When I purchased my current boat, I was fortunate that all the teak was
bare... no existing varnish, no oil for years, etc. (Yet the wood was
in OK shape.)

I did 4 coats of cetol marine, then 2 coats of cetol marine gloss. Then
every year I do a coat or two more of gloss. Works great.

wrote:
We're starting to get the boat ready for another season of sailing, and
I would appreciate some advice as to pros/cons of various products for
refinishing exterior wood - Cetol, varnish with UV protection, and
polyurethane varnish with UV protection. Which is most suitable for
wood trim in the cockpit and on deck, teak cockpit table, rungs on swim
ladder (will be submerged in salt water when the ladder is down),
plywood dinghy flooring (will also be somewhat submerged during use and
also rainstorms), etc. The manufacturers' recommendations seem to be
more advertising than practical advice. Since all of these finishes
will be applied with a brush, the main concern seems to be durability
for the different applications.

-Nancy