Added another LED

[ngavdba]

I like symmetry so I added another LED to my boat. Very easy to install although I don't really like taking a sharp drill bit to my Supra. It took me 20 min. start to finish. Wiring is a snap with the Vision X system. Both are Vision X SubAqua flood units. Quick snap connectors make male to female installation a breeze. Hard to see how it will look in the lake right now although I'm weeks away from going. I got her torn apart trying to bring the teak up to par and fixing the broken swim deck.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/46a6228e.jpg
Right one is new. Both holes drilled just inside the stringers through the back access.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/5ba6e63f.jpg

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/433a471f.jpg
Tried to polish the wake plate so they will reflect more.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/36278ab4.jpg

[Jetlink]

Hope the floor did not get too messy from all that work...:D

[ngavdba]

Jetlink...Didn't get it too messy from the light install, but blew it up when I sanded all the teak this weekend. Finally getting around to restoring my teak and got the chance to start sanding and prepping after years of neglect. Typically you don't sand teak but I felt it needed it as it was getting really rough grain.
The Rider, for those of you who care, has 50 different pieces of teak on in. 56 if you count the vent on the engine cover as separate pieces. About 150 screws to take it all apart.
Now I know why everyone else has taken it off.

So far on the swim platform, I used Starbrite Teak Cleaner, Brightener (2x) and 1 coat of Oil. Will oil again tomorrow evening.
I have two broken pieces on the end of the platform so I have taken that apart and will be cutting new pieces. I went ahead with the rest and this gives us the comparison in the pics.
I will be using Cetol Natural Teak on anything above the waterline (which is everything else) as it should last longer than the oil. 3 coats go on with 24 hr. dry time in-between. I hope to goodness it looks good for all the time and effort.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/e834591c.jpg
Big difference in the color tones. Right side has broken piece.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/81b70be8.jpg
Left side has fracture in teak.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/9e597a29.jpg
Close up view.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/08e4acaa.jpg
sanded vs. oiled vs. ugly.

[chrisk]

Great looking projects, I'm about to tackle all of my teak this weekend...

[sybrmike]

Defininetly like the second light. The wood's looking good. I love the look of teak, but wow that really has me thankful I've only got 5 pieces left in mine. Let us know how the Cetol works out on the teak. My folks used Cetol on the lap & gap cedar exterior of their house & it's held up real well.

Just a suggestion for oiling teak - I used a technique on my platform that I saw posted on here years ago that's supposed to make it last a long time between oilings.
First coat of 75% turnpentine, 25% oil, let dry for 2 days, then repeat with 50/50, 25/75, and finally 100% oil.

Too early to tell how much longer it'll hold up compared to just oiling, but supposed to really drive the oil down into the wood. My old platform looked like yours & really soaked it up. Looks great & really hardened up the wood. Feels like my platform is 2x as heavy as before.

[ngavdba]

Thanks Chrisk and Sybermike.
I too love the teak. I sense that my impatience has caught up with me though. In my rush to re-do the upholstery and get this boat back on the water, I regret the decision I made. I should of investigated other upholsterers first and then omitted the teak from the upholstery areas just leaving the teak on the Gelcoat. I figure if I get 5 to 7 seasons on this new upholstery I will be lucky. I'm heading into season three with fingers crossed. Sometimes you make a bad decision and you just have to live with it. On the plus side, I've had a blast the last two seasons enjoying it with my entire family.

Sybermike, that is a technique that I am not aware of for oiling the teak. I would have tried it as I'm all in for prolonging teak oilings as you can see. Maybe in another ten years I can try that. I haven't said the word turpentine in a long time so thanks for that.
I did oil the deck again for a second and third time. Used an entire bottle as I just poured it on and then let soak in. Then I wiped it off, stood it up on end to drain, and let dry. Looks great but I would prefer more shine.

The Cetol is a work in progress. Should have some pics up this weekend of continued progress.

