Teak decks, 20+ years? This is how you do it! - Ep. 310 RAN Sailing

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As we’re preparing the boat for it’s new owner, Johan goes over the teak deck and give it some love and care. He shares his best tips on how to maintain a good looking and well maintained deck. We hope you get some useful tips!
We are a Swedish family who have sailed the world since 2016 while sharing the adventures here on KZbin. Our boat and home is a Najad 440 from 1988. We post a new episode every Friday so make sure to subscribe and hit the bell to be the first to know when there is a new episode!
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Love,
Malin, Johan & Vera

[@ATT120]

I love these "Johan-Episodes" of him doing maintenance on the boat and how he always tries to teach us viewers some of his tricks and techniques. I've actually learned a lot from him. Thank you!

[@Tomm9y]

I appreciate his clear, undramatic, yet expressive explanations.

[@Kathleensailorgirl]

Johan’s attention to details will be such an incredible blessing to the new owners. Your new journey to find Ran III will be quite an adventure.Stay safe.⛵️⛵️🥰🥰

[@BillColeExperience]

Better than packing 🤨

[@gordthompson4664]

I remember being impressed by that boat's condition when you bought her. The "engine room" in particular was a dream come true. The previous owner "paid it forward" to you, and now you are "paying it forward" to the next owner. We all need more of that these days. Good luck with your new chapter! (I have my own predictions about Ran III and her crew, but I'll wait to see how they play out.)

[@Catalina58601]

You are a very good teacher, Johan.

[@nooneanybodyknows1321]

The new owners are getting a boat that has been loved and maintained. I hope you are happy with your decision. I'm looking forward to Ran 3 and watching Vera grow into a beautiful young lady. 💙

[@Mark_L]

As a serious woodworker I complement you on your knowledge of the teakwood deck. Making your own plugs Is definitely the way to go. Whenever a project of mine calls for epoxy I use West Systems epoxy. So do many other serious woodworkers.

[@TraneFrancks]

The information about the teak decks was excellent. With what you offer here and the info that was shared on the Sailing Magic Carpet channel, newcomers to maintaining teak should be in decent shape. That said, I'm more of a 'glass decks kinda guy. So much maintenance.

[@DD-xx8wh]

lucky new owner!...take one last look- wow ! any RAN sailed and maintained by these three is certainly the best "used" boat one could ever hope for!

[@bruster46]

Vera has my vote as the cutest toddler ever.

[@jhill4071]

is Vera just naturally conversant with Swedish and English due to the video logs.

[@rustneversleep]

@@jhill4071 ya I find that awesome the a young child like just converts to a different language effortlessly ✌️👍

[@glenntaylor5638]

So good; I recall making my own plugs and still use the same technique in home furniture. Good luck in your quest for RAN111

[@maureencoleman9248]

Johan your love for Ran is so obvious. You epitomizes what a good captain is. Good luck on your journey and I look forward to coming along.

[@dennismiller5725]

Been here since the beginning with Ran 1, seems like the end of an era.

[@bryansmith1920]

I applaud your decency I have moved into homes weir the lightbulbs have been taken Being the nice guy is why Humans will survive

[@kerrymettert8962]

Johan I never knew about teak and how to care for it. Your talk on it was very good. You really know how to take care of a boat! Fair winds and following seas my friend.

[@JohnSmith-cx7zt]

Yes indeed , I hope Johan gets his new dream boat a Garcia 45 .

[@thommeyer6356]

Whoever purchased RON 2 from you is lucky, indeed. Watching the thoughtful care you have put into her, with all the projects and repairs, I envy the new owner. He/she couldn’t have made a better choice. I can’t wait to see what boat you end up with next.

[@jrp616]

From the day you bought Ran II, I thought it was the perfect boat for you. I'm interested to see what you choose as an upgrade. But whatever boat you're on, I really enjoy following your adventures, and Vera seems to get cuter every week.

[@michynature]

That’s a great explanation regarding the teak!

[@deeclination]

So refreashing to see how to care for teak decks, I had a swan and did everything wrong for a while, but this gentleman has got it right .

