Toe rail varnish problems

[Homer Montgomery]

I have a 1969 Hinckley 38 with lovely teak toerails. The lower quarter inch of the inboard edge will not hold varnish just above where it meets the deck. The toerails are nice and tight, no separation from the deck. I am assuming it is a water problem. Every morning dew collects there. The coamings do not have this problem perhaps because water runs away from them. I would love to know how to fix this. Perhaps I should install small stainless quarter round set in 4200? I just don't know.

[Bob Cleek]

This is a common and normal problem. There is a seam there where the varnish ends. Moisture gets under the varnish and into the wood. The varnish then eventually lets go, since it won't hold to the wet wood.

There are few perfect solutions. However, the best is to strip the entire toe rail and then soak it well in CPES sealer, taking care to get the sealer (which will penetrate the wood easily) well into the area around where the joint between the cap rail and the deck is. (Use 3M lime green "lacquer proof" masing tape for this, as the solvents in the CPES will lift any other masking tape adhesive.) Then build up your varnish as usual. This will go a long way toward preventing moisture from saturating the wood along the edge of the varnish seam.

[Homer Montgomery]

Oh, man. Somehow I figured that stripping last year's eight coats of varnish would be part of the answer. Good thing I have a high boredom ceiling! The teak is simply too stunning not to do it right, though. Thanks.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

What Bob said.

[Homer Montgomery]

Right. At least I didn't strip them, put on eight more coats, and then decide to ask you guys.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

This is one place that CPES is invaluable.... I have the same issue on my 1964 CC cruiser... it doesn't solve the problem completely, but it delays the problem... without CPES it's yearly, with it, about 3 years.

[Ian McColgin]

Absolutely Bob is right about CPES here. Secondly however, you may have vapor wicking up between the covering board and the toe rail. Use a vapor permiable (compatible with CPES) coating over the CPES. I like cetol and its cousins, but (harder to apply but really great) Smith makes a "5 Year Coating" which may be just tiddley for you.

[Homer Montgomery]

I had never heard of Smiths other than their CPES. I found it on the Web. So, this stuff is excellent? If so, I will try it. I have sure tried others and am using Epifanes at the moment. I would love a varnish that would give me a longer interval.

[pcford]

Seems to me the problem is bedding under the rail. Take the rail off, dry well and coat with a sealer, bed with Dolphinite. Does not have to be sealed with the "miracle product" CPES.

Epifanes is great varnish; it is not your problem.

'Nuff said.

[JMAC]

speaking of dolphinite, why don't they sell it in tubes anymore?

[Homer Montgomery]

The rails do seem well-attached. However, the worst varnish detachment is where water collects. Perhaps some is seeping under and staying there way too long as you say. I will give this a careful look. I appreciate everyone's input.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

The answer is Coelan:

http://www.premapro.com/

I used to have this problem; has not recurred for 12 years now.