In this publication7 photos · 3 videos
In autumn, I bought a small Kärcher K2 pressure washer for €70. No miracles: the previous owner’s paint splashes remained. No disasters either: the chips didn’t get bigger. On the plus side, it removed dirt.
I enjoyed blasting green growth off the safety lines, mooring lines, portlights, wooden handrails, tiller and other woodwork. The pleasure faded when the mooring lines went furry, sealant came off the portlights and the wood began to erode.
The mooring lines will last a season. The safety line is fine. Water began seeping through the hatch, but its old seal was cracked. I bought three metres of self-adhesive 20 × 10mm rubber strip for €16. Before fitting it, I cleaned the surface with a scraper and alcohol. Pleased with the result; the lockers need the same treatment.
I scraped the remaining sealant off the windows, cleaned with alcohol, and bought black UV-resistant Sikaflex 591 for €15 and a €12 sealant-finishing tool set. Applied it with a caulking gun and smoothed it with the tools. In practice, I smeared myself and everything nearby. Gloves and masking tape would have helped. Once cured, the surface was easy to clean with a scraper and alcohol.
The wood was harder. Removed old varnish with 60-grit, levelled the grooves with 80, smoothed with 240 and polished with 600. Watching the texture change and details emerge as the grit gets finer is priceless. I applied three or four coats of teak oil with a foam brush. It looks like wood stain. Perhaps it is. Sticky and reddish, turning walnut-coloured once dry, and giving the wood water resistance. I hadn’t thought to protect the surroundings with masking tape. A scraper removed it from the gelcoat, but neither alcohol, paraffin, acetone nor white spirit shifted the marks on the non-slip surface.
#maintenance
I enjoyed blasting green growth off the safety lines, mooring lines, portlights, wooden handrails, tiller and other woodwork. The pleasure faded when the mooring lines went furry, sealant came off the portlights and the wood began to erode.
The mooring lines will last a season. The safety line is fine. Water began seeping through the hatch, but its old seal was cracked. I bought three metres of self-adhesive 20 × 10mm rubber strip for €16. Before fitting it, I cleaned the surface with a scraper and alcohol. Pleased with the result; the lockers need the same treatment.
I scraped the remaining sealant off the windows, cleaned with alcohol, and bought black UV-resistant Sikaflex 591 for €15 and a €12 sealant-finishing tool set. Applied it with a caulking gun and smoothed it with the tools. In practice, I smeared myself and everything nearby. Gloves and masking tape would have helped. Once cured, the surface was easy to clean with a scraper and alcohol.
The wood was harder. Removed old varnish with 60-grit, levelled the grooves with 80, smoothed with 240 and polished with 600. Watching the texture change and details emerge as the grit gets finer is priceless. I applied three or four coats of teak oil with a foam brush. It looks like wood stain. Perhaps it is. Sticky and reddish, turning walnut-coloured once dry, and giving the wood water resistance. I hadn’t thought to protect the surroundings with masking tape. A scraper removed it from the gelcoat, but neither alcohol, paraffin, acetone nor white spirit shifted the marks on the non-slip surface.
#maintenance
Original and discussionOpen post in Telegram ↗
