Barefoot Gal is 19 years old and her interior badly needed an update. She just looked tired. Well, maybe a bit beyond tired.
The upholstery and foam were simply disintegrating. The teak had layers and layers of teak oil, which had turned black with mold — except where the previous owners had pictures on the wall; those places were much lighter. What should have been a gorgeous teak counter was stained with engine oil. The varnish on the floorboards was peeling and wearing off. Two floorboards had been damaged by water and had rotten places. The clock was severely tarnished and the barometer no longer worked. Even the throw pillows were falling apart.
Previous owners had done little to take care of the boat’s interior. I’m embarrassed to show how bad it was.
We knew about all these problems when we bought Barefoot Gal four years ago — it was part of the reason that she was within our budget. It had always been part of our plan to renovate the interior, but the priority was to take care of the mechanical systems first. We ended up with a surprise partial engine rebuild that shot the budget our first winter, and the next winter we geared up to go to the Bahamas. Then Dave had some medical issues arise that we had to deal with. Last winter the Keys were recovering from Hurricane Irma. Finally, this summer was time to start tackling the inside . . . and it hadn’t gotten any better since we’d bought the boat.
Lots of plans to be made: what exactly did we want? What was the budget? How much of the work would we do ourselves?
Easy care was a major priority. Longevity another, as labor — both our own and hired — would be a major part of the cost. We wanted the interior to be light. And we wanted it to be comfortable and fit our lives. Oh, and dog-friendly.
In the weeks to come, I’ll be detailing the decisions we made, why we chose the products we did, how we went about the whole project, DIY tips for the portions we did and then show how she looks today.
Making Boat Life Better
Heather says
When caring for my boat’s teak interior…should I avoid using oils such as lemon oil to prevent mold? Is it the oils that the mold is attracted to?
Carolyn Shearlock says
The oils will feed mold. So if there are any mold spores in the air (and there always are), they’ll start reproducing when they land on the oiled wood.
Angela Lacey says
Just bought an older boat this year that had a lot of oiled teak in it…and a lot of black on it…I used teak cleaner on all of it and refinished it with cetol for teak…it is like a varnish in a honey color…gave my teak a lovely warm color and a finish that I can wipe and it doesn’t deteriorate
Carolyn Shearlock says
Congrats on the new boat! It’s fun to fix them up. I bet the inside looks SO much better for your effort😄
Many people use Cetol. Places that get high wear (handholds, etc.) will still need a periodic touch up — I haven’t found any finish that stands up to constant wear. My reason for going with Teak Guard instead is that water on Cetol (or varnish) can cause the finish to crack and the water to get underneath and start mold. Teak Guard is breathable and water simply evaporates over the course of a few days.
Angela Lacey says
Interesting…I will have to check into teak guard for the outside…my new old boat has teak inside but none outside so that is why I chose to go with cetol…the boat it replaced had teak inside and out…have had it for 30 years (will put it up for sale in the spring)and never had a problem with cetol on the inside but the outside teak did require regular upkeep with cetol to keep it nice…never had to touch the inside once it was done…i would think it probably makes a difference depending on the climate it is in too…our climate is quite dry and we don’t get a lot of damp weather
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’m sure that climate is a big factor. Dry sure helps for not getting mold and mildew!
Angela Lacey says
By the way…thank you so much for your Facebook page…I have so many things on my boat that have been recommended by the boat galley….and you have never steered me wrong…every product you have suggested that I have got has been an asset…the list is so long …much appreciated!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Thanks! That makes my day 😄
Times Three says
We have been cruising in the Caribbean for 20 years and have found our comfort zone in using what product for what project. First, we never ever use Cetol. It builds up into an orange layer that is unsightly and requires way more work to strip than it’s worth.
Second, in reference to the question, wash the walls in a vinegar water solution twice a year and just before putting the boat away for the season. 50/50 water/vinegar.
Joe says
Carolyn, we’re looking forward to your postings on your boat’s interior renovation projects. We’re are also in this mindset for ours, so we’re anticipating very valuable information.
Nancy Barker says
Carolyn,
We are also do minor renovations on our boats interior. One of the biggest is replacing the galley stove. We want to replace the electric “Princess” stove with another electric. The company is out of business and the ones we found by searching have horrible reviews. Does anyone have suggestions?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Boy, I’m not an expert at all on electric stoves, but hopefully someone else will chime in.
Nancy Testa says
We are in the middle of that nightmare too. We replaced our electric, 1987 3 burner Princess stove/oven with one that was promised to be 17 years old and working perfectly.
Old stove had lost the three burners. The oven was great.
Turned out the “new” stove has 3 perfect burners and a brandy new oven interior…because it doesn’t work!
We made the decision to buy a salvaged, identical model stove instead of going the new route because our kitchen is perfect, and this one could just drop in. Clearly we should “drop” it into the bay!
So far we have learned:
1. “Working perfectly” meant that the oven switch only worked intermittently. Rough weather toggled it off when inconvenient, or on, as a nice surprise.
