More teak advice please!

[petem]

I wonder if you guys can help me. As you'll see from the photo below I now have new teak on my bathing platform however the cockpit has the original teak which is in good serviceable condition.

My plan is to give the cockpit teak a good clean (it was cleaned pre-season but has got a bit grubby with people coming and going, engine work, etc). I'm planning on using Wessex 2-part for the cockpit but I then need to pick a Semco shade to give some protection and colour consistency to the two separate areas. I do like my teak to look like it's just come out of the factory but I don't like it too stained.

I note that Semco do four shades -http://www.semco-online.com

Natural
Goldtone
Honeytone
Cleartone

Marineteak only sell "Natural" and "Honeytone". I believe JFM uses "Cleartone". I'm drawn towards "Honeytone".

So, what colour should I use? If I choose the wrong colour will it go back to the natural colour with another 2-part clean?

Pete

 

[jfm]

I'd suggest natural. Other one is bit yellow. No matter though because semco fades in 6 months and scrubs off with 2 part

 

[DougH]

Pete,
Do not use Semco In the Med.

The sun kills it within 2 days and you will have to continue recoating the deck every 2-3 days.

Wessex products for cleaning teak are first class and you can use the brightener together with sea water to give the effect you desire.

I have no experience of using Semco in the UK.

Doug

 

[Hurricane]

To get teak looking good takes time - get ready for some hard work.

 

[Portofino]

Pete I use this
View attachment 66559
I think all two parts work the same ,a cleaner first ( blue stuff ) to gently remove the grim without detergent ingredients so you don,t knacker the natural oils .Then an acid to brighten up ( Yellow )

Then the amount of time you do part 1 determines to some extent how it cleans up followed by the acid , you just add more and repeat up till it matches .Rincing the lot off between stages with fresh water .

Finally to make it last longer than "2 days " you do a third part -seal it -which is the stuff in the tin .

I,am not that bothered by the honey colour thing - how ever in June I did while in San Remo feel shamed as very other 8uggers had honey teak - € 30 later for the kit ^

View attachment 66562



Here's a recent pic , the Passerelle has faded a bit but still reasonably honey ,how ever the bathing platform lasted a month then went silver .The chap that cleans the boat did redo it ,but did not seal it and after a week of sea water it silvered .

View attachment 66561


View attachment 66563

I,lol do it again tomorrow ready for the winter lay up + seal it .

 

[petem]

It's funny, I used to use "Teak Wonder" on the old boat 18 years ago as it was what BA Peters used at the time. But nobody seems to mention it on the forum these days.

 

[rafiki_]

Pete, I tried Teak Wonder and was very disapointed. Semco is the right stuff.

 

[superheat6k]

+1 for clear tone. It has a slight colour but locks in the golden colour achieved from the Wessex cleaners. That is UK use. I have found that over two years and four applications the Semco starts to look a bit like a faded layer, so it is coming off this Autumn for a full re-application.

Although it is time consuming it is not a back ache job because once it is on the Wessex does the work. Applying the Semco is a real pleasure because it goes on easily and provides an instant result.

 

[rafiki_]

+1 for clear tone. It has a slight colour but locks in the golden colour achieved from the Wessex cleaners. That is UK use. I have found that over two years and four applications the Semco starts to look a bit like a faded layer, so it is coming off this Autumn for a full re-application.

Although it is time consuming it is not a back ache job because once it is on the Wessex does the work. Applying the Semco is a real pleasure because it goes on easily and provides an instant result.

Amen to that Trevor

 

[petem]

So reading the ads and posts above Cleartone isn't actually colourless and Natural is colourless. I'm confused but feel "analysis paralysis" coming on so will go with Cleartone as that seems to be the most popular.

 

[jfm]

So reading the ads and posts above Cleartone isn't actually colourless and Natural is colourless. I'm confused but feel "analysis paralysis" coming on so will go with Cleartone as that seems to be the most popular.

I wouldn't use clear in the med. I do because I have white caulk but you'll get a longer recoat time if you use a tinted shade.

 

[PCUK]

I've used Burgess Wood Sealer to good effect in the UK.

 

[petem]

I asked Luke (Marineteak) why he doesn't sell Cleartone as it seems to be a popular choice on the forum. This is what he said....

“Clear” Semco isn’t popular at all unfortunately – it is the “Natural” that they are talking about. The Clear is a ‘clearcoat’ which doesn’t provide any protection for UV.

“Natural” is the one that everyone uses – but many people do call it clear.

So I've ordered the "Natural". Will whack some on when I get out to Spain.

Pete

 

[superheat6k]

I will need to check but it is possible the 'shade' I use is natural rather than clear tone. I will check next time I am at the boat. I have seen a boat using the honey and it looks OK a few metres away, but a bit false up close.

 

[petem]

To get teak looking good takes time - get ready for some hard work.

Having a small boat like mine does have its compensations!

