Removing worn out teak panels in cockpit

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kacecar

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I need to replace the mock teak deck panels in the cockpit of my Sigma and wonder if anyone can give me advice about the best way to get the old ones out while minimising the damage to the surrounding gelcoat.

I'm thinking the tools to use are chisel and a wallpaper removal scraper) - perhaps a sharp knife in places. I'm also thinking I'll be less likely to damage the gelcoat (where it will show at least) if I start in the middle of the old panel and destroy it outwards - as opposed to the perhaps more intuitive method of starting at the edge and trying to lever the thing off in large chunks.

Thoughts? All helpful suggestions will be much appreciated.
 
Yes, mechanical means is best with care. Mask round the gel coat outside the teak areas with heavy duty tape. You will probably need to experiment to find th most effective type of sharp implement. Don't worry too much about the gel coat underneath as you can fill and fair afterwards to get a good surface for the adhesive.

You can get new panels from www.kjhowells.co.uk, ready made up so you just have to glue down, or the planks made to size to glue down and pay yourself if you want the extra work and save a bit of money.
 
Watched a chap in Greece removing teak using a brick bolster - wide, heavyweight cold chisel - with remarkable success. As Tranona says, he used heavy duty tape round the edges of the panel and then simply knocked the bolster home with a lump hammer. Once underneath the teak, he pressed down on the bolster and, with a horrendous noise, half the panel gave up the struggle and came away. He then worked at the broken edges until the complete panel had been removed.
 
I am just in the middle of doing this on my Sigma 362. I had to replace what the previous owner had done as it was splitting along the 'seams' and SWMBO didn't like sitting down on what she thought was a dry bench and getting a wet bottom! I am using Tek Dek, you can do the templates yourself and they ship the panels cut to size, so far laying them has been ok.

As to the OP's question, get a multi-tool (not sure if that is the correct name) the one with an oscillating business end, one of the tools is a scraper and while not perfect is FAR easier than trying to do it by hand.

If you are removing the original panels, a sort of plywood (I still had it on the cockpit sole) you will find it was epoxied down. Do not try to remove the epoxy. Not only will you be filling to get a level surface, but you want to get the top of the new panel level with the surrounding gelcoat, it makes caulking round the edge very much easier.

HTH
 
Thanks guys - useful info. A few more questions arise . . .

Tranona: Heavy duty tape masking the edges. Good idea - I'd missed that (doh!)

Duncan99120: A brick bolster is a good idea too, as indeed would be a cold chisel rather than a the sharper (so more damaging) wood chisel. Did you happen to notice if the chap in Greece started at an edge or elsewhere? I'm presuming edge but, even with heavy duty tape I'd still be worried about unsightly gel-coat damage - all ultimately fixable I know but it would be yet another job on the "do" list.

Skip50: My boat is also a Sigma 362 but all my panels are original. I knew they were epoxied in place. I thought I would have to break the original panel off and then chip / scrape / grind / sand off the remains of the old epoxy before fitting the replacement panel (teak or tek-dek - yet to be decided). However, you say don't try to remove the epoxy - perhaps I'm mis-understanding but, when sticking the new panel in place, won't adding more epoxy on top of the remains of the old tend to lift the new panel to a level above that of the old? Or do you mean that the remains of the old epoxy provides the level for the new panel and that fresh adhesive is only usefully applied where there's no old adhesive?

Thanks again for the ideas and info.
 
I chiseled off the top layer but for the remainder actually found grinding easier to avoid damaging the underlying gelcoat. It does require a steady hand though. The grinding was done with 60 grit heavy duty paper on a hand grinder. I left the thinnest smear of the original glue rather than risk grinding into the gelcoat. This did not affect the subsequent application of 'synthetic' teak.

Grinding does throw up an incredible amount of dust and for the sake of your neighbours please tent - for the sake of yourself, use eye and breathing protection.

