InTheBite

  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Featured Stories
    • General News
    • Captain of the Year
    • Tournament Results
    • First Builds
    • Splash Reports
    • Old Salts Rule
    • Tackle Tips
    • Dock Talk
    • Crew Records
    • Conservation
  • Tournaments
    • Calendar
    • Captain of the Year
    • Champion’s Cup
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Subscriptions
    • Back Issues
    • Shirts
    • Hats & Visors
    • Miscellaneous
    • Release Rulers
  • Classifieds
  • Job Board
  • Contact
    • Contact InTheBite
    • InTheBite Media Kit
  • Log in

Sanding Teak- The Basics

March 9, 2015 By InTheBite Editor

grayed-teakSANDING TEAK The Basics

By Piet Van Alder(from the archives)

I often hear people referring to teak decks and coveringboards as a maintenance nightmare, and I couldn’t disagree more. It seems to me that they are either lazy, don’t know HOW to maintain it, or they don’t have any! On a sportfisher, teak is not only pleasing to the eye(if well kept), but it is functional. It gives better traction while zipping across your cockpit(hopefully with leader in hand and a big fish connected to that), and it also gets rid of those dirty footprints that haunt a pure white deck all day long. But what is the best way to maintain it or bring back dirty or severely weathered teak?

Bottom line, there will come a time when certain decks and coveringboards need to be sanded. The black thiokol between the boards gets much higher than the wood, and it’s difficult to clean between it. Thiokol is like an intense caulk, rubbery but hard to cut, and until you bring it down to the same level as the teak you’re trying to sand, not much will happen with your wood. If that’s your case, don’t waste your time with a palm sander or anything like that. Most guys who know how to sand it properly use an 8 or 10 inch grinder with a 36 grit pad for starters if it’s bad. You can use the same polishing wheel/grinder you use for compounding, but you’ll need a spin-on pad that you stick the sandpaper discs to. Also helpful is a special housing that not only attaches to a shop vac to keep the dust down, but it helps you keep your machine flat on the deck to avoid gouging. It’s not essential to have the housing, but it will make the job easier.You can buy all these products at Glue Products in West Palm Beach or a place like that in your town that sells resin and sandpaper and stuff like that. Probably not at the Home Depot.

Before you get started, you’ll have to tape off any spots that might get hit by your machine. Sandpaper and chrome don’t mix well, so use the blue stuff and tape off your fighting chair stanchion, your hatch handles, and any hinges or other metal items on your deck that might get grazed by your wheel. On your coveringboards, go ahead and remove the rodholders completely and tape off or remove any hause pipes that are in the way. Dont forget to tape off any tower legs that come down on your coveringboard. Once you’re ready, go ahead and slap on a respirator or paper filter mask, as things are about to get very messy.

When you know what grit you’re going to start with, depending on how bad the deck is, move your machine FORE AND AFT, WITH THE THIOKOL, not across it. This will help eliminate bouncing and result in a better, smoother job. You’ll have to test an area and decide on the right rpm’s for the job. Too slow, and it’ll be hard to cut, and too fast and you’ll actuallly burn/melt the thiokol and clog your disc. As I said before, be careful around the chrome. You can hit these areas later by hand or with a die grinder. When doing your coveringboards, again go FORE AND AFT, WITH THE GRAIN to avoid bouncing.

Alright, so now you have it ripped down, all nice and brown like a brand new deck. If you started with 36 or 40 grit, you can probably follow with 80 and be done. If you want, you can follow that with 120. You’ll have less scratches, but the deck will be more slippery. It’s a trade-off. Smoother will last longer, closing the grain, but you’ll sacrifice some traction. Maybe 80 and 120 on the coveringboards, and only as far as 80 on the deck. You decide.

