Quality of gelcoat and Cetol paintwork

[Martijn]

As it turns out varnishing over Deks Olje is not a problem, see http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?173126-Painting-over-Deks-Olje

and according to the Owatrol website:

Because of the penetrating qualities of D1 and therefore the protection it offers to timber it makes an ideal primer for single pack paints and especially those used below the waterline. These paints must have mineral spirit stated as clean up in order to avoid any possible reaction with the D1

[Matthew P]

Has anyone experience of synthetic hardwood made from plastic for non-load bearing parts such as rubbing strips, gunwale caps etc?
 
See for example  https://www.kedel.co.uk/product/recycled-plastic-wood-38-x-22mm-batten-gate-stop/

Might not look quite so classy as original teak but many advantages - maintenance free, less environmental impact (especially if recycled), less material cost?

Plastic decks are now common and look OK.

Perhaps Swallow Yachts might offer synthetic wood as an option?

Matthew
BR20 Gladys

[Peter Cockerton]

Made decision this morning to ask Matt to consider a request to us Deks product, unfortunately the hull is ready to be shipped to the UK and the gunwales and rubbing strip are already treated with Cetol, disappointed on the one hand but pleased that my boat is nearer to being finished.

Thanks for all your advise on this and perhaps when the woodwork gets scruffy and dark I can consider taking it back to bare wood and using the Deks product.

Peter C

[Peter T]

I will let you know how I get on with the Deks Peter.

Matthew

I wonder what the plastic hardwood would look like once it has been scuffed.  It says fine scratches can be removed with wire wool and WD40.  What if the damage is greater?  With timber you can sand and re-treat but sanding the plastic is just releasing micro-plastics into the air or water so it seems you are exchanging one environmental impact for another.  Perhaps better to plant more Teak trees.  Not here of course as it is a tropical hardwood, or at least not until conditions are more suitable.  Perhaps next year then.

[Rob Johnstone]

We could club together and start some saplings off now, under a polytunnel with a hydroponic watering system (Tim of Ristie could provide technical advice). By the time they are too big for the tunnel, the climate will probably support them.
Perhaps we should suggest the idea to Matt as a carbon offset project?

[Martijn]

I wouldn't mind owning an all-teak version of the BC23.
I wonder how much it would set you back these days, I would probably have to sell the house....

[Mikecambray]

My Drascombe Coaster had Burgess Woodsealer on Gunwhales and Transom.  It proved extremely easy to maintain with a brush or rag to apply a new coat every year or so.

Juno's woodwork (Sweet Chestnut, light in colour) was rubbed down by Mark Batey (previous owner) and Deksolje applied in 2018.  It looks good but there were a few wear points down to bare wood where lines had chafed on the gunwhales and a fender had rubbed the strake amidships.  I applied Saturator 1 and then two coats of Deksolje 2 mid season and it still looks good (allow 5 days drying/hardening time!!).  It is a soft finish however so I have made chafe protectors (drainpipe cut in half!) for the points where the lines cross the gunwhales.  So far so good, and if I can continue to prevent the chafing I am hoping to get away with just a re-coat of Deksolje 2 each season.

My tiller, which looks like pine/spruce....) needs re-varnishing so I'm plucking up courage to take it off and remove all the fittings before sanding down and varnishing.

[Peter T]

Mike

Good to know that the Deks has worked well on Juno.  The Sweet Chestnut timber on your boat always looks rather good in the videos and photos.

Rob
I believe that the Spirit 50CR is built from a softwood timber called lignea which once dried is impregnated with resin after which it then effectively becomes a hard wood that looks like teak and has a 60-year rot guarantee.  Very sustainable apparently and grown in the exotic rain forests of Wales.  Growing the teak in poly tunnels sounds like a good idea as well though!