Cleaning teak - will cleaner damage gelcoat?

[Joe L.]

First of all, thank you for putting up with all of my questions!

I am using One-Step Teak Cleaner and Brightener to clean the toe rail on my CD25, the directions say to avoid contact with the gelcoat. But since I'm cleaning the toe rail, it's going to be pretty hard not to get the stuff on the gelcoat (it's some kind of acid). If I wet down the gelcoat and rinse the stuff off right away, will it be OK? Or do I need to tape and cover all the gelcoat around the whole toe rail before I start this process?

Probably a stupid question, but if anyone has any experience using this stuff, I'd appreciate your opinion.

Thank you

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI



jl0246@alpha.rwu.edu

[Eric]

I'd take the warning seriously and tape/be careful. Are you sure you want to use teak clearner, though? Have you sanded first? I think anything that harsh should be considered a last resort if you can't get the results you want through sanding and a mild bleach mix.

ew

First of all, thank you for putting up with all of my questions!

I am using One-Step Teak Cleaner and Brightener to clean the toe rail on my CD25, the directions say to avoid contact with the gelcoat. But since I'm cleaning the toe rail, it's going to be pretty hard not to get the stuff on the gelcoat (it's some kind of acid). If I wet down the gelcoat and rinse the stuff off right away, will it be OK? Or do I need to tape and cover all the gelcoat around the whole toe rail before I start this process?

Probably a stupid question, but if anyone has any experience using this stuff, I'd appreciate your opinion.

Thank you

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

[Joe L.]

It's what the guy at West Marine told me to use. The rest of the teak is varnished, the previous owner was going to do the toe rail this year - but he moved and I bought the boat. The wood is very gray and rough to the touch. I mainly just want to protect it until I varnish it or, more likely, apply Cetol (next year). West Marine told me to use this cleaner and then apply the oil. Do you think it would be ok to just apply the oil for this year so that the wood is protected and skip the cleaner?

Thanks again,

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

I'd take the warning seriously and tape/be careful. Are you sure you want to use teak clearner, though? Have you sanded first? I think anything that harsh should be considered a last resort if you can't get the results you want through sanding and a mild bleach mix.

ew

First of all, thank you for putting up with all of my questions!

I am using One-Step Teak Cleaner and Brightener to clean the toe rail on my CD25, the directions say to avoid contact with the gelcoat. But since I'm cleaning the toe rail, it's going to be pretty hard not to get the stuff on the gelcoat (it's some kind of acid). If I wet down the gelcoat and rinse the stuff off right away, will it be OK? Or do I need to tape and cover all the gelcoat around the whole toe rail before I start this process?

Probably a stupid question, but if anyone has any experience using this stuff, I'd appreciate your opinion.

Thank you

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

jl0246@alpha.rwu.edu

[Eric]

Well. I'd sand before doing anything. If you put oil or cetol or whatever on there now you wil just have to work that much harder to get it out next year, or whenever you decide to attack the toe rails.

I'd use a medium-grit paper and see if you can get past the gray without killing yourself. Then go over it again with someting more fine (200-plus grit). there is always the option of doing nothing, which might be better than applying acid so you can put down oil that will have to be sanded out later.

ew

It's what the guy at West Marine told me to use. The rest of the teak is varnished, the previous owner was going to do the toe rail this year - but he moved and I bought the boat. The wood is very gray and rough to the touch. I mainly just want to protect it until I varnish it or, more likely, apply Cetol (next year). West Marine told me to use this cleaner and then apply the oil. Do you think it would be ok to just apply the oil for this year so that the wood is protected and skip the cleaner?

Thanks again,

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

I'd take the warning seriously and tape/be careful. Are you sure you want to use teak clearner, though? Have you sanded first? I think anything that harsh should be considered a last resort if you can't get the results you want through sanding and a mild bleach mix.

ew

First of all, thank you for putting up with all of my questions!

I am using One-Step Teak Cleaner and Brightener to clean the toe rail on my CD25, the directions say to avoid contact with the gelcoat. But since I'm cleaning the toe rail, it's going to be pretty hard not to get the stuff on the gelcoat (it's some kind of acid). If I wet down the gelcoat and rinse the stuff off right away, will it be OK? Or do I need to tape and cover all the gelcoat around the whole toe rail before I start this process?

Probably a stupid question, but if anyone has any experience using this stuff, I'd appreciate your opinion.

Thank you

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

[Bonnie Gilmore]

Joe - as a former CD owner who now owns a Hans Christian 43 with mega teak, I think I can safely say I'm experienced, if not an expert. I use the 2-step teak cleaner and brightener on all our teak. I have never experienced any damage to the gel coat, and in order to really get the dirt up, particularly on teak decks, you have to be brutal and it's a sloppy job. I try and use common sense, and not let the cleaner or brightener stay on the gel coat too long, but I'm not fanatical about it. Most importantly, rinse, rinse, and then rinse again before you apply the brightener. I know there are many proponents of oil, but if you want to Cetol or varnish later, its very hard to get the icky-sticky oil gunk off and have a truly clean surface. I'd recommend going 'natural' until you can do the brightwork.



bgilmore@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us

[Joe L.]

