I’m removing the varnish from all exterior teak trim and have a few spots where the trim is not tight against the fiber glass. I do not plan to varnish but will sand, wash and then may go natural or use an oil. What should I use to seal the tiny gaps between the teak and fiber glass?
Dan,
I removed the entire eyebrow on my previous N26 some years ago (replaced it with synthetic teak).
The sealant appeared to be some silicone-like material that was very stubbornly adhesive to the cabintop, not so adhesive to the teak, and dry and brittle in most places. I’m not sure what can be forced into those gaps that will stick.
It seemed to be there more for cosmetic purposes. It’s caulking at the screw holes which matters most.
Judging by the pictures, your eyebrow is not as far gone as mine was, but is on it’s way. One of the reasons I replaced it was that sanding had taken the screw hole bungs down to the point where they no longer stuck in place. Looking at your first picture, yours are close to having the same problem. Sand carefully.
– Bob
Hey Dan, I just removed all the teak from our classic 30 for refit. It was stuck on with the same thing Bob mentions - a silicone caulk of some kind. I’d consider a sandable/paintable caulk to fill that gap, maybe even a similar coloured one. Alternatively you may be able to take that bung out and retighten the screw.
Dan-
I think most of our boats have had (or have) this situation- mine does. Based on when the boats were built, I think it might be polysulfide (BoatLife is a popular brand). It is a great product for its intended use, but it does get less flexible over time. I like the aesthetic of the eyebrow, but its shape doesn’t deflect water away from the cabin side to help keep it stain-free. I’m looking at getting a custom-shaped cutter to make an overlay of synthetic teak, or one to replace the whole eyebrow with a drip-edge shape. Its an over-winter project, but I’ll post my choice here when I get to it. As far as going natural or oil… lots of opinions on that. I’m in the Northeast, so I just spot-fix (6 coats) and put two coats of varnish on each year before the season. You really need many coats to protect the wood (which degrades with UV exposure far faster than varnish).
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Thanks for the responses. I’m using a heat gun to remove the varnish. It comes off much easier on the bow areas than stern areas; the varnish on the underside of the eyebrow is nearly falling off while the top side is much more intact and also thicker. I’m leaning to oil since at my and the boats age, quarterly oiling is more appealing that multi-coats of varnish.