[@stackfire9601]

Vera scared me when she touched the wrench to the DC studs! I thought she would get a face full of sparks.... I'm so happy nothing happened 👍😎😉💖

[@trebledog]

Man, you are most existential sailor I've come across on YT. My guess is the next boat will be something along the lines of an OPEN 60 derivative but in the 50 ft range, squared top on mains'l tricked out to solo. From one of my favorite writers, "Live to the point of tears." Camus

[@agip1787]

I always following the sailing people with a children tags along their journey....hope to follow you again on your next journey....💚

[@ianbost193]

Another great video! Your daughter is adorable.

[@tomburton8239]

Re taking off your personal kit and (eventually) transferring it to the new boat…. We sold our previous boat in the UK and took off a vast amount of personal kit. Apart from clothing etc. (lots of bulky foul weather gear) we took off: outboard, dingy, liferaft. & lifejackets (both with pressure cyclinders) flares, crockery & cutlery & pots-n-pans; charts; signal flags, ensigns & staff, TOOLS!! Then we had to get all this stuff from the UK to Helsinki where the next boat was. Investigated couriers, containers, etc. But problems with logistics and issues with pressure cylinders & flares!. We ended up loading the lot into the car and driving it all UK-Helsinki via Eurotunnel, Hamburg, & Rostock ferry. Loaded it all onto the new boat, then drove the car back in via ferry to Copenhagen, down through Sweden to the Rodbyhavn ferrie, etc.

[@tomcraddock244]

I can’t wait to see what you end up with in regards to your new boat.let the search begin 👀 Fair winds ⛵️

[@davejames1452]

Great work,thanks for sharing ⛵⛵⛵⛵

[@tommyedodson2412]

Such pride in ownership. Fantastic

[@allsearpw3829]

Hi, on to pastures new again , it does not seem very long ago when you purchased Ran II . Best of luck on your new adventure and very glad to see one of the best sailing families ,doing well .😀

[@garyten13]

Maybe that Sirius 40 you looked at, might be on your wish list.

[@yugeniaof5128]

Hello, my name is Eugenia, we are fans of you, we love to see you and enjoy your adventures. I would like to ask you to greet a friend who is sick, it would be very exciting for him since we do not miss any episode. I would really appreciate it, his name is Cesar Cziraki. You are an inspiration for those of us who like the sea. Thank you very much and greetings.

[@judsonquiaoit8256]

Sweet Vera,a treasure...

[@tomburton8239]

It must be a wrench to part with Ran. She has looked after you so well, and you put so much effort into looking after her and improving so many details. Your head may say it’s time to move on, but your heart will pine for her. Re the next boat… Our last boat was a Swan 43, built in 1989. We had her from 1995 to 2012 and covered close to 100k nm. I loved her looks, build quality, endless clever details - and took great comfort from knowing that she was a lot stronger than we were! But I was seriously tempted by another boat: a Swan 53 (also from 1989, but Frers not Holland). My heart said “yes”: an exquisitely beautiful vessel - a real head-turner, perfectly designed at the peak of Nautor’s focus on cruising boats (i.e. pre-Ferragamo), and a long-legged boat that could cover miles effortlessly - and sailable two-handed (just). But, having visited a perfect one in Palma, my head said “no”: 20te displacement compared with my 43’s 11te (13te all-up) - so everything was getting on for twice as big: sail area, loads, weights, systems, etc. We could sail a 53 two-handed in our 60s - but if something went amiss at the wrong moment, human effort wouldn’t be enough and it would end in $$$, tears (or worse). Also all the systems were bigger (and 24v) so maintenance / replacements would be more expensive than the 43 - and keeping a 53 from 1989 in great shape might find the bottom of my bank account and even could ruin me. So the decision was ‘no’ - and I still regret it. Would a Swan 53 be the right boat for you? You would smile so much your face would ache. Your pride would be incredible and your heart would sing. And, as you’re younger and fitter than us, you could handle it two-handed. They were all built around 1990, so over 30 years old now. But… if you can find one that’s had a fortune spent on it…. maybe? There’s a beauty out there now - see swan53forsale(dot)com. Nothing to do with me, but an example….