[Dandamanf15]

Ngavdba -

On the boat I had last year (86 ski supreme) we re-did all the teak... It too had been neglected for years it looked like. There was probly almost as much as you have there. We sanded it all, washed and let it dry, then coated it 4 or 5 times with oil. Looked GREAT! Unfortunately it started fading about 1 month later. By the end of last summer it was looking pretty gray. Kinda frustrating for all the work we put into it. Granted, I didn't have anywhere to store it indoors like your awesome garage, so I'm sure that made a big difference. :) anyway, this February we didn't have any plans for a new boat, so we re-finished the teak again. This time we used a product called TeakGuard. I don't know if it's been talked about on here or not. It comes with a cleaner that works extremely well and quickly. Cleaned it up really nice and then we coated it about 6 times with the TeakGuard finish. I was really happy with the results. I would say it didn't look QUITE as pretty as the oiled teak the year before, but definitely close. I sold the boat just a week ago, so I don't know how it holds up, but it's guaranteed not to fade for a full year. Anyway, just thought I would throw that out there if you end up having to oil every 3 months and get tired of it :P

[Dandamanf15]

Also I plan on using it on the few pieces of teak that are on my sunsport so ill try to post some pics when I do :)

[ngavdba]

Dandaman,
I'm using Cetol above the waterline. I decided to use it after I believe Chautauquasun recommended it last year. I spoke with a few friends that have used it too and really like it.
I sanded all the teak first then wiped with 216 Special Thinner as recommended. I found the first coat goes on easier than second coat. That is usually the opposite with other paints or solvents I've used.
I have only completed the second coat as of yet with work commitments and other hobbies. It takes approximately 3.5 hours to do all 4 sides of the 50 some odd pieces and then 24 hour dry time in between so I'm only focusing my time on the weekends. I'm close to 15 hours labor thus far with disassembly, sanding, and 2 coats. The finish is getting kinda gritty rough so I am going to take a nylon scruff pad to it before I put on the 3rd coat. Then repeat with the nylon pad again and hopefully put on a 4th and final coat.
The way I see it, if I spend more time now doing it a bit excessive, maybe I won't have to do this again for many years to come.

Anyway, some pics of progress...albeit slow.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/63f4a864.jpg
Cetol sets rather quickly once applied. I just used old hangers to hang up for 24 dry period.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/3b7fa53d.jpg
I lay it all again and now am ready for 3rd coat.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/08ff74d0.jpg
Shows the color well, but you can almost see the grittiness of the product on these pieces.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/7821eebb.jpg
Got this at West Marine. I recommend thus far if anybody feels so inclined that has teak.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Holy crap you are hard at work. Were you having trouble with your swim platform bolts?? May I ask: if the swim platform brackets leak, does that water enter the bilge? or does it enter the sealed stringer compartments?

[ngavdba]

Holy crap you are hard at work. Were you having trouble with your swim platform bolts?? May I ask: if the swim platform brackets leak, does that water enter the bilge? or does it enter the sealed stringer compartments?

No trouble at all with the swim platform bolts. Just took platform off to restore. I am cleaning up the platform arms trying to make those look better.
I had the platform issue over 10 years ago and that's how I came to meet Donny. He gave the thumbs up once again when the boat was torn apart a few years back doing the stringers.
If they do leak however, he left the stringers notched at the rear so water will drain out. No sealed compartments on mine.

[sybrmike]

The wood's looking great - hope it lasts a good long time for you after all that effort, but I do hear good things about that Cetol. I jut finished the 9 pieces of teak left on my boat using the progressive turpentine/oil method. Really soaked it up again & looks like hand rubbed finish, but if it doesn't last long I'll be using Cetol next time...

[Dandamanf15]

Man, teak sure looks amazing when you take the time to do it right. Can't honestly say i miss having 50 pieces on my boat though :P I hope that finish holds up for years to come! If not, its definitely not for lack of time and effort. Hope you disconnect power to that garage door so someone doesn't accidentally knock everything on the floor! ;)

[ngavdba]

Well, 4 or 5 weekends later and my teak is finally done. 32 hours +/- a few invested up to now on bringing the teak back from the dead.
I sanded, cleaned, 1st coat Cetol, 2nd coat Cetol, sanded with nylon pad, cleaned, 3rd coat Cetol, very light sand again nylon pad, cleaned, 4th coat Cetol. All 50 some odd pieces on all 4 sides.

The swim deck has been sanded, cleaned, brightened, cleaned again, oiled, oiled, oiled, oiled and oiled again. Yes, five coats. Kept soaking it up. Close to two full bottles.

