Re: New Boards

I, too, would recommend ipe to replace the teak. At the suggestion of Steve Ritz (Excelsior), I used it to replace my handrails and hatch rail last year. I'm keeping mine oiled for now. His is varnished and looks nice. As for cleaning, the main ingredient in any teak cleaner I've seen is oxalic acid. The trick I've found to using it is to pick a cool day when you can leave it sitting on the wood for about 10 to 20 minutes without it getting completely absorbed or evaporating. Scrub it with a plastic scrubber and repeat if necessary. First time I did my teak took 3 applications. But then, I'm parked next to a coal burning power plant. Anne Racel 4 Degrees http://boatjournal.stuffandjunk.net