[@crusadeagainsttomatoes2518]

Very good advice regarding the deck! We are in the final phases of renovating the teak deck on our Hallberg-Rassy 352, a long and very tiring process, that I wish never to repeat. Sanding, removal of old caulk, routing the grooves, sanding the sides, tape in the bottom of the grooves and finally new caulking… We bought the boat 2 years ago not expecting very much work, but the previous owners seemed to have hidden stuff away from us. I therefore respect your ethics when it comes to selling a boat, and it is very much a 2 way feeling: you are comfortable with selling the boat, and the buyer is comfortable with buying it. I am sure the new owner will get a fantastic boat that has, as your videos show, been cared for and loved. I think we will follow your maintenance plan when it comes to taking care of the deck, maybe using Boracol as well, as we live in Denmark. Also, check out Lignia, it is a great alternative to teak, because it is still organic, but kinder to the environment. It also has some of the same properties. I hope the boat finding process is going well and congratulations with the selling of Ran II.

[@Literiding]

A very long time ago, I was the First Lieutenant Officer of an U.S. Iowa class battle ship for a short period of time and the battleship came with teak deck for which I was the responsible officer. For deck maintenance we “Holystoned” the deck and here is a video from the Battleship New Jersey Museum talking about holystoning; kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3LKn3qCdtaJo5Y When holystoning we went along the planks with a fire brick from the boilers to scrub the deck. I usually left this task to the supervision of the Chief Petty Officers and Leading Petty Officers, too often someone would get out of sync and disrupt the entire drill. The other common cause of the evolution being reduced to a comedy routine was a stick coming out of the brick being used. (This will be more understandable after you watch the video.) This also would wear down the caulking to keep the surface flat and smooth. Fortunately when sections of teak deck needed replacement, we put in a work request and a shipyard or maintenance facility would do the work. They tore the old teak out and cleaned the armored deck under the teak to “bright” metal and welded the studs to the armor plate which held the teak down with washers and bolts rather than screws. In the video above you can see how much thicker the teak is and the size of the plugs. The caulking was much like tar and was poured on the steel and the planks were quickly laid in position having been previously fitted. Tightening the bolt on the studs forced the caulking up between the planks and up the over sized bolt holes. After the caulking solidified, it was trimmed flush with the teak planks. Large commercial floor sanders completed the job. During my short tenure, several other woods were tried, I think cedar was one of the woods tried, but they couldn’t stand up to the traffic particularly when carts carrying the 16 inch projectiles were wheeled accross the deck. Having enjoyed your Atlantic crossing videos, I watched with some interest your Local Apparent Noon (LAN) sighting. Before the tour as First Lieutenant, I was the Navigator of a large amphibious ship and navigated two crossing of the Atlantic in the days before electronic navigation. A trick for finding a celestial object on a pitching deck is to set your sextant arc to 0 (zero) degrees elevation and turn your sextant upside down and find your celestial object using your sextant like a telescope. With your sextant still inverted, swing the arc down to find the horizon while keeping your object in view. Then flip your sextant over and take your sighting. I never reduced the Longitude from LAN, it was nearly an order of magnitude less than the Latitude.

[@McTroyd]

Neat trick with the teak deck plugs! Thank you. 👍

[@falcon23spc]

Have a look at an Abelone 446. One from your part of the world. Moored next to a Norwegian registered one in Salcombe UK a couple of weeks ago, lovely looking yacht.

[@billb.6109]

Thank You for sharing your knowledge about teak decks and applications. Safe travel home, and we are looking forward to your new boat.

[@robertskinner1799]

This type of vlog is why I love this channel. Both entertaining and educational. Cheers!

[@MrPaulcm1]

The new owner is getting a quality boat. So looking forward to the new adventure of finding a new boat. Exciting times for you all. Johan you are great at attention to detail and in maintenance. Love the vlog :)

[@mikefox1332]

I absolutely enjoy watching your wonderful family on your boat!

