# Teak Decks on a NEW boat - buy or not?



## BrianInIraq (Jun 1, 2007)

I did my homework - searched for threads on teak decks - saw the pros and cons of maintenance issues on older teak decks, but never really saw my question answered in those threads.

If you were buying a brand-new boat, and knew you were likely going to keep that boat for no more than 10-15 years, would you opt for GLUED (not screwed) teak decks? How about faux-teak (Flexiteek, etc)?

I know the basic pros (looks, nonskid) and cons (hot in the sun, stain easily, some extra weight) but if the dreaded screwed-down deck leak issues (and long-term maintenance issues) are removed, are there any really big drawbacks to a teak deck? (Cuz' darn, I think they sure do look nice).

And if they're so bad, then why do all the nice Oysters/Hylas/Baltics/Aldens/Swans/Najads/Hallberg-Rassys have them?


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## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

Teak is beautiful practical but expensive and a lot of work. Faux teak is beautiful practical and is expensive but is not a lot of work. Given the choice I would not have real teak, but you can't always get what you want in a second hand boat. On most if not all new boats, the teak is glued not screwed. There is other forms of decking, I have seen a nice product made from cork, it is glued and has all the properties of teak but will not hold a stain, is very non slip and looks good ( I will try and find a link).

Here tis = http://www.coastlineboatworks.com/pages/decking.html


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## BrianInIraq (Jun 1, 2007)

Thanks much. If it helps, the boat in question is a new Beneteau. And I'm not sure if the "teak deck option" is the real stuff or not.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

I would never replace the wood siding on my home with vinyl - nor would I buy a house that had vinyl siding - especially if it had a "wood grain". . . but that's just me, since I despise faux synthetic materials made to look like a natural material.

The same is true of boat decks. I love the look of teak decks, but *Never *would I use, or choose, a faux wood grain plastic material in place of natural teak.

Natural teak decks are usually only found on quality, expensive yachts because of the obvious higher cost of the material and installation. The cheaper and lower maintenance alternative is for non-skid FRP - which I would select if cost was the driving factor.

The choice of one over the other is clearly personal - teak being my first preference, due to the inherent beauty and natural non-skid qualities.

Others here of course, will have their different viewpoints.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Depending on the aesthetics of the boat... a GRP deck with something like Treadmaster seems to be the most practical and economical. It's attractive because it is "honest" looking... that is, it's meant to look like a non skid surface.

My deck is GRP with a cast in non skid surface which is not especially good... At some point I will install Treadmaster... I suspect. Teak is an enormous amount of maintenance and not suitable for hot climates, they can leak, add weight. Having said that... a laid teak deck is gorgeous.

jef
sv shiva


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

I would get a glued teak deck on a new boat in a heartbeat. It looks beautiful, and there is nothing better to walk on underway. Maintenence is easy if you just let it go natural and keep salt water on it. 
The only negative is that it gets hot to walk on in tropical sun in bare feet.


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## BrianInIraq (Jun 1, 2007)

As far as the hot tropical sun - this boat won't stray much beyond the Chesapeake for the foreseeable future. That 10-15 year bit was until I can retire - and this won't be the boat I take down there.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Even on a new boat, for me, teak decks are deal breaker. Even on the Chesapeake teak decks get unbearably hot in summer and that heat radiates into the interior for a long period after sundown. 

Going natural on teak works reasonably well with full thickness teak but is not good long term option with the thin teak veneers used on production glue down decks. Going natural has a higher erosion rate than maintenance with high quality teak oils and with thin slat glue down construction there isn't that much material there. Beneteau in particular does a poor job with their glue down teak. 

There is a common theme to your list of boats. Osters/ Hylas/ Baltics/ Aldens/ Swans/ Najads/ Hallberg-Rasseys are almost all boats built in cold northern climates and are aimed at a wealthy clientele who can afford the extra cost to buy and, more significantly, can afford the extra costs to maintain or replace the teak. Teak is a nice material in a northern clime where its greater heat gain and retention is welcome, and the sailing season is short and the offseason the boats is under cover and able to be maintained and so the lifespan is greatly lengthened. 

