[fordo]

I am planning to refinish the cabin sole on my 1978 Tartan 30. It is not the typical teak and holly sole, but plywood that has been fitted down into the contour of the cabin floor. I am assuming the veneer is teak, but that is just an assumption. I am told that some of these boats had cork as a non-skid sole but I am sure that this is not cork. My questions are:

How should I remove the remaining finish, heat gun or can I use a chemical stripper (like soy-strip) or will that effect the new finish?

There is a good deal of dirt and oxidation in the wood; what is the best way to get it out? Scrubbing with Murphy's oil soap? Teak cleaner?

Is there a safe way to sand without going through the veneer to get a smooth surface for the finish, and

What finish should I use?

I would appreciate whatever advice you could give.

 

[sailingfool]

That's a nice boat, I'm surprised it doesn't have a better quality sole.

If I were doing it, I'd remove what is there and take it to good lumber yard, ask them to duplicate the pattern in a teak&holly marine ply, then finish with Ultimate Sole. The results will put a smile on your face for the next ten years.

 

[WinterRiver]

It seems the company that makes Ultimate Sole is out of business. Start at post #22: Ultimate Sole

I got some last week from Sailor's Solutions.

 

[Chris59]

It seems the company that makes Ultimate Sole is out of business. Start at post #22: Ultimate Sole

I got some last week from Sailor's Solutions.

That is a total shock to me. What a great product they had....I used Ultimate Sole when I replaced all the flooring and steps on my boat. I still get compliments on how well it looks.

What a complete bummer!

 

[georgefmys]

Tartan 30 Cabin Sole

Try cleaning first-if sole is oiled TSP will work. If varnish, MEK or lacquer thinner willremove all dirt and MEK [gloves and respirator!] will soften varnish and make scraping easier if done right away. Old Tartans I have seen have good quality teak ply soles [no lines]. It's a classic look-and not easy to torture new panels the way you need to in the vee berth. Re Ultimate sole product ,try Rex Marine in Norwalk Ct.

 

[baboon]

Since you sole is not flat the plywood must be very thin to be bent to fit the fiberglass pan it sits in. My T30 has the cork floor for this reason. Any sanding would have to be done very slowly and carefully as there is probably not much material to go through before you hit the next layer. A heat gun would likely melt the glue holding it down. Is it varnished? If not cleaning with a solvent would be a good first step, anything water based will raise the grain. If varnished using a stripper would be OK, but start small and in an out of the way spot. Ventilation is critical. Good luck. My 35 year old cork floor is looking a bit ragged so let us know if it ends up looking great.