Bertram33 User Forum

Has anybody replaced the wood that makes up the door frame on a FBC. Roughly the size of 2x4s on inside either side of the entry. Mine (original)have a mahagony finish but not sure whether it is actually teak. Wondering how hard of a job, what kind of wood to use, etc. Each one is rotted (or possibly termites)from the bottom up about 3 inches. Mike Ford

Mike, Don't know on the newer 33's, but on ours, the frame is teak. If that is rotted, then I would assume the bulkheads are rotted also. If I remember correctly, you have to start with the outside teak trim under the brow of the bridge. You can drive a screw into the teak plugs to pop them out. Then just work your way down on all the rest of the plugs. Al

Al: Thanks. I have already done the bulkheads. The carpet in the salon was stretched over the teak piece running across the bottom of the frame (this is rotted too) and hiding the rot in the frame side pieces. Always something. Mike

My framing around my '83 FBC cabin door was teak. I removed it all and widened the entryway 2" and built a new teak sliding door recently as part of my rebuild. I replaced everything with teak. If you have truly rotted wood I doubt seriously that it is teak.. as far as I know teak is a very durable wood.. I might be wrong, but I don't think it would rot with fresh water exposure. If it is original I suspect it was most likely real teak.. I know someone here who sold tons of hardwoods to the boatbuilding companies up and down the east coast during the '70s and '80s.. to Bertram, Hatteras and many others.. he says they usually bought the best stuff. There are however several teak substitutes that look very much like teak, but are inferior, and some people use this thinking they are using real teak. The stuff I bought in 1 1/4 inch thickness rough (not planed) cost me $20/board foot. I save all the scraps!

Mike, What year is your boat?

Doug: '78. Not sure if it's rot or termite damage. Had a problem with subterranian termites several years back. I also thought that teak was pretty rot resistant and they did use teak on other places so no reason to think that they didn't use teak for the door frames.