Teak toe rail

[MattK1969]

Hi, I need to replace a 1.0m length of teak toe rail. Does anyone know what alternative I can use as teak seems very difficult to find. Will any hardwood do? Matt

 

[Refueler]

Whatever you are going top use will stick out like a sore thumb ....

Yesterdays Teak ... that is on older boats is not same as what you can get now ..

I've just gone through this with my boat - to have the teak rubbing strake replaced round the hull. All the Teak we could find was 'Farmed Teak' ... lighter and less dense ... It just did not look or feel same.
In the end we opted for Oak ... a hard material to work with - but steamed and fastened - its transformed the whole boat ... sad that I then went and hit a girt great rock and split the keel !!

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Some years ago I used mahogany for a toe rail which turned out OK.
I have tried iroko for some other jobs but it does seem to split on larger areas without support.

 

[Tranona]

Hi, I need to replace a 1.0m length of teak toe rail. Does anyone know what alternative I can use as teak seems very difficult to find. Will any hardwood do? Matt

Iroko is the next best but also not easy to find and is usually much darker. It sticks out like a sore thumb. My boat has some historic repairs in Iroko on the rubbing strake and it really shows. Good thing that apart from colur the repairs are good1

Try here for a short length of teak. There was quite a lot in stock when I was there a few months ago.
kjhowells.co.uk

 

[jwilson]

I think Robbins Timber in Bristol had some VERY old teak recently - reclaimed from the Cutty Sark refit. Possibly all gone now though.

 

[saxonpirate]

It really depends if you're going to treat it or not. If you let it grey/silver.. a bit of Iroko won't look too bad, it'll pretty much match in after a while. A lot of modern boats sporting so called Teak is not teak at all, it'll almost certainly be Iroko. Treating the two different woods though will emphasise a difference.

Having said what I've just said.. the last big job I did with Iroko was the replacement of the black plastic capping rails on a Rival 41. I used a pretty heavy section with Sika expansion joints, and the lady owner finished them off with several coats of Woodskin. If you didn't know the Iroko grain pattern they looked pretty much like Teak..

 

[Rappey]

From left to right. Balau, which is used for pontoon decking and looks very similar to teak when varnished.
Iroko ,then teak

 

[MattK1969]

Whatever you are going top use will stick out like a sore thumb ....

Yesterdays Teak ... that is on older boats is not same as what you can get now ..

I've just gone through this with my boat - to have the teak rubbing strake replaced round the hull. All the Teak we could find was 'Farmed Teak' ... lighter and less dense ... It just did not look or feel same.
In the end we opted for Oak ... a hard material to work with - but steamed and fastened - its transformed the whole boat ... sad that I then went and hit a girt great rock and split the keel !!

Great reply!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Whatever you are going top use will stick out like a sore thumb ....

Yesterdays Teak ... that is on older boats is not same as what you can get now ..

I've just gone through this with my boat - to have the teak rubbing strake replaced round the hull. All the Teak we could find was 'Farmed Teak' ... lighter and less dense ... It just did not look or feel same.
In the end we opted for Oak ... a hard material to work with - but steamed and fastened - its transformed the whole boat ... sad that I then went and hit a girt great rock and split the keel !!

Isn't the problem with oak that it easily gets black stains, and of course it darkens with age (look at the woodwork in any old church)? Very tough and hard wearing, but not the best cosmetically. Certainly won't blend in with teak.

 

[rogerthebodger]

My old ferro boat had teak rubbing bands which were damaged beyond repair I replaced the lot with Iroko which is easy to get as its is a west african hard wood

 

[PCUK]

PM sent!

 

[Refueler]

Isn't the problem with oak that it easily gets black stains, and of course it darkens with age (look at the woodwork in any old church)? Very tough and hard wearing, but not the best cosmetically. Certainly won't blend in with teak.

I wasn't suggesting mix the Oak with Teak .... it was just an addition to the comment that todays Teak is not what you expect !!

Yes Oak darkens .... but Teak goes silver ... so which you prefer ... personally I have a dislike of silvered teak.

 

[Aurai]

sales@irokotimberprojects.com

This outlet specialises in small orders in Iroko and will happily discuss your project. Thanks

 

[doug748]

Hi, I need to replace a 1.0m length of teak toe rail. Does anyone know what alternative I can use as teak seems very difficult to find. Will any hardwood do? Matt

I think PCUK may be able to sort you out. Failing that try Ebay, eg:

teak plank | eBay

But you do need to collect to be sure you are getting what you pay for

 

[Keith-i]

Howells can supply teak, presumably plantation.

 

[Tranona]

Howells can supply teak, presumably plantation.

See post#4 Most of the teak that they had was old and good. The teak strips that I bought to lay the teak deck on my Eventide were cut from a log that was at least 25 years old at the time. However, the business has changed hands and although when I was last in there about a year ago they still had good teak in stock, I don't think they are restocking and are moving to smaller premises.

 

[Concerto]

Howells have been buying teak that is about a century old. It has been recovered from the cargo hold of a ship that sank about the time of the First World War. They had a plank that must have been about 15ft long and about 2ft wide by about 2 inches thick at the Southampton Boat Show a couple of years ago.

 

[northwind]

Trinity marine in plymouth have some old teak decking that might suit
Ocean Liner Reclaimed Teak Ships Decking – Trinity Marine