The teak on both the port and starboard sugar scoops has had a long life span.  We try to be diligent with its care but they are completely exposed to salt water, sun, and constant use.  

As you can see, the black caulking has come up and is completely missing in some places. It is time to repair it all.

Originally, I was going to do the work myself, but once I watched the YouTube videos and watched the yard do the same job on another boat I decided to ask them to help me out.  

The Supplies

We had purchased the following items from Tag Marine which specializes in teak decking.  Since Norsand Boatyard is taking over the project, they used their own tools and the caulk we bought.

• Caulking Removal Tool
• Seam Sander Tool with 5x strips
• Tape Fineline 3/16″ x 60yd
• (5) teak caulk 10oz black

The Process

1. Remove the existing caulk using the special caulk removing tool.
2. Sand the seams (where the caulk was and will be replaced) using the special sanding tool and sand paper.
3. Use a router to make each seam at least 6mm deep.
4. Use vacuum and blower to remove all residue.
5. Use acetone to clean all sand particles from seams.
6. Make sure there is no rain in the forecast for 48 hours.
7. Tape off teak around each seam.
8. Overfill the seams with caulk ensuring caulk comes out behind nozzle.
9. Using a puddy knife at a 30 degree angle, press down on each seam to ensure the caulk fills the seam completely.
10. Wait a minimum of 2 days (best 4) to cure.
11. Remove tape after caulk has cured.
12. Sand with 36 grit sand paper and then 80 grit sand paper to remove excess caulk on teak.
13. Oil or treat wood.

Tag Marine has a very useful data sheet that outlines the entire process which can be found here.

Removing the Caulk

The yard was pretty busy when we hauled out, and we did not schedule this job ahead of time so we had to wait our turn to get someone in to help with this job.  So, while we were waiting, I decided to remove the black caulk.

In some cases, it was easy to remove once you got the strip started and then you just go back with the tool to get the remnants.  But other seams were very difficult with the caulk shredding, tearing, and falling apart.  I was able to get 2, only 2 strips of caulk off in their entirety. Boy did those make me happy for some reason. All of the others came off in pieces.

After a day of work, all of the seams are caulk free.  The dark seams are wet which is why they look dark, but they are free of caulk.

The seams will need some work by a professional (aka Matt) who has a steady hand with a power tool.  Some of the seams are nice and deep at 4mm and others are non-existent.  The top left photo shows the difference between healthy caulk and degraded caulk.

Routing the Seams

We bought a router so Matt could make the seams deeper and more uniform.  It is a slow process to ensure accuracy. Matt built a guide using plexi glass that he screws into one seam in order to dig out another seam.

Now the seams are deep enough for me to sand, clean, and then add black epoxy filler.

Sanding

I use my hand tool and special sand paper sent from Tag Marine.  It is pretty cool as you can adjust the depth of the bar that holds the sander to match your seam depth.  The idea is to have the wood roll across your teak to ensure the sand paper is covering the seam sides.

We had to cover the teak each night because dew gathers on the wood every morning.  It is really cold here (5c or 40F).  The next day I apply the seam tape and cover the teak with masking tape to prepare for the caulking.

Once the seams have been sanded and cleaned with acetone, I lay down special tape.  The tape prevents the caulk from sticking to the bottom which allows the teak panels to move with the motion of the boat.

Next I tape the teak panels leaving only the seams exposed.  This will make it easier to remove the excess caulk.

Caulking

This black caulk is a mess and it is really difficult to get out of the gun!  We did realize that the caulk was technically expired (12/2023).  Not sure if it is because the caulk is “older” or if it is just really hard to get out of the gun, but it took both hands for me to squeeze the caulk out.  I worked on the top and bottom step and enlisted Matt to help me with the middle one as it was tricky to do while balancing and not falling off the boat!

You hold the gun at an angle and squirt the caulk out until it leaves bubble behind the caulk gun.  You want it to overflow.  After I do 4 seams, I stop and use a spatula to press the caulk down into the seam (top right photo).  It sure looks messy.

The caulk then sits for 3 days to dry. The frustrating thing is that we are entering rainy season so we have to cover the sugar scoops with each rain to allow the caulk to fully cure.

Sanding with 40 grit

After 3 days, we remove the green tape and as much excess caulk as we can.  Then we get out the circular sander and our 40 grit sand paper and get to sanding.  This is an art of patience, which I don’t have much of!  The goal is to make each teak panel smooth and right now it is really pitted, cracked, and grooved.  It is a very slow and messy sanding process.  But the results are spectacular.

The left is the original state of the teak steps.  The right is after caulk and sanding (but before oil is applied).

And here is the difference between oil and no oil.  The oil will help protect the teak.

And the Finished Product

Well this took me a lot longer than I anticipated.  Of course the rain played havoc on me and the schedule.  But despite the set backs and delays I am extremely pleased with the final outcome.  They look spectacular.

We had to fix a portion of the caulk along the edge of the engine hatch so it is in the drying out process (since it has been raining).  That is why there is yellow tape.

Tell me what you think.

Our blog posts run 7-8 weeks behind actual live events.  The events in this blog post occurred while we were hauled out at Norsand Boatyard during the beginning of May 2024.  Did you read about our disgusting water tank problem in our last blog post?