What is this deck made from?

[Tim Good]

I bought a boat last year and the deck has a system that I can't find anything about. As far as I know it is an epoxy / sand mixture and might have been developed in Germany. It works very well. However after 18 years there are a few areas that need a little attention. Might anyway know what this system is and or the process for mixing it up. See below:

 

[richardabeattie]

At this point 108 members don't know!

 

[omega2]

Tracmark or similar, not wood or it would be splintering??

 

[TQA]

Looks a bit like the deck on an Amel.

However I have not seen one cracking like that.

 

[LittleSister]

It looks like it might possibly be repainted She-deck, but I can't see clearly enough to be sure.

She-deck was a system used on She yachts, Samphire yachts and some other GRP boats (1970s & 80s), but I've never come across it on a boat that big. The (unpainted?) dark green/brown bit showing under the corner of the hatch does look quite like it, though.

She-decking decking imitated the look of teak laid decks by having a printed 'teak effect' film under clear gelcoat for the 'planks', and fine grit on/in a black coloured resin strip for the 'caulking'. The black 'caulking' strips stand slightly proud of the 'plank' surface' and provides really excellent anti-slip. The She-decking looked fantastic when new (as far as I can see from photos), but the teak effect faded with time/UV, and the gelcoat over the film tends to become easily chipped/worn, so many have now been painted over with deck paint or the like. Some paint straight over the grippy black strips, some between them to retain a look similar to what you have.

If it is painted She-deck, I've not seen it with cracks like that, but it could be either the paint laid on thick and unable to cope with the movement of the deck or the paint expanding and contracting, or possibly (and less likely, I think) the thin layer of gelcoat over the teak effect film (there's more underneath it) breaking up in unusually large pieces.

If you think it might be She-deck let me know and I can provide some more information.

 

[The_man_from_ABBA]

Looks like it could be Marinedeck 2000 to me - link: http://www.marinedeck.net/standard/standard-products

 

[Tim Good]

From the sounds of the She-deck I don't think that is it. The planks are defiantly standing higher than the imitation caulk lines which seem to be just a paint rather than any sort of grit.

It certainly is not Marine Deck as that is still made with synthetic planks. My deck certainly has no planks or caulking. If Ian Anderson was still around I'd just give him a call. Maybe a I'll go an see a medium.

I'm surprised this system is not more common as it never gets goes green in winter, never needs scrubbing, is always non slip and never gets hot. After 18 years it still looks great other than the odd little crack. Maybe to 'synthetic' for some.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Looks to me as if a black painted deck was masked off to represent the caulking of strip planking then painted with anti slip paint.

 

[pmagowan]

Looks to me as if a black painted deck was masked off to represent the caulking of strip planking then painted with anti slip paint.

I agree. I suspect it is not a system, just a careful use of antislip paint to achieve this pattern. I am sure it could be touched up but it would be tricky to match. Redoing it would involve a lot of masking tape.

 

[Tranona]

I agree. I suspect it is not a system, just a careful use of antislip paint to achieve this pattern. I am sure it could be touched up but it would be tricky to match. Redoing it would involve a lot of masking tape.

Doubt it. Imagine the work involved in masking off all those strips to get them so even. That is more likely a machine made product bonded onto the deck. The latest Bavaria fake teak deck is made in that way.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Some thing like this on a bigger scale

 

[pmagowan]

Doubt it. Imagine the work involved in masking off all those strips to get them so even. That is more likely a machine made product bonded onto the deck. The latest Bavaria fake teak deck is made in that way.

Not sure, it would need to be custom made anyway and it would not take much to mask that considering a real teak deck would require twice the masking. Then it is simply a job of rollering the stuff on and removing the tape.

 

[Koeketiene]

Looks like it could be Marinedeck 2000 to me - link: http://www.marinedeck.net/standard/standard-products

Don't think so. We've got Marinedeck 2000 and it doesn't look like that at all.

 

[Tranona]

Not sure, it would need to be custom made anyway and it would not take much to mask that considering a real teak deck would require twice the masking. Then it is simply a job of rollering the stuff on and removing the tape.

OK if it is a straight line, but would not fancy getting all those curves exactly right all in one go. With a laid teak deck the curves of the seams are defined by the planks.

 

[pmagowan]

OK if it is a straight line, but would not fancy getting all those curves exactly right all in one go. With a laid teak deck the curves of the seams are defined by the planks.

Curves are pretty easy with the thin tape. Someone would need to pencil in where the lines go but this can easily be achieved with a jig using the toe rail as a guide. Then you just stick down the tape and paint away. It may well be the easiest way to restore it. You need to paint the black lines first, but not neatly, then tape, then antislip paint, then remove tape and hey presto, new deck.

 

[LittleSister]

The planks are defiantly standing higher than the imitation caulk lines which seem to be just a paint rather than any sort of grit.

Is perhaps the (assumed) grp deck simply moulded with the planking pattern in it, with the 'planks' slightly raised, then painted to suit?

Still doesn't explain the strange cracking, mind.

 

[Tim Good]

I have just found another owner of the seastream build just before mine said is was called "Overdeck".... does that ring a bell with anyone?

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have just found another owner of the seastream build just before mine said is was called "Overdeck".... does that ring a bell with anyone?

I found this reference to overdeck from 2001 but the URL for overdeck no longer exists.

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-building/anti-skid-deck-texture-88.html

 

[Tim Good]

I found this reference to overdeck from 2001 but the URL for overdeck no longer exists.

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-building/anti-skid-deck-texture-88.html

Interesting... The patent seems to belong to the then MD, Luitgard Wolter. I'll see if I can get in touch with that person to get a copy of the installation specifications

 

[pmagowan]

I saw a similar deck on a Yachting Monthly youtube review of a boat. I can't remember which one unfortunately as I was looking through a lot of them. They mentioned that it was more expensive than teak because of the customised nature of it. The benefit being lack of maintainance whcih, as you have found out, is not a total lack.