Do you have teak on your side decks Mike? It looks great but must be a real faff to keep looking great. OK if you can pay someone to do it.

 

[jfm]

I asked Luke (Marineteak) why he doesn't sell Cleartone as it seems to be a popular choice on the forum. This is what he said....

“Clear” Semco isn’t popular at all unfortunately – it is the “Natural” that they are talking about. The Clear is a ‘clearcoat’ which doesn’t provide any protection for UV.

“Natural” is the one that everyone uses – but many people do call it clear.

So I've ordered the "Natural". Will whack some on when I get out to Spain.

Pete

I'm not mixing up clear and natural. I'm recommending natural above for a black caulked boat, and I use clear myself on a white caulked boat.

 

[Marine Reflections]

I wonder if you guys can help me. As you'll see from the photo below I now have new teak on my bathing platform however the cockpit has the original teak which is in good serviceable condition.



My plan is to give the cockpit teak a good clean (it was cleaned pre-season but has got a bit grubby with people coming and going, engine work, etc). I'm planning on using Wessex 2-part for the cockpit but I then need to pick a Semco shade to give some protection and colour consistency to the two separate areas. I do like my teak to look like it's just come out of the factory but I don't like it too stained.

I note that Semco do four shades -http://www.semco-online.com

Natural
Goldtone
Honeytone
Cleartone

Marineteak only sell "Natural" and "Honeytone". I believe JFM uses "Cleartone". I'm drawn towards "Honeytone".

So, what colour should I use? If I choose the wrong colour will it go back to the natural colour with another 2-part clean?

Pete

Thread reminded me to pay my Semco bill.

My 2 pence if it were mine.

Colour matching the two areas:

Firstly, I'd let the new teak oxidise grey for a season or so before 2 parting and sealing. Seal now and the purging oil will make short work of the sealer and also sweat it a bit ( for want of a better term).

Get the cockpit real clean and light, so 2 or 3 cleans with 2part and follow up with melamine sponge to get really close on rinsing. Acetone caulking, dare I say a light sand? then a final wash and rinse. It will be worth the effort!
Protect the cockpit with Semco pushed into the grain and leave platform alone for a year.

After year, just 2 part platform and seal, should be a good match.

Natural is my personal favourite, yellow/orange 'teak' coloured pigment.
Honeytone is a bit dark for my liking, but has looked good on a few Stevens / Smelne's I've had to apply it to, would still go for the natural though.
Goldtone no.
Anything other than clear on white caulking would'nt look right.

Gtechniq gave me some teak sealant to try out recently, did find it considerably more hydrophobic than Semco. Kind of two different animals though. Will have to section off another teak table and have a product face-off.

 

[petem]

I'm not mixing up clear and natural. I'm recommending natural above for a black caulked boat, and I use clear myself on a white caulked boat.

J, I didn't doubt you for a second and your explanation made perfect sense but I thought it worth posting for others, like me, with black caulking.

 

[Hurricane]

Thread reminded me to pay my Semco bill.

My 2 pence if it were mine.

Colour matching the two areas:

Firstly, I'd let the new teak oxidise grey for a season or so before 2 parting and sealing. Seal now and the purging oil will make short work of the sealer and also sweat it a bit ( for want of a better term).

Get the cockpit real clean and light, so 2 or 3 cleans with 2part and follow up with melamine sponge to get really close on rinsing. Acetone caulking, dare I say a light sand? then a final wash and rinse. It will be worth the effort!
Protect the cockpit with Semco pushed into the grain and leave platform alone for a year.

After year, just 2 part platform and seal, should be a good match.

Natural is my personal favourite, yellow/orange 'teak' coloured pigment.
Honeytone is a bit dark for my liking, but has looked good on a few Stevens / Smelne's I've had to apply it to, would still go for the natural though.
Goldtone no.
Anything other than clear on white caulking would'nt look right.

Gtechniq gave me some teak sealant to try out recently, did find it considerably more hydrophobic than Semco. Kind of two different animals though. Will have to section off another teak table and have a product face-off.

Yep - agree with most of this but.....
Don't mix up "oxidise grey" for just plain "dirty"
A lot of boaters (mainly yachties) swear by doing nothing to teak - "just rinse wit sea water" seems to be their method.
But IMHO, teak gets VERY dirty.
This can be seen when washing/shampooing the boat - when flunkying off and climbing over the superstructure, you can see dirty footprints everywhere that you walk.
Cleaning with 2 part Wessex really gets the dirt out and IMO, it is the dirt that makes it look "grey".
I like my teak to look (and be) as clean as the day it was delivered to me.
And keeping it like that is just HARD WORK

 

[Hurricane]

Having a small boat like mine does have its compensations!

Do you have teak on your side decks Mike? It looks great but must be a real faff to keep looking great. OK if you can pay someone to do it.

Yep - side decks, flybridge, cockpit and bathing platform.
I've developed a technique over the years (based on the TCM instructions) but it is still hard work.