to stop and think--we had those cushions made 16 years ago. Apparently they've been used--a good thing!
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Yep, pour some water on to dilute it and suck it out. I keep a 1.5 gal. wet/dry vac aboard. After trying multiple 12V and rechargeable vacs, anything other than plugging the real thing into my inverter is a waste of time. And it takes up less space than my grill.
Dave B. aboard Pearl 1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399 Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle
I like the wet-dry vac concept. Except I've brought all the cushions home and I am washing each one of the covers individually by hand in soapy water. I've got 5 out of 10 done and the work is going quickly. The original foam and batting has got to go since it's very musty smelling. Our local Fabrics store carries 2.25" and 4" foam and batting so I should be able to replace it pretty easily. The original handiwork is impressive. First, they show no signs of deterioration, just soiling from exposure. Second, the covers fit very precisely with the settees and bench seats, and with the foam. I hope to get another 16 years out of them! At the same time, I decided to remove the brightwork and bring it all home. I find a good paint scraper is all that's needed to get most of the Cetol off the wood. I'm also using a stiff brass wire brush to loosen the coatings. I'm doing the railings and hatch sliders first. Then the crib boards and companionway trim. The eyebrows and scuppers will be last. After that, when March comes I'll remove the tarps and drop the mast. I will be replacing the standing rigging and redoing my mast wiring. Fixing the wind vane and adding the bird spike. I'm hoping to have everything done by 3rd week in April to launch April 29.
I counted 12 (including the v-berth insert and the behind-the-companionway cushion I shortened to be part of an athwardship queen.)
BTW, you have teak trim on you scuppers? Classy!
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Let's see: 4 in the dinette, two on the starboard settee, one for the table, one in the aisle, one in the quarterberth and two in the vee berth. That's 11. Maybe there's another one bopping around somewhere?
I think the "aisle" cushion Bruce speaks of was originally the centerline quarterberth cushion--I had it shortened to fit over the aisle to make a queen-sized berth in the dinette salon. We never imagined having two people sleep in the quarterberth, and used that narrow space under the cockpit sole and behind the companionway steps for storage. But I think he's forgotten the v-berth insert, which I don't think we ever used but I'm sure I passed along to the folks he bought Passage from.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Regarding teak, I have been using only teak oil for a decade now. Every spring I scrub the teak, let ti dry, and apply teak oil. This has worked fine for my typical May through September season with the color lasting. I have it down that I can do the spring cleaning in @2-3hours (I prefer rainy days for this task) and application takes @30 min. Overall I like the appearance more than Cetol, but that is personal preference, and having owned wooden boats for years I know how much of a pain maintaining varnish can be. Regarding the cushions, I would get a quote from an upholstery cleaner: one false move could damage them! Both great projects.
Peter Bigelow C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick Rowayton, Ct Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT
Peter, I'm working on removing the old Cetol from the brightwork and a stiff wire brush and a sanding block seem to be working slowly but ok. I could use my electric sander but it's only good for larger flat areas, not too good in the curves or crevices. I was watching Louis Sauzzade's "Tips from a Shipwright" videos on YouTube where he uses a heat gun and a pull-type paint scraper to remove the old finish from mahogany inwales. He also dragged a box cutter blade perpendicular across the surface to scrape the finish off another area. Slow. I like the idea of teak oil for most of the boat. Maybe the companionway boards will be Cetol. A friend of mine with a Fortier 26 uses Semco and has done for 30+ years. Swears by it.
On the cushion covers I've washed and rinsed them all, and they've brightened up considerably. Used Shout for the spots and Resolve for general cleaning. The foam is going to go provided my local Joanne's Fabrics has 36" x 4" foam by the yard. Also need 2.5" foam for the seat backs. The originals also had some batting on top of the foam to make the cushions firmer. I'll see whether the fabric shop has some more of that.
