To the Teak Deck Naysayers

[jleonard]

I've been a member of this forum for a pretty long time. I've read scores of threads about teak decks and have endured all the comments about how all teak deck boats are bad, they all leak, they are a disaster.
It bothered me because I have teak decks, and I knew some day I would be selling my boat and most of you all have been telling potential buyers to stay away from teak.

Anyway, yesterday was the survey. The surveyor tapped darn near every inch of the teak decks. He used a moisture meter after that. Including the flybridge deck.
100% solid and dry. And he was amazed that there were no plugs missing!

I rest my case.

 

[O C Diver]

I've been a member of this forum for a pretty long time. I've read scores of threads about teak decks and have endured all the comments about how all teak deck boats are bad, they all leak, they are a disaster.
It bothered me because I have teak decks, and I knew some day I would be selling my boat and most of you all have been telling potential buyers to stay away from teak.

Anyway, yesterday was the survey. The surveyor tapped darn near every inch of the teak decks. He used a moisture meter after that. Including the flybridge deck.
100% solid and dry. And he was amazed that there were no plugs missing!

I rest my case.

Congratulations!
Just like a 6-71 Detroit, I guess it was only a matter of time before someone had one that didn't leak. But just like death, it eventually leaking, is probably inevitable.

Ted

 

[Comodave]

Congrats Jay. However one good deck doesn’t outweigh the 1000 that do leak.

 

[koliver]

I've been a member of this forum for a pretty long time. I've read scores of threads about teak decks and have endured all the comments about how all teak deck boats are bad, they all leak, they are a disaster.
It bothered me because I have teak decks, and I knew some day I would be selling my boat and most of you all have been telling potential buyers to stay away from teak.

Anyway, yesterday was the survey. The surveyor tapped darn near every inch of the teak decks. He used a moisture meter after that. Including the flybridge deck.
100% solid and dry. And he was amazed that there were no plugs missing!

I rest my case.

And yet you can't get them to stop posting their negativity!
With a minimum of maintenance, ie, plug replacements, caulking, they will last as long as the boat.

 

[Giggitoni]

And yet you can't get them to stop posting their negativity!
With a minimum of maintenance, ie, plug replacements, caulking, they will last as long as the boat.

This ^!

We like our teak deck. We probably spend 3-4 hours per year maintaining it. I’ll venture a guess that most naysayers have never had a teak deck.

 

[Codger2]

This ^!

We like our teak deck. We probably spend 3-4 hours per year maintaining it. I’ll venture a guess that most naysayers have never had a teak deck.

I agree with Giggitoni on this . The only outside teak we have on our boat is the cockpit. We don't oil or stain it as there's no going back after doing either one. We simply clean it every year and it looks great! Back in the early days of sailing ships, they used to "holy stone" the teak decks to keep them looking good and providing great holding for the crew's feet. I've found that all these years later, that still is the best way to maintain them. (MHO)

 

[DHeckrotte]

We have Teak decks on our '84 FuHwa 38. No known leaks. Bear in mind that neither the bungs nor the seam sealant is the source of the leaks. It's the myriad screwholes which are sealed with the goo that holds the Teak strips down. And... who knows what the state of that goo is?

 

[firehoser75]

We have Teak decks on our '84 FuHwa 38. No known leaks. Bear in mind that neither the bungs nor the seam sealant is the source of the leaks. It's the myriad screwholes which are sealed with the goo that holds the Teak strips down. And... who knows what the state of that goo is?

First off, full disclosure. I have not owned "screwed down" teak decks. On my sailboat, I had "glued down" teak decks. The later must have the caulking redone periodically, but being as there are no holes in the fibreglass, they should not develop leaks. Mine did not, but I sold the boat when it was only 11 years old.
As DHeckrotte says it would be the thousands of screw penetrations that I would worry about on the screwed down version. I have it on good authority (and multiple sources) that failure to "reseal" the screw penetrations is often the cause of leaking in these decks often leading to deck core damage, interior damage, and sometimes great expense. The good authority are several marine surveyors and several experienced boat brokers including one who sold and represented Grand Banks for years. Sealant does not last forever. Common sense suggests that eventually screw or deck penetrations on a boat will eventually leak if not adequately maintained by "rebedding".

