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I've never tried it and am kind of hesitant to use a heat source close to the fiberglass. I suppose he uses a heat gun.
I use a heat gun and scraper but before starting I mask off the adjacent fiberglass with a layer of 1.5-2in blue tape covered by two layers of regular masking tape. This insulates the fiberglass and protects it from scraper nicks.
I really like the Sandvik carbide scrapers. They are pricey but way worth it. For varnish scraping the blades last nearly forever (paint seems to wear them out). Don't use a putty knife; it's too easy to nick the wood.
Also, wear gloves with the heat gun. The gun and the scraper both get really hot.
For sealer I just use 50% diluted Epifanes or whatever varnish you plan to use for the first coat. Do use the recommended thinner rather than just mineral spirits or turpentine.
@s2sailorlis If you sand ahead and leave it. I think you should go Oil or Cetol these are essentially staining the wood any way.
If you want to go varnish I think you'd be okay sanding and using a good teak cleaner, You need to wait about a week for the wood to dry out well before varnishing. Just depends on your time table. More than 3 weeks I'd think it would start to gray.
"It is the Average Sailor, the one who will never set any records or win any major trophies, who really populates the sailing world." Ray Whitaker
"Never tell a young person that something cannot be done. God may have waited for centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing."- John Andrew Holmes
FWIW Epifanes allows you to repair the areas that have been lifted or are damaged. Some varnish will require you to strip the whole boat and start over. Cetol is a heck of lot easier however it doesn't look as polished. After 4 years of varnishing, which the admiral said she would help with if we had it professionally done the 1st time, I'm not sure if we will continue, grey is a lovely color.
Not exactly on the same wavelength at the commentators on this page...but to the best of my knowledge Susan B's teak has never been varnished. A huge advantage. When asked how I maintain the teak (to achieve that lovely ash grey appearance" I answer "nothing".
Confession: I do clean and oil the hatch boards annually - a 30 minute job.
Teak doesn't need varnish/oil, owners do, IMHO.
Dick K
CD 25D Susan B #104
Mattapoisett, MA
Fleet Captain - Northeast Fleet 2014/2015
Tempus Fugit. And not only that, it goes by fast. (Ron Vacarro 1945 - 1971)
Dick Kobayashi wrote:Not exactly on the same wavelength at the commentators on this page...but to the best of my knowledge Susan B's teak has never been varnished. A huge advantage. When asked how I maintain the teak (to achieve that lovely ash grey appearance" I answer "nothing"....
Teak doesn't need varnish/oil, owners do, IMHO.
Dick, I couldn't agree with you more, but Slainte's previous owner had just finished a complete stripping and re-Cetoling of all her teak when he sold her to us.
It looks so nice I can not be the one to let her go gray. Although as I gray who nows what will happen down the road.
It does seem to me that fresh water teak does not obtain that beautiful silver gray that I have seen on so many salt water boats.
