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1985 Montauk 17'

To varnish the teak or to oil the teak. That is the question.

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Oil.

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oil the teak, varnish mahogany

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Varnish Mahogany and Cetol (Sikkens/Interlux) finish the teak for a much longer lasting coating than oil.
Oil is good for teak, but more work over time.
Gloss, semi gloss, matte you pick the finish (I like teak glossed)

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Oh boy...here we go again. ;)

Many threads around about one vs. the other, here's one:

http://www.whalercentral.com/forum/vi...ost_120382

I used oil for a few years and found it turned dark and dirty a few months after sanding and oiling. This year I sanded the teak and used varnish...4-5 light coats if I remember correctly. The teak still looks great in August! I'll need to touch it up in places next season but I may not have to sand again. I felt sanding every season could not be good in the long run....there is only so much wood to sand.

I decided on using the varnish after noticing the mahogany pieces looking great all season and the teak....not so much. Could've been that the oil I used was no good, who knows....but sanding every spring was getting to me.

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Study the oils before using. Teak oils vary with the formula and hard to discern what is in what. I was a "Watco Teak Oil" man until some one mentioned mildew spotting with oil (I had some spotting on some wood, taken care of with bleach). I found that the Watco oil was linseed oil based. Linseed oil has no natural abilities to prevent mildew spotting (does have a mildew retarder in the Watco formula). I stripped the oil and went with a Tung oil base. Different active ingredients altogether that prevent mildew and high UV protection. I miss the rich color of the linseed though. I went with the Seafin teak oil. Very pleased. Some % of varnish in oil mixes.

Garris

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Option 3, 10 coats of schooner #96 varnish then spray three coats of acrylic over top, wet sand in between and polish. That's exact recipe on mine, still shines like glass after 2 years.

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Oil--Amazon Golden.

I bought my 1979 22' Revenge in March of 2013 and the teak on my boat had been ignored for who knows how long but I did not see any traces of varnish which made it an easy decision to go the oil route.

Sanding and oiling it really was not that big of a deal and I hand sanded everything. The louvered cabin door took most of the time but again it had not been tended to in a long time. I plan to clean and re-oil as part of my routine maintenance throughout the year as I liked the results from oiling.

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Ahh Jeezzzz - Whatever floats your boat!

Personal preferance - After many,many years of Schooner or Captains in the Cali sun....I stripped and went with Sikkens Cetol in the Texas sun and have never looked back - It has held up beautifully!

You can also lay final coats of clear LP over Varnish - or get covers made for your bright work.

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Nothing like starting a bar room brawl!

I bought some West Marine brand oil and left it outside, partially in the sun. I noticed that the oil itself had changed color in a short time. I never opened it. You pay for what you get. I don't mind re-oiling occasionally and probably can stay ahead of the game. You ride some, you sit some, and you work on it. That's what we do with a boat right?

Oil it is.

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Here's my take... I restored a 1984 Outrage and after taking all the stainless off the gunnels I saw that there was a lot off oiling going on in its past life. I had to sand off about 1/8" of teak that was just sanded and oiled. I am close to replacing gunnels but not yet. I have owned the boat now for five years and after varithaning with five coats I'm thinking of a light sanding and recoat in areas. I wish others would have had the common knowledge that constant sanding will get you in the end. That is just my opinion.