[Alberg30] Advice on Restoring Gunwhales, Lazarettes, Hatches

[C.B. Currier]

Advice on Restoring Gunwhales, Lazarettes, HatchesHaving Grown up on Wooden
boats & now owning 2 different but aged Alberg 30's, I would suggest the
following ( which I am adhering to myself).
1. My Aunt owned my previous boat #57 Infinity which has the thick deep teak
rails and seats. The wood is beautiful. My aunt used to Varnish it. Tons of
annual maintenance went into finishing it every year.
    If I continued to varnish I would only use captains varnish ( i'm a
sucker for the traditional), the biggest pain but the best finish there is.
Remove using a heat gun & scraper. Skip the sander, that only removes you
skin faster. Actually the sanders work but not to the extent that the heat
gun does. Sand afterwards if need be.
2.My second boat has the newer teak jobs where there is thin amounts of teak
screwed in but not too difficult to pull and replace. If you choose to
replace do so only where you have to or where there are leaks (so you can
caulk). The newer boats had fibergalss seats so little teak to mess with.

Regardless of teak on or off if you have to remove the old varnish use the
heat gun It will also help to get it out from between the grains. Sanding
won't.

Either way, bowing to my wifes desire to have the real teak look we opted
for oil. We now cleaned the teak this spring with bleach & soapy (detegent)
water. You may also use a power washer, which does an awesome job, but watch
out for taking off too much teak. Then upon clean and dry we oiled the teak
with teak oil from west marine. Stuff looks great. Little maintenance
(During the summer oil once a month to keep it looking good). And thats it.

The teak keeps up on its own. No need for too much work.

C.B. Currier
Infinity #57
Daybreak #458
  -----Original Message-----
  From: public-list-admin at alberg30.org
[mailto:public-list-admin at alberg30.org]On Behalf Of Hansen, Richard LTC
OF-TF
  Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 10:03 AM
  To: public-list at alberg30.org
  Subject: [Alberg30] Advice on Restoring Gunwhales, Lazarettes, Hatches


  Task:  Restore the original woodwork on Sunspur, 235 (1967); badly needs
it.  Teak appears dry, grey, and worn as it could be (no splits yet).
Proximity/availability to boat suggests removal of trim.

  Basic question:   Is it advisable or not advisable to remove various
pieces to better facilitate restoration? Thought about removing all BUT the
toe rail (gunwhales, stern hatch, lazarette seats, companionway
hatch/rails).

  Detailed questions:
  1. At the risk of inciting internet civil war, I'll ask if the
age/condition of the teak suggest oil treatment vs. varnish?

  2. Gunwhales - I see 7-8 horizontal screws and 2 into the cabin, but there
is a teak quarter round on the outside.  No apparent thru-hulls so I presume
that 1/4 rd rail attaches to gunwhale not glass?

  3. Lazarette seats - Would appear to be easier to disassemble seat with
hinge attached, i.e., remove screws attaching it to glass?

  4. Companion Hatch - four metal retaining plates are a bear to access
tighten untighten, whats the secret?

  Would appreciate any advice/experience you can pass along.  I routinely
underestimate dissassembly/assembly jobs, and find out afterward that I
should have just fixed in place.  Your thoughts?



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