So I went to put the teak back on and I had purchased last year over $100 worth of all new stainless screws to replace the old but problem is I have lost the bag with the shuffling between old and new garages. If I go buy new, I know tomorrow I will find that bag. If I keep looking, I keep delaying my time on the water, but save a few dollars.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/8dbad38d.jpg
Here it is all laid out. Swim deck with oil, the rest with Cetol and how it looked before I started.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/3cb3110c.jpg
The hand rails. Love how they turned out.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/7e5020d1.jpg
Passenger hand rail...just showing Cetol finish vs. oil finish.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/7912f6fd.jpg
Engine cover pieces ready to go back on.

[ngavdba]

So I bought this piece of teak a few weeks back. Ending up spending $134.00 just to fix several sections. I debated long and hard on splicing in Ipe or Mahogany but just didn't think it would look right. I had a carpenter friend of mine who was going to take care of it, but he has blown me off due to work obligations. So, I called up another friend of mine who is a master carpenter and he is too busy. I just had taken every piece of my shop upstairs to store it as the POD was costing me a monthly fee. I stacked it all in one section. I can't even get to my tablesaw at the moment and who knows where my router is. So I placed a few calls today to several builders of mine asking for some help to see if I can get this cut and ready to go back on my swim platform. Maybe I'll just screw it on like it is.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/024b99ae.jpg
Right side...new teak, only length I could get so I paid extra. He did drop it down a few dollars a foot to help me out.

[ngavdba]

When I re-did the upholstery, they used a hinge that I came to loathe after several seasons of use. First, it way too high and when you went to pull yourself out of the water and grab the handrail, it would pinch any and all fingers. Secondly, it was too high and screwed in at the very top of the cap which was cracking my gelcoat which didn't make for a sound install. Thirdly, it was in the center of the sun deck and when opened, wobbled back and forth since it didn't have much width underneath to support the load. I found some similar to the originals in stainless steel. Not made for a Supra, so slightly bent at different angle.
I was wondering if you think I could bend that more straight towards 90 degrees like the huge one? It is pretty tough so I don't know if I need someone with a machine or not that could do it without damaging the properties of the stainless steel or affecting the strength. Opinions?

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/15059d4f.jpg
Getting it back from the upholsterer, you can see how it looks.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/d3af92db.jpg
Here it is above the handrail. Not good for fingers or for looks. You could see the screws almost.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/26473909.jpg
You can see the stainless are much larger underneath the deck for support.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/64f991f3.jpg
Here is the problem. Not the same angle and wondering if I can fix easily.

[Hagman]

Take the hinge to a heating & cooling (HVAC) guy. He will have the right tool for the job. It will only take him second.

[sybrmike]

You're not gonna hurt the stainless steel by bending it the rest of the way to 90 degrees. Wrap the flange in a cloth to protect the finish & put it in a vise then use a mallet on a wooden block to bend it over across the length.

btw - the wood looks great!

[TitanTn]

Gorgeous, high quality work on the teak. Just like everything you've done. Congrats. Hoping to see it in person this summer at our Supra get-together.

[haugy]

Ngavdba question:

You said you used a Nylon pad to lightly sand the wood after before coat 3 and then again lightly before coat 4. Can you explain the Nylon pad or am I just missing something? Like a scrub brush type pad?

That wood looks amazing, and you've helped me decide to do mine in the same color. I think that original color would really be gorgeous.

[ngavdba]

Ngavdba question:

You said you used a Nylon pad to lightly sand the wood after before coat 3 and then again lightly before coat 4. Can you explain the Nylon pad or am I just missing something? Like a scrub brush type pad?

Thanks for the comments guys. The teak turned out much better than I expected. Unfortunately, I was down with my back this weekend and could not work on my boat at all. I'm anxious to put it back together at some point.

Haugy,
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Manufacturing/Industry/Product-Catalog/Online-Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECFTDQGLE0000000_nid=GS242LD P3KgsH55CPWS904gl7TBD12ZDNTbl

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TRM-7447/
This where I got them since they're local.

I bought a 20 pack and only used two which I rinsed for re-use. If you want some, PM your address and I can mail you a few. I will not use them that often and surely don't need 20 sitting on the shelve till the next painting project.

