# Tips for removing Cetol?



## Quickstep192 (Jan 6, 2001)

My boat has what I consider to be a lot of teak; wide coamings, grab rails, gunwale guard, companionway, the list goes on...... About seven years ago all of the teak was done in Cetol and recoated every other year. At this point, it's thick and orange and has failed in many places. I had hoped to just sand the failed places and re-coat, but there are a lot of them and I doubt it would blend well. So, I think I need to face the stripping task. I'm wary of using chemical strippers around my fiberglass topsides or around the awlgrip on the hull. Sounds like I'm down to scraping, but I though I'd check in here to see if anyone's found any magic.


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

Down through the years I have scraped, sanded and used chemicals. They all have pluses and minuses. At one time my prior boat looked that same way with the Cetol. It was so dark the teak may as well have been knotty pine. I suggest using a good quality scraper first to see how that goes. If the blade is sharp, the Cetol will some off rather easily and quickly. Then a light sanding and you are ready to refinish with the product of your choice (another topic beat to death on here before so use the search function for that.)

Assuming you use a stripper safe for fiberglass as stated on the label, using that will be fine -- but you do need to be careful with the Awlgrip. That's why I suggest starting with scraping.

Good luck.


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## saillavie38 (Dec 16, 2004)

*Heat gun?*

I'm considering that same task this season, and thought I might try a heat gun to help soften the Cetol before using a putty knife or scrapper. Has anyone tried this approach?
Larry
"Sail-La-Vie"


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

I have found through experience that a hot air gun will make an otherwise very difficult scraping job, much easier. It takes a little practice to determine how long to keep the blower in one spot, but once in the groove, follow with a sharp scraper and the 7 years of Cetol will come off in ribbons. 

Sand smooth with 80 grit paper, remove dust with tack cloths and rub all bare teak with an acetone wipe down, prior to applying your first sealer coat. I have so much teak on my boat's exterior, I resorted to hiring Antiguan pros.

They showed me a few tricks, which I used for stripping my pilothouse interior. I left all the exterior stripping work to them though - best decision I've made, saving the gratifying job of applying a new finish to my own labors of joy.

As Mitch stated, extensive threads have covered this topic - usually degenerating into a varnish vs Cetol debate.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Good advice....one additional suggestion is for getting into the corners that a normal scraper won't work in. Take a small piece of Lexan type acryllic and cut one edged at a 45 degree angle. You can maintain the edge with sandpaper and it works great without being hard enough to damage anything. 
We had to do the same thing on our boats rail when we got her and the heat gun works and was our solution....but it is still a lot of labor. I too don't want to start another finish debate but if it is your choice to stay with cetol....I suggest 2 base coats of regular Cetol followed by 2 coats of Cetol GLOSS. Then for maintenance you simply rough up and renew the Cetol GLOSS and you never get the buildup of ugly color that you have now.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

Heres a new product from Cetol

Cetol® Marine Natural Teak







Cetol Marine Natural Teak is a durable satin, translucent protective wood finish for use above the waterline on interior and exterior woods. Cetol Marine Natural Teak provides a flexible breathable finish along with weather protection for teak and other hard woods. Cetol Marine Natural Teak is a rich golden color that will enhance the natural beauty and grain of wood, offering the traditional classic look that every boat owner loves. It is formulated with the same ease of application and maintenance that all Cetol Marine products are known for but with "Next Wave" UV-absorbing technology, which is specialty resins and advanced UV absorbers that provide greater protection, durability and longevity


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Time to get a CS ... No exterior teak at all !!


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Isn't "Cetol Marine Natural Teak", the same formulation recently released by Sikkens, previously called "Ceto Marine Light"? It's what I used followed by "Cetol Gloss", the clear protective coating Cam used. Looks great on my boat, much lighter in tone than the original "orange" hued formula.


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## ollie820 (Mar 7, 2007)

I have always sanded. This stuff stains gel coat in a big way so I would tend to worry about liquifying it.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

I don't know for sure... but according to the website, http://www.yachtpaint.com/USA/sikkens/default.asp , it is a new product.

It would seem they have listened to the criticism of their customers and are trying to provide a more natural look for teak applications.

Of course I learned of it just after applying cetol as described by Cam to my companion way boards...fiqures.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

I've got three unopened quarts of "Light" on the boat @ $27./ea - for use in applying the last coat prior to "Gloss". So, I'm locked into that anyway.


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

*One word*



TrueBlue said:


> I've got three unopened quarts of "Light" on the boat @ $27./ea - for use in applying the last coat prior to "Gloss". So, I'm locked into that anyway.


True -- I have one word for you: eBay!!!!


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