Respectfully,
Jeff


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

BUY IT WITH TEAK...

Jeff...please allow me to disagree...its true the teak gets hot (on your feet) in the heat, but it works as an insulator...so my experience is that inside, a boat is cooler with the teak decks than without. How I know?? We measured the temperature differencials in two equal boats. Both Beneteaus, same model (like the one Sailortjk has).

Beneteau does not at least in europe, supply fake teak. Its either real teak or nothing.

I had the option of not installing teak (an added weight in a race boat), but opted to install it.

Its beautifull and the best anti-skid material in the World...


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Alex,

My experience with teak decks is a bit different than your own. In my experience, teak acts like a thermal flywheel, absorbing the energy of the sun and re-radiating it out of phase. In other words, in the morning when the boat would be warming up, the teak is absorbing heat, but due to its insulative qualities, that heat does not make to the interior immediately, but due to its density it re-radiates that heat later in the day, so early in the day, when that heat is desirable it does not make it into the interior. Later in the day, that heat is re-radiated into the interior when the boat is at its hotest. Measured in the morning teak decks would be cooler. 

Since teak is darker than most deck finishes, it absorbs more heat than a boat with cored composite decks and so measured late in the day, when the boat is at its hottest, and its time to make dinner, teak decks result in a noticably hotter interior temperature. 

My comment on Beneteau's teak decks is based on observations of local Bene's with teak inserts which look really beat (warping and curling loose from the glass below) after roughly 10 years of use in our climate where boats remain in use year round and are exposed to weather both winter and summer.

Jeff


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Jeff, I see what you mean by the teak warming up the inside at night.

My boat is not a good example because my deck is cored with Divinycell, so its cool all day long.

I can ask my friends to repeat the temperature tests at night. Not after the summer, one is North the other one went south..but we had this discussion many many times, over a few Caipirinhas.... It all started because another friend claimed his aft cabin was cooler than the forward cabin, and he said its because the cockpit above the aft cabin was teak covered.

I will let you know in end of September when we all return to cascais.

Still, to the OP, get the teak, its worth it...

Check this thread....we discussed it over and over...


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Brian,

I have spent a fair amount of time on both. I will not comment about it making the INSIDE hotter or not. I will say, and agree, with those posting above: IT IS BEAUTIFUL on a boat. Really makes it look classy. But I promise you that the first time your bare, tender foot steps off on it on a nice tropical day, you will leave footprints behind (of dead skin). I am being honest when I say this too: You are always about five steps onto the teak decks before you realize the error of your ways... kinda like being in the middle of a bed of coals! It really gets that hot!

I ran across many people that spent a lot of money to have all their teak decks ripped off and replaced with non skid. As for me, I would probably go ahead and get them becuase I love the beauty of them. Somebody above said that they are a good nonskid and that has been true in my experience.

I am not trying to be a me-too in this thread, just agreeing with most of what was written above. Using TB's analogy, your boat will be your home (if I remember correctly). Make it beautiful to your eyes. Just leave a pair of flip flops in the cockpit or leave your skin behind (smile).

- CD


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Are you kidding me???

Off course its bautifull, now...remember, the OP said and i quote "As far as the hot tropical sun - this boat won't stray much beyond the Chesapeake for the foreseeable future"...so the red hot chilly feet are safe....

Now...beautifull it is....indeed...but more tahn beautifull...functional 100%









































































*by the way, if you get teak, the treatment is (an you must resist the oilsd and magic potions) SALT WATER!!!! and a lot of nothing....I use plenty nothing with great success...

*


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

As I said the first time these pics were posted, those craftsmen sure did some beautiful work on your boat Giu. But, I just noticed that no knee pads were used . . . that's gotta hurt the knee caps at day's end.


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

TrueBlue said:


> . . . that's gotta hurt the knee caps at day's end.


No more than it hurt my wallet   

With what he made, he can buy new knees!!!!


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## mfair (Nov 10, 2006)

*teak decks*

I have an 1985 finnyacht 351 with screwed teak decks. It has been in New England it's whole life so it probably weathered upto 7 months of sunshine a year.

