Teak Deck Removal

[Bluefuss]

I have been searching for information in regards to removing teak decks and going to fiberglass decks. I have found a lot of information on how to do it myself, what I would like is information on the cost of having it done by professionals. Can anyone give me budget #'s for doing something in the size of a Tayana 37, Union 36 etc? Anyone who has actually done this would be a bonus to talk to. Thanks everyone.

[Pblais]

The removal is straight forward but what you want after that gets more complicated. I wouldn't rip it off before you get into a serous discussion on what you want.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Bluefuss

I have been searching for information in regards to removing teak decks and going to fiberglass decks. I have found a lot of information on how to do it myself, what I would like is information on the cost of having it done by professionals. Can anyone give me budget #'s for doing something in the size of a Tayana 37, Union 36 etc? Anyone who has actually done this would be a bonus to talk to. Thanks everyone.

A friend was quoted $20K for a 50' trawler.....scale accordingly.

[Blue Stocking]

When I purchased my 41ft Rhodes Reliant in 1994, she was a true Cheoy Leaky. Countless first aid refastening of the 1/2" teak deck had let a lot a water into the core, which found its way to the overhead of the interior.
We started by stripping all deck fittings, toerails and coamings.
These boats were built with 1/2" teak on 1/4" of woven roving/ chop strand, fore and aft laid, 1/2" x 4" luan mahogany core, on 1/4" glass inner skin. Luan was laid in polyester resin, which was brittle, had cracked away from all component surfaces.
Where skins met at cabin sides and under toe rails, last 5" was filled with a polyester based white filler.
Inner skin is epoxied to hull with 6 lay-up, 18" wide chop/ woven combo.

Our procedure was as follows:

Rip up teak deck. Time consuming, because deck repairs had been done with 5200.
Set Skilsaw at 3/8" depth, and cut top skin away, leaving about 3" of the filler exposed.
Remove Luan core, which was in remarkably good condition except around thru deck drains at lowest sheerline point.
Scrub Luan with strong detergent, and allow to dry out.
Ground upper surface of underskin with 36 grit until clean.
Trowel on thicked epoxy filler with 1/4 notch, and relay Luan with lots of weights and battens, with epoxy squeezing up thru joints.
Grind smooth after curing.
Cut 1/2" marine fir using
cutout top deck for template.
Epoxy and screw down to Luan
Grind long bevels on gunwale and cabin flanges from original top deck and layup 4 24oz roving and 4 2oz chop with polyester resin
Fair and paint
I counter sink all thru deck fastenings, and bead all bolts before lowering into place. This forms a wedge shaped o-ring in polysulphide.
Not a drop thru in 13 years.
Sorry I cant give you an idea of cost, as did this myself as part of 4 yr restoration
If I can find photos, I will post them
Its not rocket science, but be prepared for some long hours.
BTW, the deck is now bullet-proof.

[btrayfors]

Thirteen years ago I had the teak decks removed from my Cheoy Lee built Golden Wave 42. The work was done in Tortola, BVI. The teak decks were laid over fiberglass, and secured with hundreds of fasteners.

After removal, two layers of heavy fiberglass cloth was laid down, and some 8 coats of Awlgrip were applied, including two coats of non-skid. The work was supervised by a Canadian master shipwright.

Removal, alone, cost $14,600. That was a good price, then.

Today, my guess is you're looking at $20,000 easy for removal of teak decks from a 40-footer.

Bill

[RTB]

I have read that you can get it done at a reasonable price in Colombia. ($3500.00?) You might send a PM to JC (Softair). He pops in occasionally I think. It would be a great cruise too!

[Bluefuss]

Thanks for the info and advise, its a good start. Don't feel so in the dark at this point. And yes the idea of Columbia has crossed my mind, and I like it.

[PAR]

Costs are going to be all over the place depending on who does the job. You should be able to call around and get some very sketchy ball park figures, for your area. The job can have a few different approaches, but it's not an uncommon request so prices will likely averagable.

[s/v Moondancer]

RTB is correct, a friend had his teak removed in Cartagena and at the same time we had our teak removed, sanded, re-groved, and relaid with new sealant for less that $4,000 giving us functionally a new teak deck on a 26 yr old 55 ft boat.

If you go in rainy season take some 20 ft tarps to protect the job, they are impossible to find in Columbia

Noonsite: Recommendations: Good Workers in Cartagena

All the workers listed in the above link worked on our boat and are highly recommended. .

[barnakiel]

I have seen teak taken away and a new deck fiberglassed (with a new core) done at approx equivalent of 15k USD.

I think the boat was a Tayana 37. That was in 2005.

You can hire an individual pro to do it for you at a very good price if you can provide the materials and space to work at your site.

barnie

[Mark Johnson]

My preference, (after teak removal, ding repair, hole filling, and a layer of glass), is to apply "Treadmaster". (Defender Industries sells it.) The stuff is expensive, but REALLY nonskid, and you can drop tools, chain, or the like, on it without damage. If properly applied, it has WELL over a 20 year lifespan... with a just a few chunks missing on the edges, perhaps 30!

If you apply it in pieces, with rounded corners, and instead of butts where one 30" piece meets the other, make a 1" wide space. It looks professional as hell, and the spaces allow better water flow off of the deck.

Afterward, all that needs paint, is the 1" spaces all over the deck, which you could AwlGrip with a brush. I did the entire deck on my last boat and loved it!.

Mark

[jrd22]

My wife and I removed the teak decks and all hardware from our 40' Brewer a couple of years ago. It took us about 6-8 days working together to do it and we would have saved a lot of time if we had an air chisel to pry it up with (we used pry bars and hammers after cutting the teak with a circular saw across the grain every foot or so). Our job was complicated by cold weather making everything very hard and brittle. We had fiberglas and gelcoat put down and new nonskid done at a cost of around 8K IIRC, that included patching up where four deck scuppers were and glassing in six drain slots thru the gunwales.

[DeepFrz]

You are likely to pay big bucks to have it done and be very unhappy with the job. Best bet is find a boat that has already had it done and that doesn't leak. Although, IMHO, I would rather find a boat that doesn't have teak decks and doesn't leak. Just my opinion.

[Mark Johnson]

Valid point... If you hire it all done, it will cost big bucks! It is a HUGE job. Wild Assed Guess, if you hired out ALL of the work, is something over $10,000. Of coarse if the price on the boat is right, and you know someone you trust... There are lots of guys that can tear the teak off of the boat. Re-glassing and then Treadmaster, OR nonskid & paint to look beautiful... Now THAT takes knowing what one is doing. I've done a little of everything, and at my age wouldn't take the job, but if I did, It wouldn't be cheep!

Mark

[foamcore]

I've done that job before and I'm with Mark, I wouldn't do it again.