Why doesn't somebody.....

[Easticks28]

.....invent a 'synthetic' replacement for brightwork, that is durable, shiny, looks exactly like wood , is UV resistant and above all doesn't require hours of rubbing down and re finishing annually ?

There's a fortune to be made I tell you !

 

[pvb]

It's called "plastic".

 

[Easticks28]

It's called "plastic".

But it doesn't look like wood

 

[LittleSister]

And why isn't Monsanto et al genetically modifying trees to grow wood that is self shining and rot proof?

 

[pvb]

But it doesn't look like wood

It's getting better. As an example, and this isn't shiny, I specified fake teak on my current boat. After spending what seemed like half my life renovating the teak deck on my last boat, and wrecking my knees in the process, I was determined not to have another teak deck. So when deciding the build specification for my new boat, I went for fake teak (which was actually a slightly more costly option than real teak). OK, it's plastic, but it doesn't look too scruffy. It has decent grip. It requires no maintenance other than washing. It will last virtually forever. And no trees were damaged in creating it!

 

[Bouba]

It's getting better. As an example, and this isn't shiny, I specified fake teak on my current boat. After spending what seemed like half my life renovating the teak deck on my last boat, and wrecking my knees in the process, I was determined not to have another teak deck. So when deciding the build specification for my new boat, I went for fake teak (which was actually a slightly more costly option than real teak). OK, it's plastic, but it doesn't look too scruffy. It has decent grip. It requires no maintenance other than washing. It will last virtually forever. And no trees were damaged in creating it!

View attachment 113697

Looks great! What boat is it?

 

[pvb]

Looks great! What boat is it?

Thanks! It's a Bavaria Cruiser 37, built in 2014.

 

[Bouba]

Thanks! It's a Bavaria Cruiser 37, built in 2014.

View attachment 113702

She looks beautiful ?

 

[mjcoon]

... It has decent grip.

The OP said nothing about grip, suggesting it is only for looking at...

 

[Gary Fox]

.....invent a 'synthetic' replacement for brightwork, that is durable, shiny, looks exactly like wood , is UV resistant and above all doesn't require hours of rubbing down and re finishing annually ?

There's a fortune to be made I tell you !

Use Cetol Filter 7 (like Intl. Woodskin but no Yacht Tax) not obsolete trad varnish, it doesn't need scraping every year.

 

[bitbaltic]

it's plastic, but it doesn't look too scruffy. It has decent grip. It requires no maintenance other than washing. It will last virtually forever. And no trees were damaged in creating it!

What’s the point in it over and above GRP then?

 

[pvb]

What’s the point in it over and above GRP then?

Like many choices in boating, it may not seem logical. However, I didn't want teak on my new boat. The standard spec for the boat had teak on the cockpit seats, bathing platform and helmsman's seat, with no option to delete this. The two options were (a) to replace it with fake teak, including fake teak on the cockpit floor, or (b) the same as (a) but with the addition of fake teak on the side decks. As the side decks are a bit startlingly bright in white GRP, I went for the full works. And I'm happy that I did. It's just so easy to look after, and people comment on how good it looks.

 

[Easticks28]

View attachment 113713
Use Cetol Filter 7 (like Intl. Woodskin but no Yacht Tax) not obsolete trad varnish, it doesn't need scraping every year.

I prefer a gloss finish to satin. The real issue is that I am feeling the pressure to ready my boat for launch. Lockdown prevented access until the end of March .

 

[tillergirl]

A chum had a magnificient wooden yacht that he built. He had a lot of brightwork but not a drop of vanish (sic). He mixed a bespoke shade of brown/gold paint. Afloat nobody could tell the difference. On board still looked good.

 

[Tranona]

View attachment 113713
Use Cetol Filter 7 (like Intl. Woodskin but no Yacht Tax) not obsolete trad varnish, it doesn't need scraping every year.

Actually Woodskin is about 15% cheaper than Cetol Filter 7 in the smaller size cans. However agree it is a good finish and probably better abrasion resistance than Woodskin, although to really get the benefit of extra durability you need to first apply Cetol HLS base coat which roughly doubles the cost. I did a Douglas Fir mast with it and looked fantastic. I hope it will last as well as the Sikkens Nova system I used previously but always looked muddy.

 

[prv]

Fleming motor-yachts have the choice of a varnished teak bulwark rail or some kind of textured, coloured and then lacquered GRP that reputedly looks almost indistinguishable. The majority of their customers take the plastic.

Pete

 

[oldgit]

Chap near me had an small old Trader type boat. He spent at least an entire summer sanding down the substantial Teak handrail, which went round the entire boat.
The boat never moved but the old boy regularly popped down.
Everytime you walked past the boat he was methodically sanding and applying a fresh coat of some posh expensive stuff.
Lord only knows how many coats he applied.
It took about a 18 months for the handrail to return to its previous condition.
Boat is now on a brokers listing.

 

[Bouba]

I remember a word of warning from a boat dealer, do not varnish the teak rail!
Anytime you paint or varnish anything you have made a pack with the devil

 

[38mess]

Thanks! It's a Bavaria Cruiser 37, built in 2014.

View attachment 113702

Lovely boat, we had the loan of one in Antigua on holiday, she handled the somewhat boisterous conditions we had one day with ease.

 

[Quandary]

Very few plastics exposed to uv last for ever, despite what the upvc window or gutter sales men say. the usual best estimate for most is 30 years which is about the same as a durable hardwood. However for most of us thirty years will be more than enough. Incidentally the pitch pine window sills , subframes and fascia boards on our house are still sound after 81 years though they are opaque painted.