In the first of our 12-part maintenance series, Nick Burnham guides you through the best techniques to clean your teak decks
There’s nothing like the golden glow of a freshly cleaned teak deck to make your boat look like new – but everyone seems to have a different idea about how to achieve it.
Ironically the very reason teak is so soft and grippy to walk on in wet deck shoes is also the reason that it loses its lustre so quickly.
Its ability to absorb water means it also sucks in dirt and other impurities, particularly on the bathing platform where it is permanently exposed to the elements rather than sheltering beneath the cockpit canopy.
Fortunately, if tackled correctly, teak decking cleans up remarkably easily and effectively. Get it right and you’ll restore the beauty of real wood. Get it wrong and you’ll end up with a patchy deck of different hues.
Here our Born Again Boater Nick Burnham runs you through a tried and trusted method that is simple but effective. You can read the full feature in the May 2016 issue of MBY.