Teak Toe Rail Advice

[Nicholson58]

We only varnish in the cockpit & a couple of select spots such as the Dorade boxes. (Epiphanes). Bristol finish on the main hatch cover. On the rails we use TropicTeak oil & lay it on thick. This makes the inevitable re-do easy. StarBrite Tropical Teak Oil Sealer

Our thwarts are teak 1/4 inch thick planks between the deck & the bottom of the toe rail. The PO had them done with white Awl Grip. We have been working at trying to remove this partially peeling mess for 7 years. I would never paint teak. If you really want painted - replace the wood with fiberglass.

We had to replace the toe rail on port when we bought the boat. (5/4 X 3-1/2 inch) I tried bending teak & made tooth picks. I had a friend with Australian Jarrah planks.Eucalyptus marginata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Its really hard and dense with a lot of oils. It make a really nice replacement. (photo) I'm not sure it can be obtained any more in the US. Other replacement might be IPE. Both of these woods are very hard and must be cut to fit. You will not bend them.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

...I think this has already been addressed...

Actually we were addressing it when you took it OT.

I was not trying to convince Force to put his toerails back on. But was rather trying to prevent some unfortunate, inexperienced boat owner from thinking this is a safe thing to do, to throw away his toerails in order to eliminate the maintenance.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

...I would never paint teak. If you really want painted - replace the wood with fiberglass...

What has worked well for a few cruisers i know was to apply a paint job directly over a well maintained varnish job, so the paint could never get into the grain, but lie only on the surface of the varnish. When they returned from cruising in the tropics, the paint was stripped off and the rails easily re-varnished.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by chouliha

Leaving the teak bare will in time erode the wood to almost nothing.

What would be the time frame for its disintegration?

I'm keeping mine untreated for now as my on the water season is only about 5 months and short as it is it does not make any sense for me to deal with weeks worth of teak oiling, varnishing, etc. I figured by the time it is gone a) I'll either would not care, b) the boat will be sold or c) I will replace the teak with latest composite alternatives.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Actually we were addressing it when you took it OT.

I was not trying to convince Force to put his toerails back on. But was rather trying to prevent some unfortunate, inexperienced boat owner from thinking this is a safe thing to do, to throw away his toerails in order to eliminate the maintenance.

Fair enough!

[rognvald]

B,
In answer to your original question, after sanding to a bare finish, take a 50/50 solution of bleach/water and paint the dark spots(mold) with a small tempera brush. This is best accomplished in the direct sunlight as you can paint numerous applications during the day before rinsing the entire toe rail with fresh water and allowing to dry. The black spots will disappear when the mold has been killed. If it remains black after the treatment, it is probably rot, although, unlikely unless it has been very badly neglected. Your choice of coverings are endless, as described above, but we used the two part Cetol Marine and Gloss as recommended in their instructions. We applied 3 coats of the Cetol
Clear on the initial two coats of the stain and then followed with a maintenance coat every six months thereafter by washing the rail with a 3M medium pad and soapy water(dishsoap) and then a finish coat of clear applied with a foam brush. It lasted 10 years in the tropics, in bristol condition, until we returned to the Great Lakes where it began to disintegrate--largely due to the great temperature disparity between sailing season and storage(Summer/Winter), tarping during the Winter which increases humidity and descreases air flow and time between maintenance coats. Hope this helps. Good luck and good sailing.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

................................ But was rather trying to prevent some unfortunate, inexperienced boat owner from thinking this is a safe thing to do, to throw away his toerails in order to eliminate the maintenance.

To continue in the interest of safety, I should repeat that I added a third life line strung at the base of my stanchions about an inch & a half off the deck. This had been a dacron line, but it's temprarily off. I'm replacing it with dynema before I'm out cruising again. I'm in the middle of several refit projects now,- new windscreen and new anchor davits.

I'm still pleased with ditching my toe rails many years ago and I'll admit that they are gone because they were teak. I would have kept them if they were aluminum rails. I also might have kept them if I had a boat with a more trditional classic design instead of my "chlorox bottle" that I love.

Terra Nova makes a good point about safety. I'm always making choices. I don't clip onto a jackline and wear a teather with an offshore vest if I'm with other crew and on a calm day. I have the triple lifelines with one at the deck and a club foot as will as hand rails forward.

I'd still suggest that someone could ditch their toe rails, but not unless they have a plan that replaces them for safety. For me, brightwork means unjustified labor and not safety. Get the aluminum perforated rails!

[BLACKBIRD1]

To everyone, after the heat gun, and fien multipurpose, set to sand,,i went with SEMCO after 3 coats im stoked, the heat gun was the answer, killed the nasty varnish residue port side done starboard, as soon as weather allows ,,pictures to follow

[Scout 30]

Everyone's stoked when they first put it on.

[Scout 30]

I sincerely hope no one reads these posts & thinks that removing toe rails makes sense. They are a critical safety feature. Replacing them with a line tied to your stanchions is a recipe for disaster.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I sincerely hope no one reads these posts & thinks that removing toe rails makes sense. They are a critical safety feature. Replacing them with a line tied to your stanchions is a recipe for disaster.

.... and what is the verdict for the very expensive Alerion 41 which is marketed with toe rails and no lifelines?

The lifelines are a critical safety feature unless their absence is accounted for by employing alternate safety means and procedures.

By all means be safe and don't remove you toe rail.... or your jackline.... teathers.... netting..... dry suit ....... man overboard strobe light ..... personal GPS locator ...... emergency knife ..... and spotter crew ....

My point is that everyone makes choices as to what safety procedures to employ and how to wisely manage risks related to conditions. Absolutely nobody has every conceived safety tool employed.

I've made my choice with over fifty years of ocean sailing experience. Let's make a choice for caution and say that no one should think about removing their toe rails until they've sailed for at least forty years with them. I'm all for safety!

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I sincerely hope no one reads these posts & thinks that removing toe rails makes sense. They are a critical safety feature. Replacing them with a line tied to your stanchions is a recipe for disaster.

So, what about the boats that are built with no toe rails? All disasters? You could as easily say that boats without 8 inch high bulwarks are recipes for disaster... no skimpy one inch toe rails should be allowed to go to sea.

I personally prefer the perforated aluminium toe rails, but see no real issues with Hudson's practice as long as other measures are taken... as he has done.

Jim

[Scout 30]

Boats without 8" high bulwarks are recipes for disaster.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I sincerely hope no one reads these posts & thinks that removing toe rails makes sense. They are a critical safety feature. Replacing them with a line tied to your stanchions is a recipe for disaster.

Yeah, not sure about the word "disaster" though. I've slipped on deck several times in rough weather, the toerail or bulwark stopped me. It's pretty easy to go right under the mid lifeline... nearly done that too racing...

[Hudson Force]

I've never slipped under a lifeline that's one and one half inches above the deck.