Wooden decks on new boats?

[Island Time O25]

I like teak decks. But only on someone else's boat.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by clockwork orange

As a boatbuilder who has laid over 20 teak decks in my career I would also discourage you from doing it. The last deck I did was quite a few years ago and involved tearing up the old teak deck on a Cherubini 44 and laying a new one. The original deck had worn away to the point where plugs had fallen out and there were no more caulk seams in places so water was getting to the sub deck, we caught it just in time and replacing the deck with teak again was appropriate on that boat but on a modern Bene i would stay away and spend the money on other things. Other than the traditional look which i do like even on modern boats there is really no up side and lots of down side. Just the added weight alone would dissuade me.


Steve.

The Bene will have teak glued and not screwed over a fiberglass surface, so this will not be an issue with a new boat.

[Nicholson58]

DITTO most of the above. Ours was replaced with plastic by the PO and now many of the patched screw holes leak into the deck core. Each of those plugs covers a screw hole into the deck. Life of the teak deck is about 15 years in the tropics. Very expensive to replace - makes AWL GRIP look like a bargain.

[BandB]

Any type deck has the potential of leaks and issues. Teak done correctly has no more than other types. The one thing teak does have is maintenance. But then well maintained it is beautiful.

[Cadence]

I had said or agreed with, spend your money on something else. I'd stand by that unless the OP has very deep pockets. It is beautiful if maintained.

Wish my pockets where ever deep enough. I believe it was in some way related to the tropics? My deck boy would be out daily with the tongue oil, linseed, keeping it oiled so the bungs don't pop out.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I had said or agreed with, spend your money on something else. I'd stand by that unless the OP has very deep pockets. It is beautiful if maintained.

Wish my pockets where ever deep enough. I believe it was in some way related to the tropics? My deck boy would be out daily with the tongue oil, linseed, keeping it oiled so the bungs don't pop out.

I doubt if the teak "decks" on new Bennies or other such boats are thick enough to have bungs... I believe that they are glued down. The thinness is good in some ways: less weight, less expensive timber, and with gluing, no multitudinous holes in the real deck below it. However, the thinness means a short life span, especially if less than ideal maintenance is practiced.

Finally, oiling may make them look nice, but reduces one of the few good things about such decks: their non-skid properties.

Count me as one who loves the look of a good teak deck, but who will never have one at any cost.

Jim

[clockwork orange]

Actually a thin teak deck glued down with no fasteners and full depth seams can last as long or longer than a thicker one with fasteners and a rabbeted seam. One 26ft cold molded boat we built had teak decks only 3/16 " thick with no fasteners and epoxy/ graphite seams and lasted about 25 years before the current owner kiwi gripped over them. The reason they don't last is that people over scrub them.


Steve.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by clockwork orange

Actually a thin teak deck glued down with no fasteners and full depth seams can last as long or longer than a thicker one with fasteners and a rabbeted seam. One 26ft cold molded boat we built had teak decks only 3/16 " thick with no fasteners and epoxy/ graphite seams and lasted about 25 years before the current owner kiwi gripped over them. The reason they don't last is that people over scrub them.


Steve.

Some people sand them in order to have them look smoother, this greatly decreases their life span.