[@BillColeExperience]

This is the way to buy a boat. Watching all the maintenance on it for years. I hope you are getting all that it is worth.

[@MiQBohlin]

Aye m8s! Very nice go-through of teak deck maintenance!

[@larry_anderson]

Still can't believe you're selling Ran II, but if I were ever to buy a sailboat I'd be thrilled if it were one that had been maintained as well as yours. Looking forward to Ran III!

[@lets_go_see_]

i learned something today thank you

[@RajeshSingh-Bhangu]

Continue sailing please

[@donnakawana]

Awwe , Vera is getting so big an smarter with every passing week... Well, guy's moving forward to something new!! You never know what each day holds . One thing to be sure of it will always be an adventure... Thanks for taking us along for the journey, an sharing your lives with us ✌🏼💗😊❣️

[@harlandfazardo799]

The Wyns sold their boat too and due to the shipping cost left most of their tools and dishes on the boat.

[@yakncast7530]

Yep. Left everything except their cloths and electronics.

[@Joshua-dw8wu]

The new owner will get the nice new mast system and sails.

[@HellyWelly93]

Learnt so much about teak decks!

[@ronaldwarren5220]

Sailing with two lovely ladies - you are blessed!

[@bobsails9750]

Thank you

[@arkansasboy45]

I know that you both love that boat and put so much work into it. I can't wait to see where you go from here.

[@americanbornwalkaway9110]

AWESOME Love to See Vera Having Fun Exploring NEW things 👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@ricardoarohenapagan9149]

See you next week!

[@andrewjames7616]

Thankyou 👍

[@davidzaharik5408]

Semco is great... it doesn't last super long but it is so easy to apply .... I kept my Wauquiez deck looking new for 10 years... and now use it on the little bit of teak I have on my Borél and my rowing dinghy! Great stuff... loved the video!

[@vraymond108]

Looks like you are in the spot we had when we were there in 2012. Not much has changed. If we could snap our fingers and be somewhere new would head to Bonaire/Curaçao. You must be in Sweden for now. I think there is a Bestavaer in your future. We have see two this year. One in Iceland and now another in Lerwick, Shetlands.

[@larssolem2507]

Sioox is a fabulous Swedish product that preserve and protect teak. It make your teak look like new for years and also prevent wear from excessive washing. Try it if you have a teak deck both on your boat or your terrace. Part from that congrats with the sale of Ran II. Look forward to see Ran III!

[@antonynr]

17:40 Was it only me who was flinching - hoping she misses a positive bus bar??

[@andrewessels7871]

Interesting change of events. In my view there are only two yacht designs that I will go for - Hallberg-Rassy and Najad. Both good offshore designs and one of which you had. All the best in your venture in finding your new yacht and looking forward to see your next venture. In my time working in Sweden I have seen some awesome yachts. it is not going to be an easy choice. All the best.

[@Tomm9y]

It depends on your needs and your budget. I think the customised aluminium boats have huge potential, however the price is very different from production fibreglass. The Najad 44 has suited them very well. Also the long waterline, yet relatively narro boats have a lot to offer, great speeds, more flexible space, away from the ends.

[@Taisen_Des]

Vera's kisses attack made our day (16:48) 😅🥰 Hej då! 👋

[@tomburton8239]

Ahhh, teak decks. We cared deeply for our Swan 43’s teak deck. It was a 1989 boat, and we sold it in 2012 (23 years) and the teak deck was still good. Why? a) never brush it down the grain. Only across the grain, and then only occasionally; b) never kept for long in very hot conditions (Med, tropics); c) boat covered when it used i.e. winter; d) never treated it with anything. I see your teak deck is like ours: mostly vacuum bag installation, with screws/plugs only in edge pieces. Similar vintage construction? Older teak decks are all screwed. And you removed the screws: how did you avoid drilling into the screws when removing the old plugs? Oh, and I found that after the new plugs were in and the glue had gone off, if I used a chisel to take off the top of the plug flush with the deck, the wood could crack a little bit down below the deck level. So I had to chisel a mm or two above deck level and sand back from there.

