Treating cockpit teak

[Stu Jackson]

Ladies & Gentlemen,

The "natural" progression of "dealing with exterior teak" usually runs like this:

--- teak oil

or

--- Nothing

--- varnish

--- cetol

--- nothing

---teak oil

--- nothing

--- varnish

--- cetol

Repeat as necessary...

Nothing much has changed in the last 25 years about this subject...

Your choice of any of the 2 million versions of "varnish."

That's for the teak outside the cockpit.

Generally cockpit teak has been suggested to be left alone, anything on it is either too slippery or discolors or both.

Good luck.

[Prairie Chicken]

Welcome to the crew!

Natural all the way! Use the cleaners & brighteners only.

Once you start applying a product to teak you'll be doing it forever, and au' natural is too beautiful to cover up.

[jamhass]

If you are in (or going to be in) Mexico, check out the local craftsmen. I used to do my own brightwork, but soon found that the local guy I use does a MUCH better job than I can do for a price that is little more than what I pay for materials ... and he uses top quality materials (epiphanes, etc).

We have found that generally a nice freshening up of the exterior teak (we don't have a lot) at the start of the season is sufficient. We call ahead and our guy has it all ready when we arrive, which means we get back on the water with minimum fuss and delay, and we don't have to tiptoe around fresh varnish either.