Chris-Craft 32 Launch (RJ) Owner's Manual page 150

Storage And Commissioning
Teak Maintenance (Continued)
The Nature of Teak Decks
The wood from which teak decks are made was once a living organism. Unlike marble, ceramic, metal, or
synthetic materials, wood is organic, thus porous, and must be cleaned with chemicals and equipment that
will be effective, yet will cause the least damage to the surface.
Additionally, the caulking or sealant used between the teakwood boards or planks must be taken into consid-
eration when cleaning, since some types of chemical cleaners affect the caulking adversely. The fastening sys-
tem used when the deck was originally installed can also be affected by cleaning chemicals, resulting in prema-
ture corrosion of metal fasteners, and the absorption of that corrosion into the pores of the wood, causing stain-
ing.
If the deck being cleaned already has problems such as loose or missing caulking seams or wooden plugs, it is
all the more reason to be selective in the use of cleaning chemicals, avoiding, or at least greatly restricting, the
use of corrosive cleaning compounds such as acids or caustic sodas. While it may be true that these types of
cleaners produce dramatic results with a minimum of effort, they are also extremely damaging to the wood,
(which indirectly causes caulking seam failure), to metal fasteners, and even the steel deck underneath.
The action of these types of cleaners appears to be so effective because they actually remove some of the
wood in the process. Over time, enough wood is removed to compromise the integrity of the adhesion between
the wood and the caulking, or the glue around the wooden plugs covering the deck fasteners. From that point
on, the failure is greatly accelerated and becomes irreversible by simple cleaning. Continued use of these
cleaners makes the deterioration cumulatively worse.
Types of Soil
Generally, there are three types of soil most commonly encountered on the teak decks of a vessel: One group
includes greasy and oily soils, which can come from sources ranging from lubricating greases to food and bev-
erage spills. Another group is what could be described as just plain "dirt" and includes everything from a variety
of dust to the soot from the ship's incinerator or engines. A third group combines some solids and liquids, and
the primary example of this is salt water residue. Whether salt water collects by condensation from the sea air
or by spray from seawater directly, the water evaporates and leaves behind solid salt particles.
Matching the cleaning compound to the type of soil on which it is most effective is important to obtaining the
best results. A cleaning compound with a degreasing component is going to be more effective on greasy soils
than one not containing a degreaser, whereas for dry types of soil, or "dirt", a cleaner with degreaser provides
no particular benefit.
As we have already mentioned, acid type cleaners do not "clean", but actually remove part of the surface on
which they are used, which makes them seem very effective, but especially on wood, are very damaging, and
will not only make future cleaning more difficult, but will shorten the useful life of the deck.
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