Step Outside the Box

Monique Richter began painting faux teak about four years ago. In addition to transoms and toe rails, any traditional teak accents are prime for faux, she says, including helm pods and chair backs on the bridge, or interior items such as trim and tables. Center-consoles are increasingly being fauxed also, including outboard cowlings.

Besides just replicating real wood on boats, Richter employs wood-grain faux as art—the beauty of wood grain accentuating obviously nonwooden objects. “I was really just messing around, creating something to post on Instagram,” Richter says, when she painted a Yeti cup as if it were a black-andwhite-photo rendering of teak. Since then, both natural wood grain and that grayed-teak look have made it onto mailboxes, coolers, golf carts, an automobile and a full-size RV touring bus.

“The faux itself has appeal as art,” she explains, “It’s something different—completely custom— and people choose one-of-a-kind items that will stand apart from anything else.” Richter is currently fauxing a 45-rod set —everything from spinning rods to gaffs—in grayed teak, a pink-toned rocket launcher that will benefit breast-cancer awareness at auction, and a teal blue teak-grained Yeti cooler to help fund autism research.

In a sense, faux is capturing the appeal of the handcrafted art adorning mass-produced, everyday objects. That is not unlike the way real teak adds a custom, artisan touch to fiberglass boats.