Teak Decking

Ripster

Ripster

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Can anyone recommend someone to speak to about getting GRP side and fore decks covered in teak. We already have the cockpit all done, but didn't opt for the rest and now regret it. I know it will not be cheap, but any recommendations welcome to start the ball rolling - Devon area and its a fairly new 36ft sailboat.
 
Ripster said:
Can anyone recommend someone to speak to about getting GRP side and fore decks covered in teak. We already have the cockpit all done, but didn't opt for the rest and now regret it. I know it will not be cheap, but any recommendations welcome to start the ball rolling - Devon area and its a fairly new 36ft sailboat.
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OMG here go!! keep your head down .....No its a troll must be????
 
Ripster said:
Can anyone recommend someone to speak to about getting GRP side and fore decks covered in teak. We already have the cockpit all done, but didn't opt for the rest and now regret it. I know it will not be cheap, but any recommendations welcome to start the ball rolling - Devon area and its a fairly new 36ft sailboat.
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Not a good idea. The original Bavaria fitment is lightweight being a preformed panel vacuum bagged onto the deck. It is arranged so that there are no fastenings and it is shaped around all the fittings so nothing goes through the teak. However, when it wears out the owner at that time will have a nightmare job replacing it.

A Retrofit will uses thicker teak as each strake will need to be formed to the curve of the deck and worked round fittings before being glued down. The alternative method is to screw and glue the strakes to the deck, so forming literally hundreds of holes into the cored deck just waiting for water to get in. Whichever method you use will add weight and build up future problems and the cost will be far more than any value (if any) you add to the boat. If you do fancy the look consider one of the fake teaks which are a bit cheaper, will not wear out like the real stuff and do not deplete the rainforests. However they are likely to have an even more negative effect on the value of the boat.

Buying a boat new with it fitted is a much better idea. Not only is the extra cost much less, but a factory fitted job will not be as negative in the secondhand market when you come to sell.
 
Don't even consider it - complete waste of money. Probably cheaper to swap the boat for one with teak already fitted.
 
Tranona said:
Not a good idea. The original Bavaria fitment is lightweight being a preformed panel vacuum bagged onto the deck. It is arranged so that there are no fastenings and it is shaped around all the fittings so nothing goes through the teak. However, when it wears out the owner at that time will have a nightmare job replacing it.

A Retrofit will uses thicker teak as each strake will need to be formed to the curve of the deck and worked round fittings before being glued down. The alternative method is to screw and glue the strakes to the deck, so forming literally hundreds of holes into the cored deck just waiting for water to get in. Whichever method you use will add weight and build up future problems and the cost will be far more than any value (if any) you add to the boat. If you do fancy the look consider one of the fake teaks which are a bit cheaper, will not wear out like the real stuff and do not deplete the rainforests. However they are likely to have an even more negative effect on the value of the boat.

Buying a boat new with it fitted is a much better idea. Not only is the extra cost much less, but a factory fitted job will not be as negative in the secondhand market when you come to sell.
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Thanks for the input. Don't like the idea at all of drilling the deck. I had hoped that there was a bonding process that would take care of it. Not keen on the fake ones, though I know they are supposed to be very good. It maybe a non-starter due to cost and practicalities - we'll see.
 
Ripster said:
Thanks for the input. Don't like the idea at all of drilling the deck. I had hoped that there was a bonding process that would take care of it.
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There is, you don't have to screw it down, as Tranona suggested. Many replacement teak decks are now prefabricated off the boat, in panels, complete with caulking, and then glued down on to the deck. Moody Decking is just one company offering this service. I've seen it being done, and the finished result is good. But it's still pricey.
 
If you look at the panels in your cockpit you will find that they are made up of strips about 5mm thick. The decks are done in the same way, but the strakes are shaped to the deck curves before being made up into a panel and then glued on. With a retrofit you can do that, but if you are going to get the curves with an edge set it will probably need 9mm to be stable enough to glue down. There was a description of this in a recent PBO of the Chandlers doing their Rival. Huge amount of work, but he was DIY. The alternative is to cut the shapes out of solid but thinner boards, but this is enormously wasteful. Another way, which I have used is to cut strips from 2.5mm teak veneers, but this limits you to straight strakes as they will not take any edge curve. Have a shorter life than thicker boards but seem to wear less than expected. I have some on my boat nearly 20 years old, but not in high wear areas and under cover when not used.

However, my Bavaria is 12 years old, 9 in the Med and the cockpit and seats are still good, give or take the odd bit of caulking coming out.
 
pvb said:
There is, you don't have to screw it down, as Tranona suggested. Many replacement teak decks are now prefabricated off the boat, in panels, complete with caulking, and then glued down on to the deck. Moody Decking is just one company offering this service. I've seen it being done, and the finished result is good. But it's still pricey.
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Yes, but as I pointed out, they usually use 9mm or 6mm if it is straight which adds a substantial extra weight - roughly twice that of a factory deck.
 
Tranona said:
Yes, but as I pointed out, they usually use 9mm or 6mm if it is straight which adds a substantial extra weight - roughly twice that of a factory deck.
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I don't think prefabricated decking in 6mm teak is going to be twice as heavy as the factory-fitted deck. I can't imagine the factory deck only being 3mm thick! In fact, you suggested that the OP's factory-fitted cockpit teak would be 5mm thick.
 
pvb said:
I don't think prefabricated decking in 6mm teak is going to be twice as heavy as the factory-fitted deck. I can't imagine the factory deck only being 3mm thick! In fact, you suggested that the OP's factory-fitted cockpit teak would be 5mm thick.
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It is more likely to be 9mm. 6mm is used for straight strakes, but as I have explained it is more common to use 9mm if there is an edge set as required for curved strakes. As I also said I think the original Bavaria is about 5mm - so 9mm would be almost twice the weight. Obviously if it can be done in 6mm then there is little difference.
 
teak decks

Ian Bowles, specialises in teak decks, almost to the exclusion of anything else.
Works from Baltic Wharf Boatyard, Totnes, well thought of in these parts.
Dont have contact details, but of course the yard will.
Hope this helps...
By the way ...i love teak decks...
 
Tranona said:
It is more likely to be 9mm. 6mm is used for straight strakes, but as I have explained it is more common to use 9mm if there is an edge set as required for curved strakes. As I also said I think the original Bavaria is about 5mm - so 9mm would be almost twice the weight. Obviously if it can be done in 6mm then there is little difference.
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When you say an edge set, do you mean when the installation is sat on top of the glass and thus has an exposed lip/edge as opposed to being contained within a shape of some sort and butting up to vertical surface so no step down - so to speak? Just so I understand.
 
K J Howells in Poole build preformed teak deck panels (6 or 9mm) to a template at sensible ££££. I am sure they would be able to recommend someone to specify and fit in the South West? My cockpit panels are bonded to the GRP with Sika 291.
 
Ripster said:
When you say an edge set, do you mean when the installation is sat on top of the glass and thus has an exposed lip/edge as opposed to being contained within a shape of some sort and butting up to vertical surface so no step down - so to speak? Just so I understand.
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Edge set is when the strakes are curved sideways to follow the line of the deck edge - as most are. If you look at the PBO article you will see that Chandler steamed his strakes and used various devices to clamp them into place while the wood takes the set. Otherwise they can spring out of shape when being glued. This is difficult to do with 6mm thick strakes. In the preformed panels like Moody deck this is accomplished by building in a jig and using CNC routing machines to shape awkward bits.
 
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