Teak decks are much easier to care for if you leave them natural. I have about 3 strips that are warping and I need to refasten. My old GRP boat with GRP deck was a pain to keep looking good.

After 20 years the plank thickness has worn down nearly to the bottom of the caulking groove. this is about half of the original thickness. I don't have leaks ( solid deck so no sandwitched wood to rot) but the missing black caulk is beginning to detract from the overall appearance but it is still georgous to me.

I will not be able to afford the $35K quoted to replace them and am not sure what I will do to them when it comes time to remove or replace.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

mfair,
Seems to me that your 22 year old teak deck should have more thickness left than what you describe. Could be excessive wear was due to someone regularly scrubbing the deck with the grain, instead of across, resulting in wearing of the soft pulp. Then perhaps sanding was attempted to smooth out the raised, harder grain.

My teak decks are 20 years old, secured to solid glass, but the caulking grooves are about 1/4" deep to 3/16" deep at the most worn areas. There is also plenty of bung depth everywhere and I would guess another 15 to 20 years life left, if the teak continues to be well maintained by future stewards.


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## Gary M (May 9, 2006)

I have only had one boat with teak and that was only on the side decks. I loved it, best non skid ever and very easy to look after. I simply scrubbed it across the grain about 4 times a year and let it go a light silver. Now I am on the Great Lakes but maybe do to the light colour did not notice it any hotter than gel coat. 

I would love a properly done boat with teak decks but my budget does not allow that anymore. Two kids in college 

Gary


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## fricchione (Jul 7, 2000)

I took delivery of new Hylas 49 this August with teak decks. I opted for them for purely cosmetic reasons, but its really not a maintenance problem. 

The real question is whether to get them sealed with sempco (sp?) or some other stuff rather than let them go silver and just spray them with salt water. They look great. On my hylas it is glued down (I think this is better).

You also clean the decks differently by brushing across the grain or using a "roughie pad' like you use in the sink on your broomhandle rather than a stiff brush. Other than this, its a piece of cake. 

There is no better non-skid.

Rick Fricchione
Hylas 49-057 "Black Diamond"
Portsmouth, RI


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Congats on the Hylas Rick - beautiful boat and will look for Black Diamond on Narragansett Bay next season.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Rick..welcome to the board...even though you seem to have started lurking a long time ago! Great Boat...good luck with her. If you see a Hylas 54 BayWind up there...say hi from Camaraderie!!


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## dohenyboy (Aug 16, 2006)

Its very difficult to find someone to install the teak correctly. Glued on depends on perfect surface preparation. The people who do it for production sailboats are working on new (faired) and clean surfaces and have lots of practice. 
This is the biggest consideration.


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## johnshasteen (Aug 9, 2002)

If you love to hang out on your boat and work on it, get all the wood you can. If you would rather sail and not spend lots of time working on it - find a boat with the least wood. I had a beautiful Bayfield for a number of years and it had teak decks, big wood bow sprit and tafferal boards, wood on the topsides, etc. We loved the boat, but for a couple of die hard sailors, we found it far too time consuming. We sold it and bought a Bristol - minimal wood (coamings, handrails, anchor roller sprit) - maximum sailing. Life is good.


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## pegasus1457 (Apr 14, 2002)

*real teak decks*



BrianInIraq said:


> And if they're so bad, then why do all the nice Oysters/Hylas/Baltics/Aldens/Swans/Najads/Hallberg-Rassys have them?


Because the people who can buy these lovely yachts can afford to pay the yard to maintain the teak


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

If you like the teak decks and if they are not going to screw holes into your boat to put them there - then get them. There is no right or wrong choice. There are various opinions that others have formed based on their own experiences but this is your boat, and your decision.

You have been wise to ask and get information regarding the pros and cons, but don't let others make up your mind for you.


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## Rockter (Sep 11, 2006)

Yes, if they are not tacked though the top layer of glass, I would go for it. Be careful though, I understand that glued decks cannot be run as thick as tacked decks. Glued decks seem to have a limit of about 10 mm. Tacked decks can be much thicker.

