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Teak Gunwale Replacement Outrage 18
regentsbay	#1  Posted on 05/27/07 - 3:36 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 60 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/02/07	After looking over the teak gunwales on my Outrage, I have decided to replace them instead of refinishing them. My question is and Im sure Im right, I seen numerous articles on refinishing teak which is not my problem but none on replacing them. Is there any unknown problems that I may incounter or unforseen difficulties that may arise. Can you replace the entire top board or is the rubber expansion joint critical? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Edited by regentsbay on 05/27/07 - 3:38 PM
Joe Kriz	#2  Posted on 05/29/07 - 9:17 AM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11447 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	I don't see any problems replacing the gunwale boards. I have seen several Outrages redone with 1 piece gunwales. I think the reason Whaler used 2 pieces was probably for cost and the ability to ship easier. You shouldn't have to take off the rubrail except for the end cap. Then the gunwale should slide out assuming all the rest of the top screws have been removed.
regentsbay	#3  Posted on 05/29/07 - 12:30 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 60 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/02/07	Thanks Joe, I would have normally just pluged it but having too many plugs in it now and removing the vhf antenna along with the cracks it seemed to be right for replacing.
Buckda	#4  Posted on 05/29/07 - 4:09 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 325 Comments: 2 Joined: 01/15/07	I believe the biggest barrier is cost and availability of this kind of teak stock. You may have to buy two very expensive boards and then mill a great deal of material from them....which can be heartbreaking to do when you'll pay dearly for all of that sawdust.... I actually recommend single piece gunwale caps, despite the cost for replacement. To avoid cracks in the future, be sure to dry-fit the boards, and then encase the wood in WEST SYSTEM epoxy - several coats should do. Then install the board on the boat and varnish (6-8 coats, sanding between) with high-quality spar varnish (my recommendation is Captain's Flagship Varnish - about $32/Quart and worth every penny). ANY and ALL hardware mounted to the gunwale caps should be THROUGH BOLTED to avoid splitting in the future. Every fall, as part of your annual maintenance, buy a few foam brushes (assorted sizes) and re-coat the gunwales with 1 coat. In the spring, buff that varnish gently for a bright shine. Mike Gephart's 1981 18' Outrage sports single-piece gunwale caps and they are absolutely stunning compared to the two-piece ones on my boat. Good luck with your project. If you do get it done with good results, let us know and share photos - I'd like to hear approximate costs for this stock and how you did the milling. Dave
Joe Kriz	#5  Posted on 05/29/07 - 4:17 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11447 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	Dave, I have never had my gunwale boards off but I am assuming they are around 3/4" in finished thickness.... I buy raw boards from my exotic woods supplier and these boards are a full 1 inch rough sawn board. Or, 2 inch thick rough sawn board.. I can buy them in different lengths and widths depending on what they have in stock at the time. Not cheap. I use a friend of mines Planer to plane them down to thickness. Yes, I hate to see all that sawdust on the floor...
Buckda	#6  Posted on 05/29/07 - 4:45 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 325 Comments: 2 Joined: 01/15/07	Joe - Tell me about it. I bought about $1,000 worth of teak over the winter for various projects (on the Outrage and on another little boat project I am working on for my brother) and every time I ran the shop-vac to clean up, a little salty tear mixed with the sawdust in grief at the loss of such a precious commodity. Measure twice, cut once! I agree - the finish thickness should be approximately 3/4 thick, and 1/2 inch at the rub rail. And of course, reading my post above - please note that WEST SYSTEM and Varnish is my recommendation on finish - everyone is free to finish their wood as they see fit. The most important thing, and in my opinion NOT NEGOTIABLE, is to through-bolt everything. It only makes sense to keep things from splitting later down the line. Where I to do mine, I'd also invest in a strip of aluminum backing plate down the entire gunwale underside and call it good. Everything attached to the gunwale (midship cleats, etc) would be drilled, tapped and through-bolted through that backing plate. No splits in that installation! Good luck. Dave
kamie	#7  Posted on 05/29/07 - 5:06 PM
Member Personal Page Project Albums Posts: 2975 Comments: 3 Joined: 11/04/05	I usually let the supplier I buy from mill them down to close to what I want. That way I don't cry too much.
regentsbay	#8  Posted on 05/29/07 - 5:17 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 60 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/02/07	Yes they are spendy,but you get so far and you can't quit. I just got done with rebuilding the front hatch on my montauk and the teak cost $200.00, so I know it will cost some money and a third of it will end up on the floor because I can only get the teak in 1" stock. but it wll be worth it. The west systems idea intriques me my mahogony drift boat is done that way and is beautifull. Ive used Capitans Varnish for years on my sailboat and it gives you a real pride of ownership. Thank you again. Edited by regentsbay on 05/29/07 - 5:22 PM