WithallPic08.jpg
 
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Replaced the teak panels on my Sigma 362 last year. I had replacement panels made up by www.wattsons.co.uk using templates I provided to them. They were very helpful. The panels are 6mm teak with glass backing except the helmsmans seat to facilitate the curvature. I needed to remove all the previous epoxy to avoid them sitting proud of the surround. The new adhesive will provide 1-2mm of height. Some of the old epoxy was quite brittle and easily chiselled, other bits very hard work.
 
kacecar said:
Thanks guys - useful info. A few more questions arise . . .

Tranona: Heavy duty tape masking the edges. Good idea - I'd missed that (doh!)

Duncan99120: A brick bolster is a good idea too, as indeed would be a cold chisel rather than a the sharper (so more damaging) wood chisel. Did you happen to notice if the chap in Greece started at an edge or elsewhere? I'm presuming edge but, even with heavy duty tape I'd still be worried about unsightly gel-coat damage - all ultimately fixable I know but it would be yet another job on the "do" list.

Skip50: My boat is also a Sigma 362 but all my panels are original. I knew they were epoxied in place. I thought I would have to break the original panel off and then chip / scrape / grind / sand off the remains of the old epoxy before fitting the replacement panel (teak or tek-dek - yet to be decided). However, you say don't try to remove the epoxy - perhaps I'm mis-understanding but, when sticking the new panel in place, won't adding more epoxy on top of the remains of the old tend to lift the new panel to a level above that of the old? Or do you mean that the remains of the old epoxy provides the level for the new panel and that fresh adhesive is only usefully applied where there's no old adhesive?

Thanks again for the ideas and info.
Click to expand...

He started at the edge. Once the panel started to lift, it looked like quite an easy if noisy operation.
 
The reason for my comment re not removing the epoxy is that the Tek-Dek seems to be thinner than the original plywood. I have so far had two goes at removing the original cabin sole, l do it till I am p***** off then go and do something else. Some of the epoxy did not go to the edge of the recess so I levelled that out with filler. I found a piece of ply at home that was the same thickness as the Tek-Dek to help with levels. Access to the cockpit sole is not easy if, like me, you are not in the first flush of youth or skinniness! Water had certainly got in round the edge.

So to recap, what is working for me. Remove old panel, remove any obviously unattached epoxy, there will be some. Make sure whole area level, sand down to key the surface, wipe down with acetone, apply adhesive ( Tek-Dek supply Sabatack 750) and smooth out with their supplied spreader. Lay down panel and centre, roll down with a proper flooring roller, I got one of eBay for about £25, and you can really feel the panel sinking Down into the adhesive. Leave for one hour, check no air bubbles, if none (I don't remember having any) apply the Sabatack round the edge - having put masking tape along both edges, use decent blue masking tape, not the cheaper fawn stuff-don't ask how I know, run a suitable tool along the edge to smooth out the Sabatak. 1-2 hours later remove the masking tape. Don't walk on the edge for two days.

The above is a combination of my experience, advice from Tek-Dek and their videos on YouTube, pity the commentary is Italian but you can follow what is going on.
 
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I replaced the teak-faced ply cockpit panels on my Dehler 35 with Dek-King. The old panels were removed using a chisel which has a 'cranked' handle (like a bricklayer's trowel). This allowed the chisel blade to be almost flat to the underlying GRP, so it didn't gouge it. The blade was wiggled from side-to-side & no hammer or mallet was needed.

I'm replacing the TBS anti-slip (a bit like Treadmaster but without diamond pattern) deck panels @ the moment & the same chisel/technique worked just as well in removing the old TBS.

Hope this helps
 
I replaced my sigma 35's fake cockpit teak sole a few years ago. I removed the plywood using a simple wood chisel. Like most jobs it took me a lot longer than I hoped. I was doing it in the middle of January whilst snow was falling. In my desire to get home I didn't clean up as well as I should and i didn't spot the two drill holes i'd uncovered. I went back 3 weeks later to discover very wet upholstery in the cabin beneath........
Hope yours goes better!
 
OK, that's really useful. All understood and no more questions . . . . for now! Thanks everyone for the input.
 
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