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Old 10-07-2019, 00:37   #1
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Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Looking at a few different boats and some of them need either:



The Teak sanding back and re-caulking



or



Completely replacing


Boats are in the 53' region and based in Europe - Anyone have any experience and can give me an idea of the rough cost of either of the above?
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Old 10-07-2019, 00:49   #2
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

If the decks are screwed down forget it ! More work than you want if you want to re caulk an existing deck that hopefully is glued down ! About a weeks work of scrapping out the old caulking. A lot of cramp squeezing out the 100 or so of new caulking and then finally sanding. took about 3 weeks ..Not in a hurry to do it again !
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Old 10-07-2019, 00:54   #3
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

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Originally Posted by Emmalina View Post
If the decks are screwed down forget it ! More work than you want if you want to re caulk an existing deck that hopefully is glued down ! About a weeks work of scrapping out the old caulking. A lot of cramp squeezing out the 100 or so of new caulking and then finally sanding. took about 3 weeks ..Not in a hurry to do it again !

Thanks. I am trying to get a rough idea of cost of getting it done to see what sort of offer to make or if its even worth making an offer
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Old 10-07-2019, 02:17   #4
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Easily 50k and up for that sized boat. More if the deck has gone soft. Just say no to screwed down teak decks.
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Old 10-07-2019, 02:53   #5
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

10 years ago I was quoted $45,000 for replacement on a 55 ft boat, in Trinidad. If the teak is badly gone you need to get $75,000 or more off the price or move on.
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Old 10-07-2019, 03:41   #6
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Plenty of bad info/bad advice on this forum regarding teak decks. A good friend had his 65ft Swan completely replaced by a high quality yard in Italy for under €50k a few years ago. I refinished my own 53ft Oyster decks for under $2,000 and 400 hours of labor and now they’re like new and good for another 10 years or more.

You’re going to just get stupid high estimates on the internet from people repeating what they’ve heard. Do your homework, then get an estimate in Italy or buy a boat with the decks already done, this forum is the wrong place to look for your answer. IMO

And... don’t expect the previous owner to buy you some new decks just because they look a little worn or grey; if you want brand new decks, you should be looking at brand new boats.
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Old 10-07-2019, 05:28   #7
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Quote:
Originally Posted by UFO View Post
Looking at a few different boats and some of them need either:
The Teak sanding back and re-caulking
or
Completely replacing

Boats are in the 53' region and based in Europe - Anyone have any experience and can give me an idea of the rough cost of either of the above?

The 3rd option is to take them off and get rid of them all together. If you are planning to sail in the higher latitudes, then teak decks may be ok. If you are planning to do the tropics, them IMO way too hot. If they don't pass the barefoot test (not too hot to walk on in the blazing sun), then the interior temps will go up too much.

Agree w/Kenomac that you will see ridiculously high yard quotes for such a job. One way to save a lot of the yard fees is to take the decks off yourself. The demolition will be a decent chunk of time though.

Also agree w/others it could be a can of worms getting a boat w/screwed down teak, especially if they were not maintained/in bad shape.

Alternatively faux teak decks like on an Amel could be a possibility. Personally I'd paint them white as they still don't pass the barefoot test in the tropics.


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Old 10-07-2019, 05:33   #8
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

UFO,

Are you the one who contacted me privately regarding advice on the Oyster 53 new on the market via yachtworld?
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Old 10-07-2019, 06:30   #9
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac View Post
... I refinished my own 53ft Oyster decks for under $2,000 and 400 hours of labor and now they’re like new and good for another 10 years or more...
Worth about $30,000 on the skilled labour market.
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Old 10-07-2019, 08:09   #10
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

This is very difficult to estimate without seeing the boat in case.


I acted as an agent in two such repairs back in 2012 and now in 2017.


One boat was 72' and repair cost was estimated at EUR 40k - plenty of teaked area but also very thick planks - easy to fix. The client opted for an alternative (replaced the deck at 120k).



The other boat was a 50+ Bavaria like boat with modern thin decorative teak (found in all modern inexpensive European boats: Jeann, Bene, Hanse, Elans, etc. etc.). There was not enough material to sand down and re-work. The quote came in at 30k but in the end the teak man refused to go ahead as he judged the fix not worth the effort. The angry owner decided to use another 'specialist'. It cost less then, but two years down the road the deck looks like ...