Actually, the fiber batting was to make the cushions softer to the touch, while the foam was medium-density and an inch thicker than the originals for support when lying on them. This was recommended by the upholstery shop in Norwalk that made them--Royal Auto and Boat... They could be a source for the foam and batting if you don't find it closer to you. They'll probably cut it to replicate what you have, including the beveled sides on some pieces, if you want. They were good folks to work with--wish I could remember the owner's name.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Dave, That's good info to have. I spent some time on Saturday looking for foam and so visited two well-known fabric shops in our So CT area. I did find 2", 3" and 4" foam, however it was not as dense or nice as the original automotive interior materials you had purchased back in the day. I also expected a 36" width since I had calculated the cuts based on that. Turned out to be 24" which would have caused a great deal of waste. At the moment I am looking to replace 9 cushions (I have put the Vee Berth cushions away). I estimated it would cost 10 yds of 4" @ $50-per and 5 yds of 2" at $35-per or about $700 with tax for sub par materials. I might just give Royal Auto a call tomorrow. Of course (and you could have predicted this...) so what's so wrong with the original foam? Not much, except it smells musty and funky having spent 15 years on a boat. I wonder whether a combination of chlorine bleach spray, Febreeze and airing them out for a few months would eliminate the smell?
So I did some research with Royal Auto and Boat and asked whether I should either try to deodorize the musty smell or go ahead and replace the cushions... The spokesperson said you could use dilute bleach and Febreze however it's possible the smell would come back when the cushions are out on the boat and in the elements. They advised to replace the cushion foam provided the covers are in good shape. I decided I'd give it a go with deodorizing and if they get musty again, I'll bring the cushions in for a quote. I've got some dry-cleaner bags that should be able to cover the cushions on the inside before I put them inside covers. If that will keep the dampness out, perhaps I've got a good solution. If I wrap the batting over the dry cleaner bags, the cushions should feel right to the touch.
my daughter spilled milk on my car seats witch soaked right through the perforated cover an into the foam. spoiled milk smell for weeks. the only way i could clear it was by puoring in diluted bleach, and vacuuming bask out with a shop vac.
I have used tea tree oil to get rid of the musty smell in the foam. I was making new covers anyway so I removed them and threw them away. Then I dump some tea tree oil in a bathtub full of water and then let the foam soak for a while. Stomp them down to make sure they really get washed out well. Wring them out to help get them dry. The smaller ones I put in the washing machine and just set ran them on the spin cycle to dry. Just a warning the tea tree oil is pretty strong smelling at first, but it smells much better than the mold/mildew smell. Eventually the tea tree oil smell faded and the mildew smell was gone. I know it sounds weird. It was something I read somewhere and I was pretty skeptical but when I bought this boat it was pretty bad inside. Honestly, I just figured I did not have much to lose. If it did not work I was going to have to replace the foam anyway. Probably the hardest part was getting the foam dried out again once it was saturated. I was able to salvage almost all of my foam.
I have also used the tea tree oil mixed with water in a spray bottle to spray the inside of the boat when you have mildew growing inside.
My current boat had been sitting for a while with one window leaking and a leak in the quarter berth and so it was wet down below. In Florida it does not take long for that to translate into a pretty serious mold issue.
Also Sailrite sells plastic to wrap the foam. It is called cushion wrap silk film. It is relatively inexpensive and comes in a roll.
Tea tree oil is very popular. My daughter uses it and often it can be overpowering. I guess in that way you'd never smell anything much else. But over time it does fade and if it eliminates the musty odor that's good. I'm definitely going to check out plastic wrap over the foam. Meanwhile I've been sanding the teak and kicking up some dust. The shop vac works great. But I noticed some dark spots on the teak. Some folks use "teak renew" formulas to clean or bleach the materials. On an out of the way spot I hit the teak with Tung oil. Looks beautiful even with the dark spots - everything became uniform looking. Do I need to do anything to prep the teak other than clean off the sawdust with a tack cloth? I plan to use Tung Oil to oil the wood then overtop it with Cetol Marine Natural, the uncolored Cetol. Last time I used the colored Cetol, while it darkened the wood (undesired), it protected for 3-4 years! If the combo works, I'll get the look I want of Tung oil with the wear of Cetol. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Not a pro on this but I would check and make sure that the Cetol will "adhere" over the Tung Oil. Some surface finishes need a dry base and do not work well going over oil covered surfaces.
Peter Bigelow C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick Rowayton, Ct Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT
Not a pro either but Cetol is a synthetic wood Finish that according to them should be applied over sanded, Clean wood. I don't think I would apply it over oil. I also don't see any advantage to it.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.