[haugy]

Okay, so you light sanded it clean so to speak then used 216 Special Thinner to clean it, and then the Cetol process?

My teak is already very clean, so I'm thinking I could use the 216 just to make sure it's got a good clean surface, then the Cetol. Thoughts?

How much wait time did you give between coats?

[ngavdba]

Okay, so you light sanded it clean so to speak then used 216 Special Thinner to clean it, and then the Cetol process?

My teak is already very clean, so I'm thinking I could use the 216 just to make sure it's got a good clean surface, then the Cetol. Thoughts?

How much wait time did you give between coats?

I started with 216 before the first coat after I had sanded and cleaned the teak initially. They recommended 3 coats, sand if you want to, then add a fourth coat.
After 2 coats my teak felt a little gritty so I sanded between the 2nd and 3rd coat cleaning with 216 of course prior to any coat.
After the 3rd coat, I gave it a quick light sand once more for the hell of it. I didn't go at it as hard with the nylon as I did after the 2nd coat.
Cleaned again with 216 and then 4th and final coat.

I could only get to work on mine on the weekends since it took well over 3 hours per coat with the amount of teak I have. Once you get started, the Cetol sets up pretty quickly so have everything laid out and ready to go. You must wait at least 24 hours in between coats, but some of my pieces were still tacky I felt after 24 hours. Anyway,
I had a week between coats and that was more than enough. Keep a wet end on the teak and just go with the grain. Cetol is a very easy product to use and it only ran in a couple of spots where the screw holes are. I sanded it out and did a spot touch up.

Falling in love with my teak all over again and I hope it holds up well to the elements.

[haugy]

I started with 216 before the first coat after I had sanded and cleaned the teak initially. They recommended 3 coats, sand if you want to, then add a fourth coat.
After 2 coats my teak felt a little gritty so I sanded between the 2nd and 3rd coat cleaning with 216 of course prior to any coat.
After the 3rd coat, I gave it a quick light sand once more for the hell of it. I didn't go at it as hard with the nylon as I did after the 2nd coat.
Cleaned again with 216 and then 4th and final coat.

I could only get to work on mine on the weekends since it took well over 3 hours per coat with the amount of teak I have. Once you get started, the Cetol sets up pretty quickly so have everything laid out and ready to go. You must wait at least 24 hours in between coats, but some of my pieces were still tacky I felt after 24 hours. Anyway,
I had a week between coats and that was more than enough. Keep a wet end on the teak and just go with the grain. Cetol is a very easy product to use and it only ran in a couple of spots where the screw holes are. I sanded it out and did a spot touch up.

Falling in love with my teak all over again and I hope it holds up well to the elements.

Thanks for the tips. One last question, you stated you did the 216 between coats. Is that just for if you sand? Or for every coat, clean with 216 before?

I've only got two side steps, and the engine hatch, so I don't have nearly as much as you. I'm going to try to start mine this weekend, and jump back to it in between other projects.

[ngavdba]

Just posted some of these on June pics but if anyone ever reads this post again they can see the results. Title of thread went from LED to teak. Will update with pics of LEDs once I finally get to use them.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/650f27db.jpg

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/6a5d34da.jpg

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/9b8aa652.jpg

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/34a0a886.jpg

[ngavdba]

A few more to finish out the teak pics on this thread.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/59322279.jpg
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/6e027448.jpg
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/980bcb9a.jpg
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/d3c279c1.jpg

[TitanTn]

I always enjoy looking at you and Clint's pics. Beautiful boat, and great job on the teak.

[Sdc77]

It looks more new than a brand new boat ! Amazing job :cool:

[ngavdba]

Finally got out to the lake to check out the new LEDs I installed earlier in this thread. Got quite a few compliments once I flipped the switch on at dusk. I heard a kid tell his dad that is what we should do. "Why don't we have those daddy?" Another fisherman said if he could figure out a way to put them on his Triton he would.
So here is a few pics to showcase VisionX Subaqua. The Subaqua uses 3 watt LEDs for a 720 lumen light output, equivalent to a 100 watt halogen bulb.


http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/54379150.jpg
Pic taken with flash.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/5b9749f4.jpg
Pic taken without flash.

