Alternatives to deak for decking?

[RunAgroundHard]

View attachment 165941
The bond between the hull and deck has failed in several places.
The deck was bonded to the hull flange with some sort of ridged sealant, with 16 years of sailing and the hull and deck flexing, the sealant has gone brittle and is allowing water to seep through.

This is a job for a Fein Multimaster with a short width blade. With care you could nibble out the groove. I like the previous posters suggestion of just trashing the inner teak plank and replacing that. Fien's are highly versatile tools and blade direction can be controlled with force and side loads reasonably well. You might need a couple of blade types to get the job done. Two types of blade come to mind: -

e Cut Carbide saw blades are for GRP use.

Fein Starlock 184 blade e-cut long life saw blade 10mm wide Starlock 184 blade e-cut long life saw blade 10mm wide

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have a Electric scraper Bosch PSE 180 E That I used to remove Treadmaster for my deck last month

It cones with various chisels that could be used with a guide and a protective plastic pad against the balwack

Electric scraper Bosch PSE 180 E - Google Suche

 

[Goldie]

This is a job for a Fein Multimaster with a short width blade. With care you could nibble out the groove. I like the previous posters suggestion of just trashing the inner teak plank and replacing that. Fien's are highly versatile tools and blade direction can be controlled with force and side loads reasonably well. You might need a couple of blade types to get the job done. Two types of blade come to mind: -

e Cut Carbide saw blades are for GRP use.

Fein Starlock 184 blade e-cut long life saw blade 10mm wide Starlock 184 blade e-cut long life saw blade 10mm wide

+1 for the Multimaster and one of these (available in 4mm, 5mm & 6mm sizes):

Fein 63903233210 6mm Sealant Cutting Blade | Miles Tool & Machinery Centre

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks Goldie.
The fact that they are described as a sealant removal tool is encouraging.
I had originally discounted a multi tool as being too difficult to control based on my experience with a Ryobi multi tool, which I find hard to start without it bouncing all over the place. I guess that the Fien is a more refined tool that is easier to control.
The power chisel looks inherently better, beause the vibration is axial not lateral, and I hope not to destroy the teak planks.
At the moment I can't see a small enough chisel (6mm wide max) to work with the Arbortech Power Chisel, but I'm working on that.

Have you considered chiseling out and replacing the most outboard teak plank only?
Seems that could create space to make good the leaks between hull flange and subdeck, then replace with new teak?

Sacrificing the first plank is definitely an option and if I make a mess of taking the sealant out of the joint between the first plank and the bulwark, that's the way I'd go.

 

[rogerthebodger]

At the moment I can't see a small enough chisel (6mm wide max) to work with the Arbortech Power Chisel, but I'm working on that.

You could always grind the width of the supplied chisel narrower

I had to remove some Sikaflex from a decking and I got a 3 mm wide wood chisel and I modified a onld hand router bit from 6 mm wide to 4 mm by grinding the sides to the required size

 

[PCUK]

As an epilogue to this thread I am at this moment finalising the installation of Dek-King on my current project. This is the fifth boat I have redecked with Dek-King which is no longer available due to being bought out by another decking company.

 

[JOHNPEET]

If you’re looking for the materials to complete a synthetic teak deck on a DIY basis, Trakmark Ltd can supply everything you need. No association, just a very happy customer!

Trakmark - Original PVC Decking, Synthetic Decking, Plastic Boat Decking

 

[PCUK]

That's useful John, I've been looking for an alternative supplier other than Isiteek.

 

[Zing]

Deleted

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Had my first experience of fake teak deck on a Bavaria Cruiser last summer ... it was fitted from the factory and the boat was of 2017 vintage. The black sealant between the fake teak strips had gone chalky and you could not help getting it everywhere, on clothes, seat covers, feet and hands. Walking around left black marks all over the white fiberglass parts.

The second point is, we sail in the Adriatic and both myself and my partner almost lost the skin off the soles of our feet walking forward without shoes on. It was more than uncomfortably hot .... in direct sunshine it made footwear essential to avoid scalding our feet.

Note to self, No teak or fake teak decks on my next boat .... real teak is OK in the cockpit because it is shaded by the bimini/sprayhood and is a relatively small area - but really disappointed by the way the fake teak heated up in direct sunshine.

Probably fine for cooler Northern cruising areas, but an absolute no for the Med in summer IMO.