In closing, remember that sanding the teak is eventually necessary, but not a piece of cake. Done properly, it will look awesome. There are a few guys out there who specialize in it, so ask around or if you tackle it yourself, be careful. May the force be with you

 

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

    Filed Under: Featured Stories Tagged With: Sanding Teak, Teak

    Recent News

    Shifting Course: New Sonar Tactics

    By Steve Katz It seems that most everyone either has a scanning sonar or is getting a new scanning sonar. The upsurge in installations, along with a variety of brands and models, requires captains and ping jockeys to develop their technical skill … [Read More...]

    New Year, New Gear – A Few Items to Check Out for 2023

    Numerous fishing gear companies have kicked off 2023 with revolutionary new products. Here are a few items of interest early on in 2023. Links to each company's website provided in the heading. … [Read More...]

    Hiring a Captain For Your Center Console?

    By Adam Peeples As a current owner or prospective owner of a high-performance center console, hiring a captain may not be something that has been a consideration for the term of your boat ownership. After all, one of the main benefits of owning a … [Read More...]

    Blue Water Desalination Introduces the Fully Automatic Explorer XT Watermaker

    Signal Hill, California (January 5, 2023)—Blue Water Desalination (BWD) revealed its latest innovation in water purification during the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The all-new Explorer XT is a robust, expandable system designed to … [Read More...]

    First Build: Blackwell Boatworks

    By Nichole Osinski Craig Blackwell didn’t grow up on the East Coast where so many famous sportfishing boats have been designed and built to later dominate tournaments worldwide. The Blackwell Boatworks founder instead spent his early years in M … [Read More...]

    Leave a Reply

    Connect With InTheBite

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Subscribe to InTheBite Magazine Today!

    InTheBite current cover image

    Our latest issue is hitting the docks now! Be sure to subscribe to the hottest bluewater mag on the market. Purchase or Subscribe »

    InTheBite Champion’s Cup

    InTheBite Champions Cup Logo

    New for 2022, the Champion’s Cup is an optional paid entry with a winner-takes-all prize format for teams who want to up the stakes in each division utilizing our longstanding tournament scoring formula.

    Captain of the Year Cup Standings

    COTY / ITB Cup Logo

    News

    • Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      By Carol M. Bareuther, RD The moon and stars shone brightly in the pre-dawn night as Capt. Eddie Herbert started the engines on the 80-foot Merritt Reel Tight. His destination, the Virgin Islands’ North Drop. Reel Tight owner Jim Lambert Sr. took his passion for fishing seriously. He wanted to be first off the dock so he could catch and... [Read More...]

    • Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Every boat built by Bayliss Boatworks is a truly custom project. In the case of Overtime, the newest 67’ 6’’ build to hit the water, the sportfisher is the weapon of choice for a Cabo-San-Lucas-based program. With the help of the experienced captain and owner team, Bayliss Boatworks designed a sportfishing yacht unique enough to meet the demands of conquering... [Read More...]

    • First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      By Nichole Osinski "If you’d asked me when I was 16 years old if I was going to build a boat, I would have told you you’re crazy," says Jarrett Bay Founder and President Randy Ramsey when recalling his 30-plus year career in the boat building industry. But to understand how the company has risen to where it is today,... [Read More...]

    • InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      In addition to the other products listed below, InTheBite is offering two amazing holiday gift deals: a free gift subscription and a hat, shirt and sticker bundle. Act now before the offer ends on December 24th at midnight! Christmas Special: Hat, Shirt & Sticker Bundle (While Supplies Last) Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the fisherman in your life?... [Read More...]

    • Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Capt. Bill Buckland, Fisherman’s Center Supplies Needed: L-Bar, 250 lb mono, 11/0 circle hooks, three-way swivel, deep drop gang rig and sash weight. The L-Bar is an excellent accessory to utilize when deep dropping for bottom fish. It is especially effective for catching tilefish. With a traditional five-hook gang rig, the hooks are suspended in the water column. Utilizing the... [Read More...]

    Search InTheBite

    Copyright © 2023 InTheBite, LLC · All Rights Reserved.