petem
Well-Known Member
Or a baking tray and some tin foil....
I think we got the point
! Unfortunately, in Hurricane's case, the sh1t is out of the horse already (Flexiteak has already been fitted), now it needs Mike's real world testing!
Teak Replacement
- Thread starter Hurricane
- Start date
Or a baking tray and some tin foil....
I think we got the point
! Unfortunately, in Hurricane's case, the sh1t is out of the horse already (Flexiteak has already been fitted), now it needs Mike's real world testing!
MapisM
Well-Known Member
I can confirm that in terms of feeling and functionality, that stuff is the best thing I ever walked on barefoot on any boat.
A dozen of years ago, I flew to the US to check out the small ship below, with the mad idea of purchasing her, and the decks are definitely one of the things which impressed me most.
On this specific boat, the first owners (a couple of former sailboat circumnavigators) obviously liked the stuff enough to spec it also for the interiors, as can be seen in the pic, combining black and white caulking.
The following is an abstract from a booklet on CH construction which explains the builder's choice, already 20+ years ago:
Marine Deck 2000 is a highly compressed cork composite made in Holland, quite dense; looks something like teak from a distance (albeit not as pretty); wears extremely well; requires little or no maintenance; is excellent non-skid; is warrantied for 5 years.
It comes in ‘planks’ that a skilled worker must cut and lay by hand, glue them to the deck and caulk the gaps between planks – much like laying real teak.
The glue itself forms an excellent water barrier to protect the steel. Cruise ships have used it outdoors for 12 years.
We have installed it on most Cape Horns so far and everyone loves it.
It says nothing about heat absorption because - I guess - that wasn't a priority for boats built in Nova Scotia...
But cork is well known as an excellent material, in this respect.
pan
Well-Known Member
Just to confirm JFM's theory... I also have a laser temp gun & did the same comparison test last summer on the flexi teak on the Williams & bathing platform real teak... temp was almost the same, but under foot the flexi teak burned the sole of my foot !!
Imho either accept teak & it's issues or GRP decks (as Mapis) who will have trouble free decks forever, until someone discovers a product that doesn't retain & transfer heat so readily. Although the problem is really a Med issue, so Uk boating likely not.
Imho either accept teak & it's issues or GRP decks (as Mapis) who will have trouble free decks forever, until someone discovers a product that doesn't retain & transfer heat so readily. Although the problem is really a Med issue, so Uk boating likely not.
jfm
Well-Known Member
Thanks Pan - interesting.
Thanks MapisM for the CH info. I hadn't realised MD2000 had been around so long. It has grown on me since living with it 5 years in the tender and it still looks as good as new with only hosepipe/soap washing. Maybe one day I will do a whole boat in it. I would never use it inside as CH did though; real wood is much nicer and you don't need to worry about the sun. BTW I can't figure out how CH have no caulked joints in the margin boards, even around the corner of the swim platform. As you can see in my pic, my margin boards have the normal joints like real teak
I'm aware of the red/yellow CH - somewhat famous vessel. Good going that you have been aboard. Not sure I approve of fender stowage
Thanks MapisM for the CH info. I hadn't realised MD2000 had been around so long. It has grown on me since living with it 5 years in the tender and it still looks as good as new with only hosepipe/soap washing. Maybe one day I will do a whole boat in it. I would never use it inside as CH did though; real wood is much nicer and you don't need to worry about the sun. BTW I can't figure out how CH have no caulked joints in the margin boards, even around the corner of the swim platform. As you can see in my pic, my margin boards have the normal joints like real teak
I'm aware of the red/yellow CH - somewhat famous vessel. Good going that you have been aboard. Not sure I approve of fender stowage
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Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Thanks Pan - interesting.
Thanks MapisM for the CH info. I hadn't realised MD2000 had been around so long. It has grown on me since living with it 5 years in the tender and it still looks as good as new with only hosepipe/soap washing. Maybe one day I will do a whole boat in it. I would never use it inside as CH did though; real wood is much nicer and you don't need to worry about the sun. BTW I can't figure out how CH have no caulked joints in the margin boards, even around the corner of the swim platform. As you can see in my pic, my margin boards have the normal joints like real teak
I'm aware of the red/yellow CH - somewhat famous vessel. Good going that you have been aboard. Not sure I approve of fender stowage
My problem with MD2000 is that the Flexiteak is infinitely better looking.
Especially around the edges.
Flexiteak looks like teak - MD2000 looks like cork.
Those that don't know, I have Marine Deck 2000 on my Novurania Rib - same as JFM.
I fully appreciate that teak is a better product - it is the upkeep and the replacement after 10 years that puts me off.
Keeping teak properly clean is a nightmare.
Friends that I've known for years have dropped a single crisp and I've gone ballistic if I've only just cleaned it.
