Larry, I'm glad you mentioned okoume: That's what I chose for my (as yet unstarted) hatch board project because the local lumber supply (a specialized supplier) suggested that, finished, it would be a good match for teak. --Craig p.s., As for hard finish vs. oil on teak, there are exceptions to every rule. For instance: My Flicka is moored on a lake with a papermill . . . We've tried cleaning and oiling the wood, but within a couple weeks, it's black with soot from the mill, the oil seeming only to serve to turn the soot into sludge . . . Currently, or choice is dirty unfinished teak (gray with black streaks), but we will probably eventually go with a hard finish: The oil doesn't resist the soot . . . The tiller, which stays covered, remains beautiful with oil, but the exposed wood is a mess in a hurry . . . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Yake" <leyake@juno.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 8:51 PM Subject: Finishing Teak I agree about oiling your teak. I think it looks great and it's an easy job for a great looking finish. But I wouldn't rule out Cetol for everything. I made new hatchboards out of Okuma marine plywood which has a faint, almost purple, tint. The yellowish tint in the Cetol was just perfect for giving them a nice rich teak like look. You could get similar results with stain and varnish, but only with a lot more work and maintenance. Larry