Remember though, there must not be one single hole ANYWHERE in that glass deck below the teak. Given time, water will find it if there is.

Right now I have a 36 footer, and the teak decks leak. It is not a lesson I will re-learn.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

After 13 years dormant, it's back to life!








and










@Jenksie; may I suggest that you start a new thread on Finyachts, and let this thread on teak decks quietly lay in peace.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

I'll bit.... Why do teak decks fail? Is it that the caulking break down and water gets in? Same for bungs... they leak or fall out and leak?
How can one prevent "inevitable" leaks.... re bed periodically?


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## dadio917 (Apr 4, 2011)

when I made a list of what I wanted on a boat "as little wood topsides as possible" was a strong requirement. There are plenty of projects when owning a boat without taking care of wood. Below deck is another matter.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I take it, the resurrecting post was deleted. E's post was funny tho.

As to the question of preserving decks, it has multiple factors. 

First is just the effort to keep the wood grain protected. It requires a delicate balance of keeping dirt and mold from becoming abrasives, while not cleaning so hard that one damages the soft grain on their own. A perpendicular soft scotchbrite scrub with salt water is best. Very soft purpose made detergent as infrequently as needed. Most either don't clean enough or overclean, which degrade the wood.

Eventually the caulking and/or bungs let go. Not all at once and it can be hard to identify a small edge separation. When water gets under the teak, it's like a heat seeking missile trying to find some screw hole or other penetration to get into the core. Always happens. 

You can reef out a small section of caulking, tape it off and repair it. Eventually, it all needs to come out and be redone. It's entirely impossible to tape off every board, so this is done by trowling caulking into all the grooves and across the top of the deck too. Then the entire deck is sanded down to remove the caulking from the tops, leaving nice groove seams and a refreshed flat grain. How many times you can do this is highly dependent on how thick the boards were to begin with. Some are so thin, this can not be done at all and you are forced to replace them.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

Well, since this beast is back to life; I would NEVER put real teak on my deck. The maintenance, and the environmental consequences make it a non starter for me. I know that there are at least two types of "fake teak" or "plastic teak."

I still have the ORIGILAL molded in nonskid on my 1987 O'day (33 years) and it still does what it is supposed to do; provide a non-skid deck surface. There are a few spots, however, where "incidents" have happened, and I would love to address the cosmetic issues by replacing it. I have a mould for the "O'day Weave," the non-skid pattern on my deck, but I have never been able to correctly match the color that was used for the non skid portions of my deck. The idea of sanding it all off, and covering with a new surface is VERY appealing. 

One of the plastic teak alternatives is EVA Foam - Ethylene Vinyl Acetate - the same stuff that Crocs are made from. SeaDeck and a slew of eBay sellers have this kind of decking available. I understand that it has a 5-10 year lifespan, it provides some cushioning underfoot (but you must be careful of women's shoes), and it is easily repaired/replaced. 

The other plastic teak is made from PolyVinyl Cloride, or PVC. PlasDeck, and Flexiteek (which now owns Dek-King) are two of the better known brands. It is supposedly difficult to repair, it does not provide the soft feel under foot, but it is should last for 10 to 20 years or more.

Has anyone here had FIRST HAND experience with any of these?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I understand there are sustainable resources for teak, as some make the claim. Maybe that's just marketing mumbo jumbo, but I sense a teak deck is no more inherently impactful on the environment than all the wooden houses we build. It's the countries that indiscriminately mow it down that are the problem. 

Beneteau Group stopped sourcing it, because the claim to have needed too much and would have had to use the unsustainable sources. I'm sure that's partly true, but suspect cost was a motivation too. 

I will say I think deforestation is the one thing we can truly change that would truly make a difference. There is no doubt we could plant more at a faster rate than we take them down, if we wanted to. Pretty easy really.

Anyway, I agree with the concern over the maintenance of teak. However, I have to say, I've never known anything to compare, especially wet. If I was out cruising for extended periods, especially in the tropics, a teak deck would be unwise. On the other hand, if money was no object, it's still the clear choice IMO. Hopefully, a better alternative, not just a close alternative, is invented or discovered.


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