HUNDRED YARD CRUISES

Doing teak is one chore you must be in the right mind set for.
Charmed, as all Island Packets do, came from the factory with Cetol as
a protective finish on the exterior teak. It is less difficult to
apply and maintain than varnish. Purists note there is a proportional
loss in how bristol a boat looks. We agree, but we and most other
Island Packet sailors stick with Cetol as an acceptable compromise
between beauty and work. Some Cetol installations can look orange,
and others can look brown and dark. As with most things the look and
success of an installation has more to do with the dedication and
skill of the craftsperson than with the choice of product or tool.

Every boat owner has their own regimen regarding their teak. Some
owners work on teak every month. A popular regimen to maintain some
beauty and keep the teak protected is to put one good coat on every
year, while touching up badly deteriorating spots during the year as
you find them. Charmed has had little to no work done on her teak in
the last year. Now because there was electrical, electronics, and
mechanical work to trade, we were able to get a professional on the
job to renew the teak! Preparation was completed earlier in the week.
The first coat was done yesterday. It looks great! A second coat
will go on today. It will look even better. We will be good to go
until sometime in 2009. Thank you, Ron!

Back to the subject, it is much easier to stand on a a dock and work
on the teak covering the toe rail. Then the job is waist height
instead of being floor level or below. We are lucky enough to be on a
face dock that is as long as Charmed is. Ron needed the boat turned
around a couple of times over the last few days. Even though a mere
hundred yards long with one tack, the cruises to present Ron with port
then starboard sides could not have been more pleasant. He is
bringing beauty back to Charmed.