Bonnie, both you and Eric suggest that I have the option of doing nothing to the wood this year. If it won't be damaged by doing nothing, that's the option that I will choose. Next year I'd like to varnish or Cetol the toe rail - not that I have a preference for varnish over oil, I'd do it just so it will match the rest of the teak which is highly varnished. I didn't think about having to remove the oil - thanks for pointing that out.

So unless someone tells me that the sun and water will damage the toe rail if I wait until next year to varnish, then I think I will skip the process this year.

Thank you both.

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI



jl0246@alpha.rwu.edu

[Eric]

The sun will damage your unprotected toe rail, but if it's already rough and gray, it probaly has been exposed for several years. I'd guess another one will not change a whole lot. That's not to say you should just let it go. Eventually it will get so dried and cracked that it will be beyond recovery.

ew

Bonnie, both you and Eric suggest that I have the option of doing nothing to the wood this year. If it won't be damaged by doing nothing, that's the option that I will choose. Next year I'd like to varnish or Cetol the toe rail - not that I have a preference for varnish over oil, I'd do it just so it will match the rest of the teak which is highly varnished. I didn't think about having to remove the oil - thanks for pointing that out.

So unless someone tells me that the sun and water will damage the toe rail if I wait until next year to varnish, then I think I will skip the process this year.

Thank you both.

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

[Catherine Monaghan]

Joel,

Is RI experiencing a drought like we are in NJ? We're under mandatory water restrictions, (no washing your car or watering the lawn, etc.). If RI is also a drought area, this year you may want to forego the teak cleaner and sand your teak -- just a thought.

Cathy
CD32 <a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/bcomet/real ... ization</a>, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

First of all, thank you for putting up with all of my questions!

I am using One-Step Teak Cleaner and Brightener to clean the toe rail on my CD25, the directions say to avoid contact with the gelcoat. But since I'm cleaning the toe rail, it's going to be pretty hard not to get the stuff on the gelcoat (it's some kind of acid). If I wet down the gelcoat and rinse the stuff off right away, will it be OK? Or do I need to tape and cover all the gelcoat around the whole toe rail before I start this process?

Probably a stupid question, but if anyone has any experience using this stuff, I'd appreciate your opinion.

Thank you

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

catherine_monaghanNOSPAM@merck.com

[Dale W.]

You've gotten pretty good advice and certainly enough to keep you out of trouble. A couple of small things might help:

- Go ahead and scrub the wood with a good stiff brush and a clorox / water mix (some boat soap or dish detergent won't hurt.

- While it's still wet, go ahead with you expensive cleaner stuff.

- Rinse thoroughly (even use the scrub brush as you hose it down.)

- You can probably leave it alone, but if you want to feel better and not confound future Cetol or varnishing, check out the old product "SEMCO". Get the type with the least color to it. It will seal and provide decent protection to the wood. It dries to a 'freshly sanded, natural' appearance.

- When the time comes to put a bright finish, scrub with the clorox and water, rinse, dry, wipe down with mineral spirits and apply the Cetol.





majortest@earthlink.net

[Dave Davis]

I'm not a Cape Dory owner, my experience is w/a teak laden cruising boat in Hawaii and a little catboat on the Chesapeake. Does an almost bought CD-26 count?

We make it a policy to only varnish pieces that can be taken off to be worked. That means our caprails, eyebrow, and handrails on the current boat are left to weather; the big boat had teak decks also left to weather. Oil seems to just attract grunge, varnish looks great until it starts to go, and then what a job to get it back!

For our silver weathered teak, the best advice we ever got was to never touch the teak with a stiff bristle brush (tears out the soft wood) and to clean with salt water every week (we use washcloths or sometimes just a swab), perhaps a little dish detergent in it. This policy worked beautifully on the teak decks, and now results in clean (but silver) teak pieces on the catboat. It's not "no" maintenance, but a weekly slush with salt water sure beats days of sanding/acid cleaning/weekly touch ups. Of course, when I look at my varnished tiller and then at the caprail I'm tempted--but then it's time to go for a sail.

Fair winds/Dave



ddavis@nablc.navy.mil

[Ed K]

Hi Joe

I have used one step cleaner and then premium gold teak oil on my 15 ft Pt. Jude (great little boat and for sale now - we just got our CD25 ) for years. I just love the look of oiled teak and have found that with a good cleaning springf and fall and a couple of light applications during the summer it looks great and the wood is protected. My wife and I just cleaned CAROLYN's teak and it looks great. There are 4 CD's lined up at the marina a 22(?) mine, and 2 other 25's. one of the 25's has cetol, probably too many coats, and it is orange and looks lousy imho. The other I think has been natural for years and the cocpit coamings are split, cracked and missing a piece. Hey any wood, even teak, will dry out and crack! Mine had been left alone for about 2 years.
Sorry to go so far afield. keep the gelcoat wet and rinse well and you wont have any problem with the cleaner. Oiling the teak is one of those mindless jobs that can absorb you and can be maintained a little at a time at the end of a sail, protects your wood and looks terrific. Go light with the coats and rub it off before it dries. Did I mention I love how it looks?



ekillian@eznet.net