Q: I have a 1980s vintage boat that looks and runs great, but the interior teak is looking dull. I don't want to use any harsh chemicals for fear of damaging the upholstery. What can I do?
- Pete Winsome, Charleston, SC

A: Interior wood doesn't require the same strong chemical cleaners as the exterior trim. Most household cleaners work just fine without the risk of damage to surrounding materials. A stiff nylon scrubbing pad like those used for cleaning pots in the kitchen removes stubborn dirt without damaging the wood. Be sure to wipe down the teak with a clear water rinse afterward, and let it dry overnight or longer.

Your great-grandmother probably had a one-step solution to cleaning wood: lemon oil. This product is still carried by many large hardware stores and some supermarkets. Pour the oil in a bucket of warm water. Scoop up the oil film on a rag, wring out the excess liquid, and scrub the wood. The lemon oil helps remove dirt, rejuvenates the surface and leaves a pleasant aroma.

It's important to apply a light coat  of protection after the wood dries. Teak oils work well outside but have a tendency to attract cooking grease and even handprints on interior wood. My preference for interiors is a non-oily finish like Teak Wonder or one of Semco's Teak Products. Both are available with pigments to give the wood a bright, freshly sanded appearance. The result makes the interior of a cabin appear less confining.

A low-maintenance alternative would be one of the new "wood finish" synthetics. These produce a varnish-like appearance with less work than real spar varnish. Sikkens Cetol and West Marine's WoodPro Plus are two good options. These synthetics apply much like varnish but don't require all of the sanding and prep work for additional coats. A weekend of work applying either product should give a decade or more of service on interior teak.


Q: Most people have seagull problems. I have problems with ducks. They like to rest in the sun on my swim platform. Last year, I even caught them trying to build a nest, which I discouraged. It would be funny if they didn't leave behind  a mess. What can I do?
- Tom Parmalee, Annapolis, MD

A: Don't shoot the ducks. Buckshot really chews up fiberglass. Nesting ducks is somewhat of a new problem for me. I checked on bird-chasing chemicals, but those effective for ducks are intended to be sprayed on grass. Audio bird chasing systems using loud sounds aren't appropriate in a quiet marina. One company markets a floating alligator head, which it claims chases ducks even in areas where 'gators aren't native. If nothing else, a Gator Guard would certainly get your neighbors talking. See it for yourself on the web at www.birdx-.com/-products/gator.html.


Q: Due to my lack of docking skills, I need to replace the red light on the port side of my boat. The boat is almost twenty years old, and the green lens is clouded, so I'm thinking about replacing the pair. Are the new LED lights worth the money? Or am I better off just sticking with the old style?
- Ned Land, Groton, CT

A: It's no secret that the first generation of light-emitting diode (LED) lights for boats had some problems. These early bugs are pretty much worked out now. As far as durability and low-battery drain go, LEDs are definitely the way of the future; however, the price still remains a major problem. A set of red and green sidelights can be up to four times as much as the low-cost incandescent bulb alternatives.

If you're going to keep your boat another 20 years, there's no doubt the LED lights are a good choice. However, if you're thinking about trading your boat in for a new one anytime soon, you're probably wiser to choose an incandescent set. Either way, be sure that the new lights meet U.S. Coast Guard and ABYC A-16 standards. Lights that meet these standards have been tested to produce enough illumination and the precise red or green color required under the Coast Guard's "Rules of the Road."


Q: I'm ordering a new boat. The dealer says I should pay extra for what he calls a "barrier coat" on the bottom. I thought bottom paint was enough. Is he trying to put something over on me?
- Karl Miller, Bend, OR

A: Barrier coats are an important part of protecting new boats against osmotic blistering. Some manufacturers are applying epoxy or other materials to their boats before shipping them to customers. Other builders use vinyl ester resins for their gel coats because these are more resistant to water osmosis than conventional polyester resins. Even with the more expensive resin, however, a barrier coat is still good insurance against "boat pox."

Barrier coats work by putting a waterproof "skin" on the bottom of your boat. This prevents water osmosis so blisters can't form. Bottom paints are designed only to prevent the growth of marine fouling. Most are somewhat porous to water and provide no protection against blistering.

You didn't mention if you're going to wet-dock your boat or keep it on a trailer. A boat that stays on a trailer except when in use doesn't necessarily need a barrier coat. Osmotic blistering takes longer than a few hours on a Saturday afternoon to develop. Boats that are docked in a marina all summer long are a different story. Being wet all the time, they definitely need protection.

It's easier and usually a lot less expensive to apply a barrier coat to a new hull than to repair a case of blisters. Also, applying a barrier coat later requires that all old bottom paint be removed in a tedious process of sanding and scraping. If your boat needs protection, do it before you apply that first coat of bottom paint.


Q: Last spring, the mechanic checked what he called the "pencil zincs" on my engine and said they were bad. I agreed to go ahead and have them replaced. He checked them again in the fall, and they were bad again. Now he tells me that I should install a ground wire on my propeller shaft. What's the deal?
- Tom Hart, Tampa, FL

A: Pencil zincs are installed in the raw-water sections of many engine cooling systems. In your case, they protect the heat exchanger from corrosion. A pencil zinc appears from the outside to be an oversized bolt head. This is really just a cap that holds a short rod of sacrificial metal. Pencil zincs may last the lifetime of the engine in fresh water but need annual inspection and frequent replacement in salt water.

Your mechanic described the grounding of the propeller shaft incorrectly. You can't attach a bonding wire to a spinning shaft. Instead, you need to install what's called a "shaft brush" or "shaft wiper." This is a strip of copper with a block of contact material that's softer than the shaft. This block rides on the shaft as it turns, much like an electrical brush in a motor. A #6 wire (use green insulation for correct color coding) bonds the shaft brush to the engine and other metallic parts of the boat.

Don't be tempted to make a shaft brush out of an ordinary motor brush. The graphite used in motor brushes can cause some serious corrosion problems.

The common reason for installing a shaft brush is to improve the protection from zincs attached to the propeller shaft and other underwater parts of the boat. The lubricant in the gearbox works as an insulator preventing good electrical connection between the shaft and the engine. However, owners of some inboard engines have reported that pencil zincs in the cooling system last up to twice as long with a shaft brush installed.

Not all boats need a shaft brush, and there are cases where one may do more harm than good. The nature of electrical corrosion in salt water is finicky. Before spending a lot of money on new hardware, you might want to consult someone with experience solving these sorts of problems. You'll know you have the right electrician if he has a meter capable of measuring extremely minute voltages. The real trouble may be somewhere you don't suspect.


Send your BoatCraft Q&A questions to Dave Brown c/o Boating World , 2100 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30339. You can also e-mail your questions to editor@boatingworld.com. Due to the volume of inquiries he receives, Dave Brown will be unable to answer every question.