I refinished the teak seating of my cockpit - 40 years old and it came back to life as if it was installed yesterday.
Failing (high gloss) varnish... it actually bubbled and blistered last season during the hottest days... the teak at times was too hot to touch. The boat having lived in Maine since 2002 obviously was not ready for the heat and humidity New Jersey can dish out... I knew this all needed to come off.
Under the failing varnish, I found dried out seam sealant - a screwdriver easily popped up small hard chunks of the stuff so project creep set in instantly. After cleaning all the seams and digging out the sand-like hardened compound from between the individual boards with a hack saw blade, here I am starting to tape off the decking before re-sealing.
Re-sealed, scraped and lightly sanded, I am applying my first coat of teak seal - amazing how it contrasts with the dry wood...
There - after the second seal coat - finished and looking very happy (both the teak and the owner)...