[ngavdba]

Added another LED light is right. Actually, I added 13 new LED lights. After trying to get on the road last week before being stopped by a thunderstorm, I noticed my old trailer lights weren't working too well. I had shorting issues last year as well. So I went to work that night taking off the old crappy lights (none were original and only two were LED) and scrapping the old wiring. I did a major overhaul.
I ran over to Northern (sucky place but only option) and grabbed some nice low profile LED lights. Each unit is sealed and has separate ground.
Then I started the 6-7 hour marathon of running all new wiring, drilling new holes for every light, and properly grounding each unit. I had to pre-drill each hole...2 for the lights and 1 hole for the ground as I used self tapping screws. The old steel on this trailer is pretty thick in spots and hard as crap to get through. I busted knuckles as well as breaking 3 bits. I used heat shrink connecters to finish it all out. Worked great on the first trip out and looked great as well.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/ac9a89bf.jpg
I added an additional two lights to the required three per DOT specs. I left equal spacing so if I decide to add two more, I can completely light up the bottom of the boat.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/93b6c847.jpg
Heading home. Added additional yellow markers near tongue for the hell of it.

[ngavdba]

Just thought I would show completed swim deck. Buddy of mine helped me with it since I haven't got my shop up and running yet. I put a few coats of teak oil on to make it blend in to the old wood. Basically three new pieces cut from one plank are completely new. The small starboard end piece is original.
Spent around $135 for the teak but well worth it in my opinion. Sure beats Line X option.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/9aa8a950.jpg
Wood cut and ready for oil. We did the end cap a bit differently than prior end piece to make it super strong for all future punishments.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/779df84b.jpg
Ta dah! Finished product.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/859030ad.jpg
I think it turned out nice. I am very happy with getting issue that resolved.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/ngavdba/83c285bb.jpg
Before pic as a reminder.

[TitanTn]

Top notch as always. The underwater lights, trailer lights, deck... everything. Thanks for sharing the pics.

[Jetlink]

I also changed over my trailer to all LEDs and re-wired and cleaned what I could. Such an awesome look and feeling now that my trailer lights are low/no maintenance.

[haugy]

Dang son. The new underwater lights look great!!!

Good job on the LED trailer lights, I always swap my trailers over to them, so worth it knowing the wiring is good and the lights are bright. (I'm a safety nut)

Teak looks great too. I'm going to try to Teak mine this weak per your instructions. I can't wait to see how it comes out. It's getting very dry and needs some oil.

[Dandamanf15]

Ngavdba -

Wow... Your boat is truly a sight to behold. Everything is so perfect! I'd say the hours spent on the teak were well worth it. I'm sure you're quite proud of how it looks after so many years. Keep up the good work!

[ngavdba]

Ngavdba -

Wow... Your boat is truly a sight to behold. Everything is so perfect! I'd say the hours spent on the teak were well worth it. I'm sure you're quite proud of how it looks after so many years. Keep up the good work!

Thanks so much. Thanks to all you guys. The majority of responses have been overwhelming. I didn't think it would be such a transformation, but I get stopped everywhere I go. My neighbors stop me as I pull out of the driveway. I can't fill up at the gas station without someone approaching. (4 times now!) At the boat ramp, I have been stopped by 3 guys three different times wanting to look at it.
I hate to tell this story but I will. My wife and I were out last evening (see current July pics) and cruising around when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guy trying to flag me down. It is a rule for me to always stop and help without question, but I just wasn't in the mood as time was short and and who knows what boat ramp I would have to pull him to.
I drove past and he kept waving and yelling. My wife asked if I was going to help. "You have to go over there, he may have a serious injury!"
I said, "Yes, just not in the mood." I turned the wheel towards his direction and pulled up alongside this guy swimming with his wife. I asked if everything was alright and he said, "Oh yes, I just heard you coming down the lake and then saw it was an old Rider." He continued, " I've owned 5 Supras and could tell immediately what this boat was." I've owned Sunsports, Mariahs, and currently have a Launch." We began a conversation that lasted maybe 10 minutes talking shop about Supras. After quite a few compliments, we took off headed for the cove. My wife was laughing hysterically while shaking her head saying, "To think you didn't want to stop to help and all the guy did was praise your boat." "You won't be able to wipe that smile off your face for a week."
All I could reply was "But I did stop."