2. Replacing the oven switch was not enough. Should have replaced the toggle between all burners, and 2 burners and the oven. That just died this week, after a month of happy oven meals. 4th repair visit scheduled for Monday…
3. Buying it on eBay was not a good idea. Collecting on the insurance we bought has been complicated by the pandemic. Delivery was as expensive as the stove, because we didn’t feel safe driving to SC from FL because of the pandemic and husband’s immune system.
4. No one (except one very expensive man) wants to touch the stove.
In retrospect, we should have purchased a new stove and reworked the counters and cabinets. Probably would have be more cost efficient.
Cyndy Carter says
Tung oil is the least likely to mold or mildew. You must be VERY careful when purchasing that it is Pure Tung Oil and ONLY tung oil (most products labeled tung oil have little to none of actual tung oil)
https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/sites/default/files/assets/images/tungoildebunkingmyths2_comparisonchart_1.jpg
Suzanne Volkwein says
Looking forward to hearing about your projects. We redid an 80s houseboat, think mauve/ light blue and wood interior, and were pleased with the end result. Did upholstery, wood refinish and much more, to update it ourselves and got many good years of use before downsizing. Getting ready to re-cover our current boats cushions. Interested in your choices of materials and how to’s.
Carla Jaggar says
Hi Carolyn,
Likewise, I’m looking forward to seeing your renovations. I’ve just bought a 30 year old Kelsall 43. Previous owner started doing reno’s, his modifications are good but all unfinished or partially started projects. Budget will be stretched for years to come, but so happy to have my own boat again. Good luck with your choices.
Jack Taylor says
I would suggest you take a serious look at induction stoves for replacing your electric stove. They are much more energy efficient, and create much less cabin heat. We love ours.
Sally says
We changed to induction stove on our yacht, heats fast, won’t catch fire if you drop a cloth on the hot plate by accident, easy to clean. We love it
Toni says
Just purchased a 49 ft. Hampton and want to redo the kitchen counters and bar counter. I’ve read so many articles about different materials that my head is spinning. Granite? Cambria? Other solid surface products? What’s best?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Congrats on the new boat!! I wouldn’t use a natural stone product because of the weight, as well as its propensity to crack. I’d use a solid surface such as Corian or any of the similar products. Both our boats have had Formica and it’s been “okay” — less expensive to be sure but actually heavier than Corian because of the plywood that it is laminated to.
Brian Gates says
I think the best product is Neolith which is light and super durable. I think it is made out of porcelain.
Cecelia says
We are in the process of purchasing a 1995 Searay Sundancer 290 now. The boat appears to be in good shape but that year model had the green interior. My first thought was ih lord how do we get rid of this green. I am very excited about finding this list of articles about redoing boat interiors. Even though ours is smaller than your boats I feel I will find lots of useful information. I will he looking through all of the articles for pictures. Please pass along any information you feel that would help.
Timothy Noble says
Carolyn,
I really look forward to your future posts on the interior renovation.
Just curious for worn interior varnish are there any products to use the bring back the finish besides sanding and reapplying varnish?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Unfortunately, no.
Michelle says
Hi Carolyn,
We bought a 4788 Bayliner, because we loved the layout and plan to enjoy with all of our kids, grandkids.
One thing led to another, and now we have a blank canvas on the interior..but it’s been a lot of work, and we are blessed with son in laws!.
We have replaced the gas stove with a new electric, new refrigerator/ freezer unit, tore out the carpeting, and I’m deciding on what color to choose, we replaced all of the interior blinds and replaced all interior lighting with led. We put in a TV behind the salon cabinet with a remote lift, and are recovering the salon L shaped sectional, and trying to decide on a material.
We replaced the countertops with a solid surface – corian.
We’ve learned a lot, both exhausted from watching hours of u tube videos… and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
It’s nice to know there are other DIY owners out there!
Any advice on fabric, I would like to use a microfiber on the salon sofa… the “faux leather” is not too comforting.
Also on bedding? I love the custom look, but it’s pricey..
Thanks in advance!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Wow! You’ve done a lot on the boat and I bet it’s looking great! Microfiber is a good choice, as it’s generally very stain-resistant (we had a microfiber sofa in a previous home). Water doesn’t hurt it, but if anyone is wearing a wet swimsuit have them sit on a towel as saltwater will attract mold and mildew.
If your beds are standard size, you can use regular bedding. If any are v-berths, I really recommend the special sheets from Quahog Bay. Their Cinch Fit works wonders.
Sam baskerville says
Hi there,
We are in the UK and just collected our first 23 footer
Last week. She has been stood for 2 years and had thick black mould in the quarter birth . I have used a fogging machine to spray hyperchloris acid in there to kill the spores and mould. I tried wiping the mould off with various products however neat white vinegar just eats through the mould immediately it’s amazing on the fibreglass as the mould just loves fibreglass. How do you get rid of mould in the small passages under the deck that you can reach but can see? Any ideas?
Lisa says
Hi there. We just bought a 1980 Sleek Craft Monterey. The interior is in great condition however the carpet on the celing is very dry and when touched it dusts off litte bits. It really doesn’t need replaced besides the face that the stuff that comes off gets in your eyes, nose, etc. Any ideas on something that can be applied to it to make it stay in place? We really don’t want to have to replace the whole carpet.
Carolyn Shearlock says
If it’s disintegrating, I don’t know of anything to reverse the process.