My lessons - do it only on proper 'old' decks with fat planks (older Oysters, HRs, Contests, classics, etc).


That was the long answer.


The short one is around EUR 30k in a 50' modern mass market boat (in our location - Med, Spain).



Timeline 6 weeks on the small boat.


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Old 10-07-2019, 11:03   #11
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

10 years ago I looked at a Swan 44. Cost to replace was $75,000. Cost to remove, fill and paint was $40,000.
I passed.
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Old 10-07-2019, 12:51   #12
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
Worth about $30,000 on the skilled labour market.
Yard labor in NorCal or SoCal is over $100 an hour, sometimes well over. That would up your estimate by another $10,000. Nice thing about boats is you can shop your labor market if you have the time and desire to move.
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Old 10-07-2019, 15:32   #13
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Talking about the cost is nonsense it you don't know what is required to be done.

If the decks are laid (thick) teak then it may be that all is needed is to refasten and recaulk the deck, with replacement of any bad planks and finally sanding flat; I did this with Carina while in Turkey, with the help of a local. It is a bit of effort but not a huge job. In this case the teak remained well bonded to the underlying plywood and there were no leaks or rot. In another decade or two I will need to replace the teak; I love the look and the grip but given the state of the teak market I will be glassing instead of putting down teak again. Also much cooler on the feet and down below.

If the teak is at the end of life then I think the best solution is remove and replace with glass, unless you are rolling in money. Even then, all of the screw holes are potential leaks, and on many boats you can strike the word "potential". With teak over glass every one of those holes should be opened up to clean, hard composite (no loose fibers) and then properly patched before any new deck is put down. Finally filling and fairing, with paint and non-skid, will yield a good, low-maintenance deck. It is a big job but the only way to prevent leaks. Putting a heavy, thick teak down on top of those repairs is an alternative; there were several shops in Turkey that had the teak and did a beautiful job. Aside from the initial cost there will be the ongoing maintenance of course.

Newer boats have teak decks pre-assembled and are vacuum-bagged onto the glass deck. They look great, have no screw holes, and are easy to replace if the deck pieces can be sourced from the factory. Because they are thin the expected life is shorter but otherwise is a very good solution.

The costs for these alternatives vary greatly so you need to know which direction you want to go first. The real potential joker is the possibility of damage, potentially extensive, that is not visible. In teak over plywood the plywood can develop rot, although not a lot of boats are built this way. More typically the teak will be over a balsa-cored glass deck. Balsa is rot prone, so any leaking screws can cause damage. This is often indicated by a soft deck (it yields slightly when walked upon, over the area of rot). Obviously a really picky survey is needed to determine the extent of the damage, but there will still be the possibility of undiscovered rot. If the teak is over a solid glass deck then the risk is small for other damage.

In today's market it is almost certainly better to buy a boat that doesn't have deck issues to begin with, unless you are a competent DIY person with a lot of time on your hands. Buying a fixer-upper and paying professionals to bring her up to snuff just about never is cheaper than buying a boat in good shape. If money is an issue then look for a smaller boat that is in good shape, rather than a larger one with problems. No one "needs" a 50' boat for a couple to cruise.

Greg
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Old 10-07-2019, 18:52   #14
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

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No one "needs" a 50' boat for a couple to cruise.

Greg

Thanks Everyone.


Throw in 2 sometimes 3 kids and guests and 50' becomes a lot more desireable
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Old 10-07-2019, 19:03   #15
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Re: Cost of Fixing Teak Decking?

Friend of mine just had their teak replaced in Thailand. Similar size Oyster. $22k. The teak is affordable here, the labour is almost on a par with western countries. He commented it was a $50k project back in the States.
Of course it depends on what sort of boat and how the teak was applied. Sometimes they penetrated the fibreglass down to the core. I have teak decks and am in Langkawi at the moment, burn the soles off your feet on a hot day. I wouldn't use teak again, unless there was a return on a sale which I don't intend to do. I have seen some very good rubber and cork decks which look like teak. Softer on the feet, which is good for anyone who has had a achilles tendon rupture like I have had
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