[@jameslesliejr.5636]

Excellent tips. Good luck with your boat search ! ⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵

[@michaeldouglas6872]

They are the best !

[@patricklovell6118]

Thank you. ⛵️

[@danielclint1033]

I thought you guys would keep this beauty for years and years.

[@stephanmeissner7555]

I am looking forward to see where your journey will take you boatwise. Good luck for your boat hunt!

[@jimanderson2518]

You should have family fly in for a visit....tell them to bring only a carry on .....then load them up for the trip home ...lol its called a 2fur

[@nanlog4303]

Ok so same as the last boat. Sail over to the new world, flog it and the start all over again.... Sounds like a good business. Good luck.

[@OnTourWithPattiSmith]

You forgot to mention the smell ... .. while sanding the teak deck. That’s the best reason to have a teak deck!

[@tomriley5790]

RAN 2's owners are getting a great boat! Surprised you sold her!

[@junemartin1475]

So surprised you have sold your beautiful RAN II. It seems as though you have just gotten to the caribbean. Good luck on your new adventures. Vera is a doll!!

[@niclasdahlquist3491]

Känns sorgligt att n säljer fina RAN II En fantastiskt båt i otroligt skick 😊Hoppas ni köper svenskt igen !! Ser fram emot att få se er nya båt !! Lycka till 👌

[@iainlyall6475]

i'm going to maybe move to grenada in '23 or gods forbid '24(from e. canada) and was wandering how much did you pay for your move? i'm realising there are all kinds of other factors involved, but was just wandering. love your videos :-))

[@10lauset]

.. Cheers to you. ..

[@vidguy007]

A big problem with teak decks is that the adhesive that holds the teak down is only good for 20 years. From then on you get water under the teak and an ever growing problem. You can hose down a teak deck and learn a lot by watching how it drys. I removed my teak decks and saw what was going on under them.

[@RANSailing]

Yes, this is true for older decks that were glued down with silicone-based adhesive; after 20+ years the silicone is dried out. On RAN II the decks are glued down with a polyurethane-based adhesive which keeps its properties much longer. Good tip on hosing down the deck to see where you might have a problem. Cheers!

[@davep5788]

The Wynn's (Gone with the Wynn's) had the same dilemma with their stuff after they just sold their boat. In the end they decided that it was cheaper to leave things like kitchen appliances, plates etc. and some boat tools on the boat for the new owner and buy again, than it was to ship it from NZ to the US.

[@avail1.]

will you be sailing again ?? it almost looks and sounds like you are going to stay on land. what ever you do i hope the best👍💐

[@MonkPetite]

Oef .. new boat ….again .. I hope you find a Km build yacht like a “noord kaper “ or a puffin. See you back in Holland again

[@andre1987eph]

It took me 8.5 months recently to go from a “good” job to an absolute miracle dream job! In between I was unemployed, improving other areas of my life. Then this miracle dream job appeared out of nowhere. Don’t rush in to committing to a next blue water cruiser (just because you may feel pressure to make KZbin content, or whatever). Allow God time to “set up your blocking for you” so you can take the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.

[@gidge34]

This channel has the best videos that are perfect mount of boat work and sailing and family life/love

[@dalejohnson3520]

You might consider a tri-hull for your next boat. The tri-hull will have less water drag than a mono-hull and will be more stable in rough weather and seas.

[@BilldalSWE]

A multihull would unfortunately be almost useless in Swedish waters if they are planning on returning here. They are very rare here mostly due to space constraints (both in marinas and the tiny natural harbours in our archipelago. I've only seen two large cats along the westcoast this entire summer...

[@bricktopperheadon5490]

@@BilldalSWE I really hope they don't want a multihull !!!

[@giles-df9yu]

You may catch up with the old sea dog, he seems to be stuck in new Zealand

[@Karma-fp7ho]

Malin and Johan betting there will be deals coming on Boats? Or maybe it's time for some land and more space for Vera? I lived on a boat when I was 3-5 years old

[@emilybh6255]

I would look for your new boat closer to where you want to be sailing it. I'm not sure I'd be heading back to Sweden unless you want a boat geared for sailing in that part of the world.

