I trying to decide on replacing my plywood companionway with teak. Searched the site and didn't see a discussion on it for info.
Has anyone done this either yourself or vendor? I also think Hutchins sells them aftermarket but didn't see it on their website.
Thanks
I did replace my plywood companionway drop boards with solid teak. Not on my ComPac, but on my last boat, a Columbia 8.7. I was very pleased with the results.
Boards had to be "glued up" that is joined laterally to get the full width necessary. It is good practice to do this anyway, most recommend that the maximum width for a piece in a glue up panel be 4-5". This prevents cupping of the wider single board. Alternate the direction of grain between the pieces (looking at the end grain), also to minimize cupping. A polyurethane glue (Gorilla or other) good, but I've used Franklin titebond three with good waterproof results.
I do have a full woodshop (all types of saws, jointers, planers, drum sanders, etc) so easy to do for me, however, making flat drop boards not to difficult for the lesser equipped woodworker.
My 23/IV came with solid teak drop boards so probably will never have to replace them, however, if I do I'll see about sending them to Hutchins to see if they would use their router/carver to put that classy insignia on there.
My current hatch board is marine plywood with a thin teak veneer that is pretty much shot. I've considered making a new one this summer. I've used solid teak in the past as I love the look of solid teak. An option that some may wish to consider is marine board. Comes in a variety of colors. Can be cut/machined with woodworking tools. Waterproof and will probably last nearly forever. West Marine and others sell it in assorted sizes. Here is a factory source for consideration:
http://thecuttingboardfactory.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TCBF&Category_Code=4MB
Quote from: jamato on February 28, 2010, 10:38:31 AM
I trying to decide on replacing my plywood companionway with teak. Searched the site and didn't see a discussion on it for info.
Has anyone done this either yourself or vendor? I also think Hutchins sells them aftermarket but didn't see it on their website.
Thanks
Agree with Steve on using Starboard. I made one for the 16 and it does look good...no maintenance too. Put a small handle on it foe easy removal and reinstallation.
Will be cutting one out for the 19 this weekend as the standard board pretty much looked like hell. The 16 build was one piece but on the 19 I'll cut it horizontally in two with an angle cut (to prevent water from coming in). It will be easier to handle and stow, plus the bottom can be quickly inserted for heavy weather. Not that I get a lot of that where i sail, but there will be a time it will come in handy plus again it's easier to stow.
Also making a 1' x 22" "lunch tray" to use while prepping sandwiches and the like. It will wedge itself between the footwell. Should be strong enough to stand on if needed too. I made a plywood version for the 16 and used it often. Even cutout holes and "webbed" the openings for cupholders with Amsteel 1/8 line. That way it can hold drinks but stows flat without a cupholder protrusion.
I realize starboard is not as pretty or Salty as teak. However it more than makes up for it maintenance, strength, and long term useability.--at least for me anyway. It's easy to work with standard woodworking tools albeit a little harder to sand. But no oil, sealant, or varnish to worry about..ever. The disadvantage is it's a little heavier, perhaps 20% heavier than plywood. Not a big deal.
BTW defender.com sells it for much less than West Marine. Search "taco" or "starboard" on the site as it cannot be found otherwise.
Thanks Salty. I had a Nimble Kodiak that used a lot of Starboard for cam cleat and winch bases as well as grab rails. I'm still leaning toward teak for the SunCat as it is
more traditional. I'll give Hutchins a call and see if I can drive up and clean their shop for a month in exchange for a discount. Good suggestions, thanks again.
I wonder if these boards can be milled out or Trex or some other plastic wood replacement. Seems to me it would last as long as teak, maint free, without the price. On my Cat 27 we had some boards made out of Lexan that were great.
The other night I was watching some program about boating, they were at a boat show (in Florida I think) and talking to different vendors about their products.
One of the products was a "simulate teak" which was used ever where on boats (exterior or interior) looked like a good produck.
The vendor said the product was user friendly or it could be professional installed.
Glenn
I was just up to Lowe's the other day and was looking at this faux wood (recycled plastics) that they use for decks now. It looked just about the same color of unstained, unfinished teak. One piece about 12 feet long costs in the neighborhood of I think $28.00. I think when the wood finally goes on my 16, I'm going to replace it all with this stuff. No more rot, staining, replacing, or any of that. In fact, I'm thinking of doing my porch deck with it. Kind of pricey, but it'll last at least till after I've set sail for the last time.
Not that any of us would turtle our boats on the open sea, I have a problem with strength of the "Faux Woods" The don't have a very high bending modulus. A rogue wave that poops one could push the plastic into the cabin and flood it - Talk about a downer!
I think I'll stay with teak or mahogany in keeping with the rest of my boat.