 

[rogerthebodger]

The second point is, we sail in the Adriatic and both myself and my partner almost lost the skin off the soles of our feet walking forward without shoes on. It was more than uncomfortably hot .... in direct sunshine it made footwear essential to avoid scalding our feet.

Note to self, No teak or fake teak decks on my next boat .... real teak is OK in the cockpit because it is shaded by the bimini/sprayhood and is a relatively small area - but really disappointed by the way the fake teak heated up in direct sunshine.

Probably fine for cooler Northern cruising areas, but an absolute no for the Med in summer IMO.

I am in Richards Bay 28 S and I had the same issues on my boat with light grey treadmaster and in the summer it was scalding hot.

I have removed the treadmaster and trying to find a better / cooler anti slip covering so far ist some anti slip paint like kiwe grip or paint with dry sand

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I am in Richards Bay 28 S and I had the same issues on my boat with light grey treadmaster and in the summer it was scalding hot.

I have removed the treadmaster and trying to find a better / cooler anti slip covering so far ist some anti slip paint like kiwe grip or paint with dry sand

You can't beat white, textured gelcoat IMO.

 

[mrangry]

I am about to replace the teak on my cockpit seats and bathing platform and will be using sapele which is pretty stable and hard wearing like teak but cheaper. I wouldnt use any of the fake stuff for reasons others have already mentioned and it will always look fake

 

[rogerthebodger]

You can't beat white, textured gelcoat IMO.

Yes but I have a steel hull and deck.

Anybody know where I could get textured sheets of gelcoat that I can stick on the deck like the treadmaster

 

[Tradewinds]

Yes but I have a steel hull and deck.

Anybody know where I could get textured sheets of gelcoat that I can stick on the deck like the treadmaster

Sold here on Ebay. Available in white full 8 x 4 sheets or less. 4mm thick. How the Hell you'd get them to SA Gawd only knows.
Anti-Slip GRP Flat Floor Sheets - Non Slip Shop - GRP Flooring Sheet Covers | eBay

 

[Arcady]

Another vote for Stazo Marine deck. We love it - all that cork makes it feel a bit more natural somehow. Here’s a section being laid on our boat:

 

[SvenH]

What that video does not show is the ages of prepwork that came before....

 

[Nina Lucia]

9.000 euros. For 15 sqm. 14mm finished thickness. A1 Burma teak (what ever that is) suits me suits the boat I'm happy

Who did it, looks lovely? Long waiting list? Thanks

 

[Tradewinds]

The is another alternative to the Stazo product, Sea Cork.
Cork Decking for Boats - SeaCork
The only problem with Marinedeck is that it looks 'hot' in colour - it just stands out.

I looked at Sea Cork and what I liked about it was, that after the final, one-off protective sealant coat which stood out like a sore thumb for a few months it naturally 'toned-down' to a more natural, neutral colour. I believe there is more polyurethane in the Stazo cork blend which means it retains this strong unnatural colour.
You can see the whole Sea Cork installation process with photos in the PDF linked to my Dropbox account. Cork Installation Powerpoint - 19 Jan 2014.pdf
I was going to use Sea Cork on my son's Nauticat 36. However, the big problem for me was perceived future (UK) buyer reaction to a 'non-conventional' deck finish - so in the end I ditched the idea.

Whatever you do prep-work is key and is by far the most time-consuming part of the process.

For my own boat I relaid (my wife & myself) top quality Burmese teak - a big job but no regrets, we love it.

 

[DoubleEnder]

I had a traditionally built wooden boat with a traditionally laid teak deck, ie 22mm thick quarter sawn boards, sprung and screwed to deck beams. No subdeck. I cleaned it gently, once a year, used a winter cover and it was gorgeous. After 10 years it was recaulked, a couple of tiny leaks had appeared and because there was no subdeck they were immediately obvious. But that deck was built in 2005. And it was very expensive and quite guilt-inducing even then.

Now, I would not have teak even on a traditionally built boat. I’d go for ply (or maybe T&G) covered with cloth and epoxy and paint, I think. I have also seen, on smaller craft, a beautiful traditionally laid cedar deck. This is pale coloured and light weight, very attractive, but quite soft compared to teak. A dropped winch handle would make a dent.

At the Düsseldorf boat show I saw lots of different synthetic ‘teak’ decking and some of it looked pretty good. I also liked the cork products. As
long as the new covering is fitted around all the deck hardware which seems to be entirely possible, then I honestly think these are better on a GRP deck than timber. I know it’s a single use plastic, but quite an extended use.

However, the OP’s main problem seems to be the hull/deck joint.