[@michaelishoj1111]

Your comment had me look back to how they located RAN 2, a 20 minute clip, from Dec 27, 2019: Deal SIGNED! This is our new boat - Ep. 182 RAN Sailing

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

The Finns from Alluring Artic found their Al hulled boat in a Sanfransico boat yard ..the same one that Salt and Tar finished building theirs in. They flew down from Iceland to look at it and bought it.. they are working on it to sail it back North ..the heat is killing them🤣😉⛵

[@ivonneramudo6642]

What are you plans? You are one of the nicest family and we would like to continue following you. We would like to see Vera grow up. She is a beautiful girl 💖.

[@DirkJacobsz]

I have a teak deck on an HR43 - can't stand it- wife likes it - teak is so hot and radiates heat into the boat..

[@ianmcfadden4709]

one good thing is you get all new tools and gear

[@DellHell1]

Be careful with airline luggage, not much makes it to the destination on time, especially if there is a change of plane as part of the journey. You will definitely want to put a number of Apple AirTags in with the luggage, one for each separate bag. They won’t help get the bags delivered but at least you will know where they are and be able to track their progress.

[@anthonyfowler8634]

Fed X the bulk of it. I’m sure you get my “drift.”

[@airwalwer]

Vera is so cute! Does she speak any English yet? I’m sad to see RAN II go, but am looking forward to your next adventure!

[@moritzengler3098]

Johan, I suppose you saw the Koopmans 60 in Hindeloopen?:) Cheers from Hamburg

[@MRMV483]

Hi Johan, we have a 2005 Najad 380 with glued teak decks, unfortunately the previous owner did not really take care of the deck and in some places it is grooved heavily (or the teak quality is less as Ive never seen another Najad of our model year with glued decks so I hope our boat was not an experiment..). This causes our decks get dirty easily and I believe the grooves hold a lot of the dirt which further dimishes the grains, as I see teak fibres come loose when we walk on our teak a lot. I believe it is roughly 7mm thick still, I am not sure how thick the teak was originally but we never clean with a brush or abrasive products, we use boracol every year. We’ve had it lightly sanded once in 2020 but not enough to get rid of some of the grooves. Should we sand down 1mm? how long do you think we could make our teak last if we do so. I want the beautiful even grey teak look like you guys😩

[@RohanTheBT]

Cristoph Rassy once told me that my teak decks needed more crew walking up and down the decks to keep them clean. Agree with everything thing you said but would suggest oxalic acid as a way of restoring the original colour. Never use anything abrasive! But I guessed you were going to lightly sand the whole deck

[@RANSailing]

Yes, oxalic acid could be used, but the problem with chemicals is that they eat away on the softer part of the wood more than on the hard part, making the surface uneven over time. So I'm always careful when using anything stronger than soap and water. I sanded the deck to get it back to a flat and even surface, not something I would do very often. Maybe once every 5-10 years... Cheers!

[@jean3142]

@RAN II; Pelagic 77 Vinson of Antarctica

[@Antipodean33]

Very few people care how they present the boat once sold, good man for giving a shit. One thing I've taken away from you is how well you take care of your boats. Wonder what the next boat will be, I'm guessing something larger again, maybe in that magical 50+ foot region?

[@chaimsalamon]

I'm calling first option on buying your next boat. .... Of course after you've upgraded it to immaculate level of Ran 2

[@Andtrax]

Nu fattar jag varför RAN 2 legat stilla i Miami under så lång tid. Och då var det antagligen Malin jag såg i Malmö härom veckan!

[@RANSailing]

😂 Korrekt! 👍😊

[@cuchoschw4834]

Porque venden el RAN II ? Cual es el requisito para el RAN III?

[@raireva4689]

Good luck in finding Boracol 20 in EU or US.... otherwise great video. All I will add is that salt water is great for teak decks....

[@RANSailing]

You can still get Boracol 20 as a contractor in the EU, otherwise, you can order Boracol 10 which will work good also. Good point on the salt water to keep it from drying out.... Cheers!