TG
jamato, I've always just e-mailed Hutchins and gotten a very good price on everything I've managed to break. Matthew Hutchins is the parts manager at matth@gate.net. I've got to replace a starboard side teak hatch slide I stepped on and cracked. They'll get me a new one for $26, much easier than locating 4/4 48" long teak and milling. I also looked at thaiteakmarine.com which has some nice teak.
But I'm including two pictures of my less than $10 solution. I am having problems with leakage at the mast partners and the trapped air causing mold. I installed a Nicro-vent on the foredeck which didn't clear it all up. I had some pine laying around in the garage and got a plastic vent for $5.49 (Louvered Ventilator), and some SS bolts from West Marine. That plus a couple bolts and some paint and a spare hinge I had was a good way to get a spare hatch for under $10.00 (labor not included!). This is my spare. This summer I'd like a teak hatch with a nice varnish job, but it's got to have some ventilation. Maybe a set of louvered inserts. Please post what you come up with.
(http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac174/Napier6/13-Dec-2009007.jpg)(http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac174/Napier6/28-Feb-2010013.jpg)
Tim, I disagree. The Trex deck I have is stronger than the wood it replaced. I think one inch thick trex would hold until the whole hatch gave away. But I agree with you- we should build with turtling and getting pooped (from an aft wave) in mind...
Teak is so expensive...I will continue to look for alternatives.
Yes, teak is expensive but in the eternal scope of things, isn't she worthy of the best? I don't have this dilemna yet; my 23 has what I assume are the original boards- teak vaneered plywood and they've held up well. I love the high gloss of the Flagship varnish. Ventilation is achieved via a solar vent mounted on the cabin top. I still get some moisture down in the boat...it is a boat after all, sitting in water!
Bob23
I called Gerry Hutchins yesterday and got a price of $295 for teak companionway boards for the SunCat. He wasn't sure
he could carve the Hutchis Logo on them because of their size. I'm leaning that way because I'd like to varnish them to
match the tiller but piggy is skinny right now.
I replaced my 16/3 plywood one piece board with the plastic wood grained deck board from Lowes. Made it two pieces with a bevel between. I like the looks of it and it needs no maintenance.
I did have to reduce the thickness with a planer (which ruined the blades) but the overall result was positive.
Neal
Quote from: Bob23 on March 07, 2010, 04:02:22 AM
Yes, teak is expensive but in the eternal scope of things, isn't she worthy of the best? I don't have this dilemna yet; my 23 has what I assume are the original boards- teak vaneered plywood and they've held up well. I love the high gloss of the Flagship varnish. Ventilation is achieved via a solar vent mounted on the cabin top. I still get some moisture down in the boat...it is a boat after all, sitting in water!
Bob23
Is anyone else interested in teak at a reasonable price. There is a place that sells hardwood sort of near me that has left over teak flooring from years ago (decades ago?) that I've been buying for a while. The owner keeps encouraging me to just buy out the remainder of his dwindling stock at a better price than the small amount I have been buying. The only catch is it is 1x3 to 1x4 boards 8-9 ft long and its rough cut. He's been selling it to me at 2-3 $/bd-ft to get rid of it. It would cost a few thousand to empty his stock so I've just been buying what I expect to need for a few years at a time. I've rip cut to 1/4-1/2 inch or less and run through the power planer depending what I needed to do (mostly CP23 interior).
Curtis
btw - Bob23 - Conway Harwoods in Gaylordsville CT isn't too far away from NJ for you to head over there. Its a sawmill with a store in the front. Mostly local tree come in and come out as flooring stock or as lumber for the local custom furniture craftsmen still remaining in NW CT. If you buy oak or maple or even walnut or cherry, chances are it came from closeby.
Thanks, Curtis:
Wish I had a place to store it. 3$ a board foot is unbelievable! Good thing he's not closer to me. There is a guy in South Jersey called, ironically, South Jersey Lumbermans. He's the local teak supplier for boat builders around here and his shop is a wonderful step back into the past. Huge sanders, band saws...almost as impressive as the old time clock on the wall.
Next to his desk sits a shotgun. In asking him about it, he gave a slight grin and referred to it as his collections agency. I don't think he was kidding.
Bob23
From a post dated:
Re: What is the purpose of the hull liner in the CP 19
? Reply #4 on: December 17, 2009, 14:30:02 ?
"[the drop boards I cut in half horizontial on a 45 degree so water won't drip in and allows great storage of the two halves and provides a lower or upper closeure to the hatch. With a boom tent this adds privacy but allows air to circulate around.]"
and this one as well.
Re: new locks for doors inside cabin
? Reply #1 on: April 28, 2007, 07:01:09 ?
