I have removed all the cabin sole and aft grate by the ladder in
preparation to refinish. I have tried to read as much as possible in
the archives and other sites. Since Ultimate Sole is no longer made
and Fabulon was the original finish I am leaning towards using the
Fabulon. It appears the Fabulon oil based is prefferable to water
based Fabulon and I am favoring sanding over chemical or heat gun &
scraping. Which Fabulon is prefferable? gloss, semi gloss, satin? I
am most interested in non slip and durability. Any advice would be
appreciated.
Consider “Soy Strip” to remove the old finish; yes it is made from soy beans. It works on almost all finishes except two-part finishes. It is not caustic or corrosive and cleans up with water. It is in that respect similar to “Safety Strip” which is aimed at bottom paint but that requires covering with treated paper while it works. The major advantage, beyond ease of use, is that none of the teak and holly veneer is abraded or made thinner.
Joe Tierney Allegro 1992 NS33 #64 Annapolis, MD
I have all my teak and holly flooring out, also. Very interested in all
comments. Another question is: what type of little ¼ to 3/8 inch wide by 1/8
inch thick material was used below the sole that was a cushion for the sole
on top of the floor members? Mine (1989) has gone away (through time or when
washing the floor boards). Regards, Bob Horne, Nonsuch 26C, #249. Pocasset,
MA
I thought of replacing my cabin sole so I went to the woodshop (H & L, a large teak fabricator in LA). They would cut the wood for me for $1300 if I brought in my cabin sole for patterns. The shop tech told me to look at the plywood they use before making a decision. There was about one micron of top veneer!!!. I decided to live with what I have for a while.
Phil LeVine, MeSays, Nonsuch 36#3, San Pedro, CA
Type of finish: I am not familiar with Fabulon, however with most
varnish type finishes the flattener used to create a satin finish
makes the finish softer than a gloss finish. A satin does not show the
flaws and waves in the wood as much as a gloss finish. This is purely
subjective but I think the grip with a gloss finish is somewhat better
than with a satin finish. Personally I prefer the look of a stain
finish.
Some water based finishes are actually harder than an oil finish but
they may not be as resistant to heat. Most water based finishes are
completely clear, meaning they do not provide the amber glow you get
from oil based finishes. Some water baed finishes give a bluish tinge
that gives a cold feeling. Water finishes are generally considered
safer for the environment and are much easier to clean up. They also
dry faster than oil. I believe oil based finishes are more flexible
than water based finishes so will do better on a boat where there is a
greater variation in the temperature.
Lacquers dry super fast, so attract less dust. They generally need to
be applied by spraying so are not often used except by professional
shops. They are not as durable as an oil based finish.
You have to decide what qualities appeal to you the most. I suspect
you will be happiest with an oil finish. The condition of your floor,
your skill (satin is a little easier to apply, again because it does
not highlight all the flaws in the work) and your personal preference
on the look will let you decide between satin and gloss.
Mark Powers & Nesta Davies
La Reina 26c
Burrard Ciivc Marina
Vancouver B.C.
As a point of information I called the company that owns Fabulon for tech service. I asked which Fabulon they would use. The ONLY Fabulon product I could buy in New York is the water based Fabulon Crystal (satin) and I could go to a Sherwin Williams store and they could order it for me. You can’t order direct.
John Ferrero
Puffin
1985 Ultra
Huntington, NY