If you leave it like the yachties say, it makes the whole boat look tired.
I really want Flexiteak to be the answer.
Last summer our old wood teak got too hot to stand on anyway - we were throwing buckets of water onto the teak in the cockpit.
If thats all I have to to on the Flexiteak, it will be the answer for me.
This season will tell.
But now, I have to clean and sand the old ready for the season - not looking forward to that!!
jfm
Well-Known Member
Yep, you are right . I'm trying to get to like the look of it. Maybe need another 10 years!
MapisM
Well-Known Member
I'm not suggesting to do this in the cockpit for several reasons, but you know what it really takes, whenever the main deck and f/b will be worn out: get rid of the stuff, have some good antiskid epoxy laid above bare GRP, and be done with it.
You already made the mistake of speccing teak on the new build, but to err is human...
...it's to persist in that same error which is diabolical!
MapisM
Well-Known Member
100% Agreed, I also very much prefer wood for the interiors (and definitely not caulked, btw).
Not sure about the reason for non-caulked joints in the margins - maybe it's just because the caulking is "fake" (I mean, laid by rooting large flat panels), so you can have it in any design you like.
Though coming to think of it, caulked corners would have probably looked more "appropriate".
Yup, CH #4, originally christened "Dream Chaser" was a very peculiar vessel indeed.
She had already been repainted white when I inspected her, but I actually liked her original SAR looking colors, chosen because cruising Antarctica was the original plan of the first owners.
She didn't actually bring much luck to them, but that's another story...
Cheery
Well-Known Member
Thinking out loud here, bear with me. Is Flexiteek solid or does it have tiny air bubbles in it's formation? Rather like a foam cup or takeaway tray has a 'negative' temperature until you touch it, ther reverse of the paperclip and spanner example. You extract the heat from the clip quickly but the spanner burns you (a mass thing). The foam warms through from your body temperature or cools down if you put ice in it. Dissipating the temeprature is the objective. The issue would be making it hardwearing and I'm sure the people whose job it is to do these experments have done them.
ashtead
Well-Known Member
I guess that depends on your definition of tiny . The sample I have looks solid to me but I haven't examined under a micro scope . Having had fitted from new to our decks not had any problems with it in uk after nearly 3 years but I suspect the heat in the Jersey bowl of a marina doesn't reach the levels of med though. Personally pleased not to have all the worries of maintaining real teak and cleaning and semco treatment of decks which seems to be the approach in med along with chore ofhaving to clean off the grease where the croissant has dropped off the table with spray etc which is another downside.
petem
Well-Known Member
Having seen Hurricanes fakey team in the flesh I can confirm that it's very nice indeed. Incidentally, a neighboor of mine has almost identical Permateak on his boat and I asked him how it was in the sun last year. His answer was "that it didn't even get warm". So Mike, it's all to play for still!
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That's subjective - I had some samples of the new Flexiteak delivered and it's not passable as teak IMO - maybe from 15 feet away but I couldn't fit it to a boat I owned. I am a fussy bugger mind you.
julians
Well-Known Member
Interesting, ive also got some samples of the new flexiteak and i think it does a very good job of looking like (new) teak. I guess im not as fussy.
I will need to replace the teak on my bathing platform in the next couple of years, so am following this with interest.
petem
Well-Known Member
I'm hyper fussy. My ideal would be brand new teak that looked brand new for ever. Failing that, I'd be happy with fake teak that at least looked like brand new teak from the pontoon.
Cheery
Well-Known Member
It has been pointed out before that arguing over real wood versus a fake which is then stuck onto a lump of (very expensive) plastic...
jcwads
Well-Known Member
This has to and always will be down to personal choice. I for one really liked the look of Hurricanes flexiteak and as such have some going on my swim platform soon. I had flexiteak or a type of it on my last boat and really liked it, never had an issue with heat, even when in Dartmouth in a rare 28 degrees summer day.
I will be keeping my cockpit teak as the real thing, but on the high wear areas such as the swim platform and steps up to the sides, I am looking forward to the flexiteak option.
I will be keeping my cockpit teak as the real thing, but on the high wear areas such as the swim platform and steps up to the sides, I am looking forward to the flexiteak option.
alt
Well-Known Member
Subscribing to this as I plan on replacing my teak platform next year.
Quick question... On the outer edge of the flexiteak, where it means the gelcoat on the edge of the platform... do you leave a little gap and fill with caulking? (As would be done with 'proper' teak)
Quick question... On the outer edge of the flexiteak, where it means the gelcoat on the edge of the platform... do you leave a little gap and fill with caulking? (As would be done with 'proper' teak)
benjenbav
Well-Known Member
How can you say that, Pete? We all know you bought the first boat that came up on a google search, sight unseen. :encouragement:
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
That raised a chuckle.
petem
Well-Known Member
+1 !