So you want to lock yourself in...? Hope you don't have to "ditti Mau" hastily as in a collision, fire, or some other disaster.
Why not simply use an inside hasp of similar size with through bolts and nuts on the sliding companionway and the loop would be duplicated as on the drop board.
By the way I cut my drop board in half [on a 45 deg to divert rain water].
I now have two boards, easier to store and I can have one in the bottom of the hatch way with top open for air, or I can hang just the upper with the bottom not in place to provide some shade, keeping the low sun out of the cabin but allowing some air in while I idle away inside the cabin. skip.[/color]
Curtisv, if that deal were within a hundred miles or so of me, I would be the proud owner of every stick of that teak.
Curtis- where do you live exactly? :)
Quote from: newt on March 08, 2010, 07:00:05 PM
Curtis- where do you live exactly? :)
In multiple places, sort of. Home right now is Cape Cod. Before that CT. We've owned the house on The Cape for 12 years and spent summers there. My last job was in MA and The Cape was actually closer. We just permanently moved when my son, youngest of two kids, graduated high school in 2008. Since 2007 I've been working in Sunnyvale, CA and right now I'm in CA and my wife is On Cape. She doesn't like CA. Neither to I. Its way too crowded and way too expensive and its nothing like New England. I still haven't managed to sell my house in CT. Gave up last year and just put it back on the market. My wife's mother lives three houses away from our house in CT and her mother lives two towns away (amazing woman, still lives on her own and takes care of the house and large flower and vegatable gardens). And my sister lives a few towns away. So we still have family ties in CT, plus friends there (who don't mind visiting us at The Cape).
I also have an aunt near Bob23 in Lakewood so I find myself in that neighborhood occasionally (another remarkable woman, almost 100 and lives alone - one of her friends just turned 103).
So I spend about 1/2 my time now in CA even though my boss had promised it wouldn't be more than 1/4 of my time. This past Fall he did agree to let me spend most of the months of April to beginning of September on the east coast in exchange for a lot of time in CA over the winter and early spring. In the past few years going back and forth has made it very hard for me to maintain my CP and get out and sail. Those spring months are needed for maintenance. Some years I didn't launch until late August and I want to put an end to that and get out in early summer again and do more sailing.
In the last 20 years I've worked in Westchester County NY, Virginia, MA, and CA, but in reality mostly out of my home. Most of the time living in CT but haven't worked for a CT company in over 20 years. Telecommuting works, sort of. Hence the name of my boat "Remote Access".
If its hard to figure out where I live, that's why. Sometimes I'm not sure myself.
Curtis
Curtis:
When you find yourself in Lakewood, do give a holler if you want to sail! It would be wonderful to have company from another 23'er and I could always stand to learn more!
I'll email you my mobile number.
Bob23
I was asking because I have priced teak recently, and it is all between 20-30 dollars a board foot. i would buy that stash if I was you. You need financing? I will accept interest in teak boards...
Quote from: newt on March 09, 2010, 11:25:27 AM
I was asking because I have priced teak recently, and it is all between 20-30 dollars a board foot. i would buy that stash if I was you. You need financing? I will accept interest in teak boards...
I go there every couple of years and they still seem to have the same rack in the back with plenty of teak on it. The first time I went I bought more than I thought I'd ever need and then used it up and went back for a second load. I haven't used that up.
At my old house in CT and at my house in MA I built some space to store lumber. Next time I'm in CT if its low I'll try to find the time to swing by. I didn't buy a ridiculous amount. Its sort of hard to come home and tell my wife that I just got a great deal on the $500 worth of lumber sitting outside on the truck when it doesn't look like all that much. If I came home with a few thousand worth of lumber I'd need to be doing a complete interior remodel and then some. Would be a bit on the gold plated side for a Com-pac.
I don't know if someone ever came by and bought the rest. Its not enough for a formal room teak floor and no one does teak floors anymore, and certainly not in the kids bedroom.
Teak was about $12/bd-ft when I bought it for $3. I think it was $2.50 the first time I went.
Right now its $32/bd-ft at Rings End Lumber in Darian CT but they have 1x12, not just 1x4. That is where I priced it at $12 when I got it for $3. Prices at Rings End are usually pretty good.
Its a long drive from Utah.
Curtis
I have a Cal 20 in addition to my CP16. I made a new companionway "cover" from dark tinted plexiglass from a glass shop. It is 1/4" thick and was very easy to cut with a fine jigsaw blade. It works very well and gives a great view outside the cabin. I am getting ready to do the same for the CP16. The only drawback is that it's 1 piece and a bit more cumbersome. But a nice bag to protect it works well. Just an alternative.
Mike