Teak Hand Rails?

[Pete]

The hand rails on our 48 LRC, laminated varnished teak, are once again at the time where major service is required. Areas where the varnish has cracked and mildew is under the varnish is several spots. So, if I did as in the past, off the teak would come, strip down to the bare wood and start the varnish process over again. And for the teak rail portions that can not be removed, all must be done on the boat. Lots and lots of work. Thus, this post to inquire if anyone with an LRC or MY with these rails has done something different. Anyone convert to stainless hand rails, big boat dollars!!! Or any other approaches. My main goal to to eliminate the maintenance of varnished or painted teak, plus painting them just does not appeal to me.

Thanks

Pete

 

[Boatsb]

I'm not sure where you keep her but in Florida a good varnish job can be over coated once or twice a year and last for ever. I have a few places where I have not had to strip to wood for almost 8 years. Yes there are 15 coats to start and yes I do keep it coated once a year. And I used ace hardware varnish.

My next experiment is with awlwood. I'm looking into the product for a fighting chair I'm building. If it lasts as advertised it will be good for 10 years or more.

Many of the nicer my and sailboats in the area have rail covers for all the teak and mahogany when the boats not being used. Look into that as an option.

 

[Walter P]

Teak handrails are a thing of beauty and joy forever....except when they require maintenance. The only exterior teak I have on my 1982 Series I 48 MY is the pulpit inserts and the handrails in the back. Even that will probably be replaced with stainless. All the forward teak from the wing doors forward is now replaced with 1- 1/4" 316L SS tubing. My son and I bent the tubing to correspond to the rub rail radius and used special oversize "T" fittings to attach to the posts which are also 1 1/4". The tapered transition piece which joins the SS pulpit railing was then welded to the SS part that is used to catch the teak gate. A careful welding job using 316 welding rod followed by careful grinding and polishing made it look like it was there right from the factory. This work cut my maintenance to less than half of what it was, but it's still too much for me. Hopefully we can make up SS railings for the gates and the stern to match the shape of the teak originals. Lots of work? ... you bet, but as time goes on you tend to forget the original work and delight in the finished product especially when your dock neighbors are busy redoing their teak...

Walt

PS.. I am going to learn how to post pictures one of these days. A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[SEVEN]

I would invest in a pair sunbrella rail covers. I'm having new ones made for my 53 right one, the cost is 890.00. The current covers have been on for 12 years and showing their age. That being said the varnish is also 12 years old and looks like it was just varnished. I remove the covers only when I'm vacation or on a weekend tie out. I think the cost of recoating every year would far exceed the cost of the covers. They will pay for themselves in two years.

 

[bobk]

I've posted about Cetol several times in the past. The new product is like varnish unlike the original. My job is probably 12 years now since it was wooded down by a PO. One coat per year keeps it looking great. It takes perhaps 5 oz. per coat on the hand rails of a 48MY so that's 10-15$. The rails are exposed 12 months a year in FL in the winter and the Chesapeake in the summer. The only thing I know for wood that's easier is Semco, but it is not bright.

Bobk

 

[Walter P]

I have to say it...Bob's cetol coated teak does look good and it is fairly low maintenance. I also like the idea of fabric covers but nothing beats SS for low maintenance. BTW did i mention that I like blondes.....and redheads...and brunettes. Whatever jingles your chain folks...

Walt

 

[johnjen50]

Wait a minute..............they aren't low maintenance......

 

[Boatsb]

I have to say it...Bob's cetol coated teak does look good and it is fairly low maintenance. I also like the idea of fabric covers but nothing beats SS for low maintenance. BTW did i mention that I like blondes.....and redheads...and brunettes. Whatever jingles your chain folks...

Walt

At your reported age I though blue hairs would be top of the list.

 

[bobk]

At your reported age I though blue hairs would be top of the list.

Wishful thinking on Walt's part. More like any port in a storm.

Bobk

 

[Boatsb]

Wishful thinking on Walt's part. More like any port in a storm.

Bobk

I always liked tawny port best.

 

[1jparker]

Last fall, we removed all of our handrails (even the ones aft of the gate), had them stripped and built up with 12 coats of varnish. Next, we templated and made Sunbrella covers for them. Our goal is to keep up with a coat each season as it was a huge undertaking. They look beautiful though!

I tried to drag photos to attach, but couldn't . There are photos on my page. Have a look

 

[madhat53]

The hand rails on our 48 LRC, laminated varnished teak, are once again at the time where major service is required. Areas where the varnish has cracked and mildew is under the varnish is several spots. So, if I did as in the past, off the teak would come, strip down to the bare wood and start the varnish process over again. And for the teak rail portions that can not be removed, all must be done on the boat. Lots and lots of work. Thus, this post to inquire if anyone with an LRC or MY with these rails has done something different. Anyone convert to stainless hand rails, big boat dollars!!! Or any other approaches. My main goal to to eliminate the maintenance of varnished or painted teak, plus painting them just does not appeal to me.

Thanks

Pete

We used Awlwood. You can put on 2 coats in one day as long as the first coat is dry to the touch, w/o sanding in between. It also allows for reapplying coats 1-2 years instead of 6 months. Not sure I will do 1-2 years but I like the way it went on and how it looks.

 

[dastahl]

Pete, I tried for years to keep enough varnish on the rails but I'm just too lazy. I now have sunbrella covers as much as I fought the idea.
So refinish one more time and have covers made.
Skooch
Fort Meyers Beach

 

[tjshuler]

I stripped, sanded and re-varnished with Bristol urethane varnish, probably 12 coats. Then had handrail covers made. They attached to themselves on the bottom side with velcro. Very easy to put on and take off. Never had to touch the varnish on the rails again. Years later, still looked brand new.

The only downside of the handrail covers is they make a scrumptious home for orb spiders. Solved that by schpritzing spider kill along the velcro a couple of times a year and that seemed to be pretty effective.

Have a different boat now. Step 1 is to strip and sand the hand rails. As long as the ice maker keeps functioning for beverage support I will get through this task this summer.