What's Your Take On These Deck Pics?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Julie Mor

The pics were sent to my SO by a broker in the EU. He said the teak is 7mm to 9mm thick. That, and the pics, are all that I know about the deck. FWIW, I'm not interested in the boat but was curious if members here saw it similar to how I did - which was

I saw something once that may apply to fixing this deck. They took a router and created a deeper groove between the battens and so the caulk had something to adhere to. I suppose if there was enough wood and you know the deck isn't wet, this might work. The boat is a '96 HR 46. I think HR has cored decks but why screw the teak down? Oyster was vacuum bagging back then. You'd think HR would have been doing the same, considering all the problems screwed down decks have caused.

Well.... those decks look thicker than 7-9 mm (That's about 1/4-3/8") But I guess it's hard to tell.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Julie Mor

The pics were sent to my SO by a broker in the EU. He said the teak is 7mm to 9mm thick. That, and the pics, are all that I know about the deck. FWIW, I'm not interested in the boat but was curious if members here saw it similar to how I did - which was

I saw something once that may apply to fixing this deck. They took a router and created a deeper groove between the battens and so the caulk had something to adhere to. I suppose if there was enough wood and you know the deck isn't wet, this might work. The boat is a '96 HR 46. I think HR has cored decks but why screw the teak down? Oyster was vacuum bagging back then. You'd think HR would have been doing the same, considering all the problems screwed down decks have caused.

I was going to write a one word response to your initial post; Run. But you beat me to it with your emoji.

I guess the broker meant there is 7mm to 9mm left but it does look a bit thicker than that.

Technically it is possible to route the grooves deeper, but it would be a tremendous amount of work. Lining up a flexible jig to make the cuts smooth along a curve is not a walk in the park. And it would just be forestalling the inevitable.

If I were to bid on the boat I'd take $15k off as the starting cost of ripping up the teak, repairing, and redoing in glass. And there's no guarantee that would cover it.

If wedded to teak there are outfits that will fabricate you a new teak deck...you send them templates/measurements and they send you custom made, sectioned pieces, but there is still a lot of work fitting them, cutting kingstrakes and so forth. Still probably comes to $40k for a boat like that.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by skytaylor7

no one ever mentions Teak oil doesn't anyone use teak oil, to keep wood from drying out, or does it cause problems of another kind?

The issue is not that teak dries out, it's that repeated overzealous cleaning scours the soft part of the pulp out of the grain, leaving the rest unsupported exposed to more rapid wear and aging.

Teak oil on a deck is a bad idea because it negates the teak's non-skid properties. It also attracts dirt and darkens with age.

The "best" maintenance regimen is gentle rinsing/washing with just plain saltwater.

[toddedger]

Caulk seams need to be deeper than width for caulk to hold.

[Julie Mor]

Something I've never read before came through the Practical Sailor email:

According to [Star brite Vice President Jeff] Tieger, even decks should be sealed with an oil or sealer to prolong the life of the teak and to protect the wood from getting the washboard look caused when the soft wood wears away.

Every comment regarding sealing teak decks I've ever read or heard says, "Don't!" Now this.

I'm a firm believer in sealing wood of any kind, especially when it's outdoors. But I fully understand that doing so on a teak deck may be dangerous when you consider traction loss created by certain sealers.

[MarkJ]

Star Brite VP may have a vested interest.