I have a 35 foot boat with teak floorboards with black strips. The floor is in sections and the middle section has gotten soft from constant dampness from the bilge. Could I use your product without removing the floor first, since that would require a difficult replacement effort because of the compound curves of the hull.

Thanks
Larry R.
s/v CatsPaw, Sabre 34
City Island, NY

Larry:

Yes, you can, with some preparation. First, the Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES) will not penetrate through paint/varnish or heavily ground-in grime. If there is any down there, it needs to be sanded clean. Secondly, the wood should be as dry as you can get it. The CPES solvent has some alcohol in it which will displace moisture, but still, the less moisture the better. Thirdly, the CPES when applied will color the wood about the same way a coat of clear varnish will, so you might want to consider sanding down the entire sole and starting all over with the CPES -- 2 coats and then varnish or urethane if you wish. If no varnish or urethane, then 3-4 coats are suggested. Like all epoxies, CPES is subject to degradation by UV rays, which won't affect what is embedded in the wood, and maybe wouldn't be a problem inside. Still, if it was my boat, I'd go back with a marine urethane final finish.

We often dry wood by using a hair dryer propped in position and left to blow on the surface for a few hours. You can move it along to new areas as needed. This would best be done on a clean-sanded surface. Then apply the CPES, give it a couple of days to cure out, and then apply another coat.

As you may know, we make a warm-weather formula (down to 45 degrees) and a cold weather formula (down to 32 degrees). If you order, you'll need to decide which you want. We cheerfully accept VISA and MASTERCARD and all products are in stock for shipping.

If you have further questions, give us a post and we'll give you our answer.

Doc