My fellow Niagaraians,
The last ten or so emails have me very distressed. I have spent my entire life
in, on and around boats. I learned the traditions. I listened to countless hours of
advice and BS. I have surveyed hundreds,if not thousands of boats.
This is the only industry I have ever worked in my entire career,
34 years.
Its all been about boats, for boats. While some of us would think that having a boat
is akin to having a second (or third) car, another object for our amusement and
entertainment. I feel obligated to make a stand (no matter how feeble) for the boats.
Our Niagaras are quite probably (in my opinion) one of the few examples of pure
thought, form/function in sailboat design in the last few decades. This was Ellis' finest hour.
A work of art. Look at those lines, each one an agonizing decision of shape vs. usefulness/safety.
The size and location of each item carefully pondered. A boat emerged that is so
pleasing .... sometimes I just go to the down to the harbor to look at it from a different
angle. Pleasing. I'm sure Mark Ellis cut his life short by several years with the emotion
he lent to this project ...... AND FOR WHAT??????
So some of you landlubber, third car, stinkpotter wannabe's can remove the teak trim
from your boat so it is easier to maintain? Maintaining a boat is the price we pay for
being lucky enough to own one. This is not a right..... a Sea Ray is a right. Niagaras are
a privelege to own. There are only a few precious pieces of teak trim on these boats.
They were all placed there for a reason. Tradition that is older than all of us. Warmth,
detail, beauty.
Plas-teak? Flexi-teak? Trex? Give me a break. Maintain it unil it is un-maintainable. Replace
it with the best teak you can get your hands on, then maintain it some more. Let us not forget
that maintenance IS part of using a proper boat. Owning a boat is not just sailing a boat.
In order to sail the boat one must work on the boat. "Sailing" is a lifestyle. "Sailing" a classic
boat is an obligation. Plas and Flexi are two prefixes that have no business be uttered before the
word teak. What would you people do with a proper teak deck??? Heaven forbid!
Dont remove the teak. Ellis put teak there because it was the right thing to do. Buck up and
show your boat that you are worthy.
For those of you who dont get this ...... I hear PFD's are on sale at WalMart this week for $2.99.
Robert Payne Marine Management, Inc. 228-348-1300
To: niagara35sailboatowners@...
From: rmax@...
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 07:39:00 -0400
Subject: Re: [niagara35sailboatowners] stainless steel eyebrows
Ray, I feel the same way you do. Teak looks great when it is varnished and well maintained, but I would rather spend my time sailing than working on it. I replaced my handrails and dorade box with a product called PlasTeak. It is similar to, or maybe the same as, Trex. They will custom make replacements for you if you send them your old ones. The product is very easy to work with and it really does look quite good and requires absolutely no maintenance. I couldn't be more pleased with the results. I then removed the eyebrows and taped-off and painted stripes with a Brightside Polyurethane color that matches the PlasTEak, Sundown Buff. I'll probably need to put another coat of paint on the stripes every few years but it is quick and easy to do.
The last ten or so emails have me very distressed. I have spent my entire life
in, on and around boats. I learned the traditions. I listened to countless hours of
advice and BS. I have surveyed hundreds,if not thousands of boats.
This is the only industry I have ever worked in my entire career,
34 years.
Its all been about boats, for boats. While some of us would think that having a boat
is akin to having a second (or third) car, another object for our amusement and
entertainment. I feel obligated to make a stand (no matter how feeble) for the boats.
Our Niagaras are quite probably (in my opinion) one of the few examples of pure
thought, form/function in sailboat design in the last few decades. This was Ellis' finest hour.
A work of art. Look at those lines, each one an agonizing decision of shape vs. usefulness/safety.
The size and location of each item carefully pondered. A boat emerged that is so
pleasing .... sometimes I just go to the down to the harbor to look at it from a different
angle. Pleasing. I'm sure Mark Ellis cut his life short by several years with the emotion
he lent to this project ...... AND FOR WHAT??????
So some of you landlubber, third car, stinkpotter wannabe's can remove the teak trim
from your boat so it is easier to maintain? Maintaining a boat is the price we pay for
being lucky enough to own one. This is not a right..... a Sea Ray is a right. Niagaras are
a privelege to own. There are only a few precious pieces of teak trim on these boats.
They were all placed there for a reason. Tradition that is older than all of us. Warmth,
detail, beauty.
Plas-teak? Flexi-teak? Trex? Give me a break. Maintain it unil it is un-maintainable. Replace
it with the best teak you can get your hands on, then maintain it some more. Let us not forget
that maintenance IS part of using a proper boat. Owning a boat is not just sailing a boat.
In order to sail the boat one must work on the boat. "Sailing" is a lifestyle. "Sailing" a classic
boat is an obligation. Plas and Flexi are two prefixes that have no business be uttered before the
word teak. What would you people do with a proper teak deck??? Heaven forbid!
Dont remove the teak. Ellis put teak there because it was the right thing to do. Buck up and
show your boat that you are worthy.
For those of you who dont get this ...... I hear PFD's are on sale at WalMart this week for $2.99.
Robert Payne Marine Management, Inc. 228-348-1300
 EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOODJoin me |
To: niagara35sailboatowners@...
From: rmax@...
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 07:39:00 -0400
Subject: Re: [niagara35sailboatowners] stainless steel eyebrows
Ray, I feel the same way you do. Teak looks great when it is varnished and well maintained, but I would rather spend my time sailing than working on it. I replaced my handrails and dorade box with a product called PlasTeak. It is similar to, or maybe the same as, Trex. They will custom make replacements for you if you send them your old ones. The product is very easy to work with and it really does look quite good and requires absolutely no maintenance. I couldn't be more pleased with the results. I then removed the eyebrows and taped-off and painted stripes with a Brightside Polyurethane color that matches the PlasTEak, Sundown Buff. I'll probably need to put another coat of paint on the stripes every few years but it is quick and easy to do.
I will try to remember to take a picture of the boat that will give you some idea of how it looks and post it on the website.
PlasTeak, info@plasteak.com , 1-800-320-1841
Rob Max
On Jul 2, 2009, at 9:32 AM, Ray and Susan Hall wrote:
Good morning. In my quest to reduce teak maintainence I have thought aobut replacing the teak eyebrow trim with stainless. Many of the newer boats today, even the high end yachts seem to be using stainless for eyebrows vs teak trim. Has anyone in the group done this, thought about it, looked into it.
regards
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