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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.
Back with another update on my restoration progress. I have finished making new teak hatch boards, one new hatch board rail, The trim boards next to the companionway, the partition between the galley and the saloon and finally, a new dinette table.
Next up will be the sliding hatch rails. After that it will be time for the ladder. The fun just never ends.
And thanks. Also, I really enjoyed your story in the last 2 installments of the Mainsheet. Write more. There is far too little in the Mainsheet about us smaller boats. Seth, I use Helmsman Spar Varnish Polyurethane from a can. Available from Home Depot. All of my interior wood is or will be done with the polyurethane. I used Sikkens Cetol Natural Teak on the exterior wood. When I do the sliding hatch rails, I am going to switch to the polyurethane for a side by side time test. I was unhappy with the finished results from the Cetol. After following the manufacturer instructions to the T, I found the finish to be rather soft and rubbery. I waited the recommended 24 hours between coats with an outside temperature of 98-105 degrees. So we will see how the polyurethane holds up right next to the Cetol. Have a great day all.
Helmsman is what I use on the exterior wood and seems to last just as long as the higher priced brands. It is a Urethane, Not a Polyurethane. Urethanes are more flexible than Polyurethane making Urethane a better choice on wood that expands and contracts in a marine environment. Very nice woodworking by the way.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
And thanks. Also, I really enjoyed your story in the last 2 installments of the Mainsheet. Write more. There is far too little in the Mainsheet about us smaller boats. Seth, I use Helmsman Spar Varnish Polyurethane from a can. Available from Home Depot. All of my interior wood is or will be done with the polyurethane. I used Sikkens Cetol Natural Teak on the exterior wood. When I do the sliding hatch rails, I am going to switch to the polyurethane for a side by side time test. I was unhappy with the finished results from the Cetol. After following the manufacturer instructions to the T, I found the finish to be rather soft and rubbery. I waited the recommended 24 hours between coats with an outside temperature of 98-105 degrees. So we will see how the polyurethane holds up right next to the Cetol. Have a great day all.
Bladeswell
Thanks, Guy! Actually those two articles were written by folks from this forum. All I did was the editing.
Thanks for the info on the varnish, Guy and Scott. I just switched from Cetol original to Helmsman Spar Urethane this year.
If you look at this article from Practical Sailor (link below and photos from the article attached), it seems that after two years Helmsman Spar Urethane maintains coating integrity almost as well as Cetol and retains gloss better. Helmsman is also initially better than Cetol. However, Cetol is indicated as being better after one year despite being worse after two years. The article indicates Cetol maintains color better, but that seems like a silly comparison, since Cetol adds color like paint while Helmsman is clear.
As far as my usage has gone, I think the only advantage Cetol provides is hiding imperfections in the wood, which of course also hides the natural characteristics of the wood. It also always annoyed me that the Cetol instructions indicated that it should not be applied in direct sunlight - hard to accomplish on a boat unless you only apply it at dawn or dusk, or on overcast days - but some folks seem to get along fine applying it in direct sunlight. The Cetol directions indicate sanding is required between coats, but some folks also seem to get along fine without sanding.
Scott is absolutely correct. It is Urethane, not polyurethane. I really need to pay closer attention to what I say or type. showing my age I guess....LoL. It is available as both a brush on or a spray can. And before anyone should ask, yes it does provide UV protection.
Please forgive me for the sidewise view. I tried to fix it and couldn't figure it out. Good catch Scott. Keep up the good work.
...The Cetol directions indicate sanding is required between coats, but some folks also seem to get along fine without sanding.
I just use a Scotchbrite pad to scuff it up without cutting through it.
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
I also chose to use scotchbrite pads between coats of Cetol. I don't know what might have gone wrong, I just know that I am unhappy with the results. Oh well........
I did 5 coats of Cetol teak after soda blasting the wood on my '74 C22 and the finish turned quite good ( no sanding between coats ) . More of a hassle removing the wood , broken screws etc.. As I understood it you can get by with one coat a year after that without removing the wood again . Sold the boat 4 months later and bought the 25 , looks like I'll have to do it again next season .
As I've mentioned quite a few times, I like Cetol for the exterior. It holds up very well for about 4 years, then I have to pull all the brightwork off the boat and sand, prep then refinish if I want good looking teak. That said, my buddy who also has a C25 in Milford Harbor had a mystery substance on his brightwork. Originally he thought it was Sikkens Cetol, but in looking further it started out with Cetol, then the PO coated the finish with clear POLYurethane. What's happening now it the finish is checking and peeling, just as poly will do when left out in the sun and rain. I also use Helmsman Spar Urethane for my tiller. I sand it lightly each year, bleach out any water stains, then recoat with Helmsman. Interior, I use teak oil for all the original wood (bulkheads, teak trim, cabinetry, etc) but I use wipe on polyurethane for my dinette table and the companionway stairs. I use poly in these two spots because rain water sometimes enters the companionway and my modified dinette table needs to resist wetness from iced drinks, cold beers, splashes and food. I use several coats of rub on poly to make sure that the coating remains very light, and does not become a thick block of poly that will curl up over time.
Bruce Ross Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032 Port Captain — Milford, CT
Looks great! That spar urethane is still a polyurethane with just a different oil to resin ratio and high amounts of UV protectors.
I used it on my tiller and it held up great 2 yrs. It did not do well on my companionway but I think I didnt let it cure long enough before water hit it. Getting it good an dry with no moisture is critical.
I was going to try the two part systems. Anyone use the interlux perfection? Any thoughts on it vs the spar
quote:Originally posted by Voyager
As I've mentioned quite a few times, I like Cetol for the exterior. It holds up very well for about 4 years, then I have to pull all the brightwork off the boat and sand, prep then refinish if I want good looking teak. That said, my buddy who also has a C25 in Milford Harbor had a mystery substance on his brightwork. Originally he thought it was Sikkens Cetol, but in looking further it started out with Cetol, then the PO coated the finish with clear POLYurethane. What's happening now it the finish is checking and peeling, just as poly will do when left out in the sun and rain. I also use Helmsman Spar Urethane for my tiller. I sand it lightly each year, bleach out any water stains, then recoat with Helmsman. Interior, I use teak oil for all the original wood (bulkheads, teak trim, cabinetry, etc) but I use wipe on polyurethane for my dinette table and the companionway stairs. I use poly in these two spots because rain water sometimes enters the companionway and my modified dinette table needs to resist wetness from iced drinks, cold beers, splashes and food. I use several coats of rub on poly to make sure that the coating remains very light, and does not become a thick block of poly that will curl up over time.
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.