SEMCO teak sealer

[Paul]

Has anybody had any experience using Semco teak sealers? They make three different versions: clear, natural, gold. I'm interested because I'm looking for something temporary for about six months that will protect the teak until I get the time to do a brightwork job.

I'm also wondering about Starbrites "Tropical Teak Sealer". I don't want to use anything like Cetol or Deks Ole, Armada etc. because then I'll have to much work stripping it off in a few months. I live in a southern climate so teak oil is out of the question because of its tendency to escalate mold and mildew formation on the wood. I'm interested in just simple sealers that will basically preserve the teak and yet not require stripping or hard cleaning to remove prior to doing a brightwork job on the teak. Any and all suggestions and comments on your own experiences welcome. Thanks

[Tom Foley]

It will take a little time but the best way to go is sand the wood, clean with tsp and whiten with oxalic acid. Then 3 coats of Cetol. After that its one coat of cetol per year and no further removal. I recently bought a CD25 with black teak. It two weeks of work but it was worth it. In the future it will be 2-3 hours per year.

Has anybody had any experience using Semco teak sealers? They make three different versions: clear, natural, gold. I'm interested because I'm looking for something temporary for about six months that will protect the teak until I get the time to do a brightwork job.

I'm also wondering about Starbrites "Tropical Teak Sealer". I don't want to use anything like Cetol or Deks Ole, Armada etc. because then I'll have to much work stripping it off in a few months. I live in a southern climate so teak oil is out of the question because of its tendency to escalate mold and mildew formation on the wood. I'm interested in just simple sealers that will basically preserve the teak and yet not require stripping or hard cleaning to remove prior to doing a brightwork job on the teak. Any and all suggestions and comments on your own experiences welcome. Thanks

alewifehouse@mainecoast.net

[Ron Musk]

Has anybody had any experience using Semco teak sealers? They make three different versions: clear, natural, gold. I'm interested because I'm looking for something temporary for about six months that will protect the teak until I get the time to do a brightwork job.

I'm also wondering about Starbrites "Tropical Teak Sealer". I don't want to use anything like Cetol or Deks Ole, Armada etc. because then I'll have to much work stripping it off in a few months. I live in a southern climate so teak oil is out of the question because of its tendency to escalate mold and mildew formation on the wood. I'm interested in just simple sealers that will basically preserve the teak and yet not require stripping or hard cleaning to remove prior to doing a brightwork job on the teak. Any and all suggestions and comments on your own experiences welcome. Thanks

I have to Agree with Tom,The product your looking for does not exist.I refinished the teak on our CD25 when we got her a few years ago,also was black.Its not that bad a job- Bleach,sand and refinish.Took me a weekend to get 4 coats on,easy to touch up (Cetol)and maintain yearly.Also have heard Armada is similar but has a warmer more varnished-like look.Good luck, RFM



ccerre@massed.net

[Paul]

It will take a little time but the best way to go is sand the wood, clean with tsp and whiten with oxalic acid. Then 3 coats of Cetol. After that its one coat of cetol per year and no further removal. I recently bought a CD25 with black teak. It two weeks of work but it was worth it. In the future it will be 2-3 hours per year.

Tom...... thanks for your feedback but I'm already very familiar with the cleaning and brightening techniques of teak, which will be employed when I do the brightwork job. Like I said in my post I'm not at all interested in a hard finish like Cetol or Armada at this point in time. I want to know what experience people have had with basic sealers like Semco or Starbrite Tropical Sealer or Tip Top Teak Sealer. I'm not interested in oils unless they contain a mildewcide. Sealers are better. If anyone has worked with Semco or the others I'd like to hear your feedback.
Thanks everyone.

[john churchill]

when i got my boat it was not just black, but green also where algae was growing on the filth. does it get worse? i scrubbed with dish detergent and one of the green scrub pad/yellow sponge things, then applied 2 "coats" of semco natural. it goes on like water and seems pretty nontoxic. the natural has a yellowish pigment in it that looks ok. it stayed pretty clean for about 6 months before requiring another redo. it goes quick and easy, you may decide not to do a brightwork job after all. i, for one, do not find the cetol type products appealing except from afar and cannot see doing varnish.
john churchill



jchurchill@erols.com

[Ed Roberts]

I used Semco natural for a number of years. Easy to apply (spills wipe up from fiberglas very easily). However, found its life quite short - 3 or 4 months, then reapply. However, in your situation I am not sure but that you may have a problem getting the last traces of it out of the grain and pores of the teak. The product seems to be a pigment in a vehicle that is not much more than a thinner. I don't know what the CLEAR is like - seems to me would be ineffective, but don't know. But clear might be your best bet to try for your temporary protection.



edwardroberts@sprintmail.com

[Don Sargeant]

Paul,
Having had a boat with mahogany trim for 25 years I got sick of varnishing, hate the look of Cetol (although I saw one this weekend that looked pretty nice), and tried Amazon 55 oil. The boat looked absolutely beautiful but the teak turned black, of course, after two months. I searched the web and found a product called TeakGuard. So far it has been outstanding. The resulting color is like freshly sanded wood -- maybe a little more golden, the finish after two coats has a slight sheen. Three coats is supposed to be a little shinier. It's a water-based polymer and is reported to be removeable with any regular teak cleaner. It is very easy to apply and spills are easily removed with laquer thinner. I think I like it. Check marinestore.com for more info.
I almost bought a boat finished with SEMCO. The color was too yellow for my taste, the surface flat -- no sheen or shine. The owner was very proud of it -- he used half natural and half gold.

Don Sargeant
~~COQUINA~~
CD25D #189
Greenwich Cove

Has anybody had any experience using Semco teak sealers? They make three different versions: clear, natural, gold. I'm interested because I'm looking for something temporary for about six months that will protect the teak until I get the time to do a brightwork job.

I'm also wondering about Starbrites "Tropical Teak Sealer". I don't want to use anything like Cetol or Deks Ole, Armada etc. because then I'll have to much work stripping it off in a few months. I live in a southern climate so teak oil is out of the question because of its tendency to escalate mold and mildew formation on the wood. I'm interested in just simple sealers that will basically preserve the teak and yet not require stripping or hard cleaning to remove prior to doing a brightwork job on the teak. Any and all suggestions and comments on your own experiences welcome. Thanks

do@cliggott.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Paul,

I sanded all the teak on Hanalei this summer and finished by oiling it! When I was doing it, I was thinking of adding a mildewcide that is available from a paint store that is commonly used in house siding stains. What do you all think of this idea? The teak on Hanalei looks great, but it is starting to show spotty black streaks where the mildew is beginning. Be interested to hear what ya all think....

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30