While I am happy for those of you who have teak decks, like them, and have so far not had any issues with them, personally, I would not want to take the chance. I do not want more maintenance, and I cannot imagine having to remove all of those screws, rebed them, install new bungs, and recaulk all of those seams even once in my boat ownership time. And that big job, would be to avoid the much larger job of dealing with wet, spongy decks should leaks be unnoticed or neglected. Personally, I am not much of a gambler, and this is one area I am not willing to gamble on. As to hiring the work out, I have better things to spend my money on (JMHO).
I do agree with those who say don't oil or apply other treatments to the teak.

It seems, we have those who love their teak, and the rest of us who would avoid it. Fair enough!!

 

[jleonard]

Congrats Jay. However one good deck doesn’t outweigh the 1000 that do leak.

And this is exactly why I made this post. You really can’t quantify your comment. Yet you wrote it.
I doubt that only .01% of teak decks are still in good condition.

 

[rsn48]

Owning a gas engine boat is kind of like the same thing, everyone knows diesel is better - most the time.

 

[Comodave]

And this is exactly why I made this post. You really can’t quantify your comment. Yet you wrote it.
I doubt that only .01% of teak decks are still in good condition.

No, I cannot give an exact number, but maybe just seeing the number of posts about wet coring in the decks would be enough “proof” about screwed down teak decks. However I am glad your decks were fine during the survey.

 

[alormaria]

Just ignore them.



They know not of what they speak.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Well I saw a lot of bad teak decks when we were looking at boats. When we got serious, if the boat had teak decks (amoung other things), it was automatically disqualified.

No I don't have leaking teak decks as I don't have any. Besides non-skid on your bare feet feels soooooo good!

 

[bjensen]

Teak deck on my old boat are nailed down. I have done some re-caulking to stop some leaks.

 

[BruceK]

Teak deck on my old boat are nailed down. I have done some re-caulking to stop some leaks.

I`ve had screwed(you usually are),and glued(good), but not 'nailed". Not sure I ever saw that form of attachment. Tell us more.

 

[klee wyck]

I've been a member of this forum for a pretty long time. I've read scores of threads about teak decks and have endured all the comments about how all teak deck boats are bad, they all leak, they are a disaster.
It bothered me because I have teak decks, and I knew some day I would be selling my boat and most of you all have been telling potential buyers to stay away from teak.

Anyway, yesterday was the survey. The surveyor tapped darn near every inch of the teak decks. He used a moisture meter after that. Including the flybridge deck.
100% solid and dry. And he was amazed that there were no plugs missing!

I rest my case.

I feel bad for ya jleonard and wish they would quit picking on your teak decks screwed into cored decks, so I had an idea....

Watch this. Like a pack of dogs they will come for me and my boat and leave you and yours alone!

Hey guys....I have a STEEL boat with a VOLVO in it and it has a FJORFORD as an anchor. And...I have teak decks from stem to stern, teak in the cockpit, teak on the side decks, even teak covering the deckbox in the bow where we are sitting in the photo. AND, all of this teak is screwed to a STEEL deck!

We shoulda just sunk the piece of crap years ago....but we didn't have time because we've been having so much fun on it including the last six wonderful days aboard.:lol: (so I wouldn't trade it even up for any teakless wonder I have seen here.)

Jleoanrd, that will keep them busy and off your back for awhile, ya think?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

All that and you let it go grey??? Tsssss sand and apply shiny stuff!

 

[O C Diver]

We are all happy that Jay's deck passed survey without issue. Clearly the installation process has proven to be problematic and the industry has generally moved away from it. Too imply that boats of that age with that type of teak deck installation, aren't highly susceptible to leaks and coring problems, would be misleading.

Ted

 

[psneeld]

I feel bad for ya jleonard and wish they would quit picking on your teak decks screwed into cored decks, so I had an idea....

Watch this. Like a pack of dogs they will come for me and my boat and leave you and yours alone!

Hey guys....I have a STEEL boat with a VOLVO in it and it has a FJORFORD as an anchor. And...I have teak decks from stem to stern, teak in the cockpit, teak on the side decks, even teak covering the deckbox in the bow where we are sitting in the photo. AND, all of this teak is screwed to a STEEL deck!

We shoulda just sunk the piece of crap years ago....but we didn't have time because we've been having so much fun on it including the last six wonderful days aboard.:lol: (so I wouldn't trade it even up for any teakless wonder I have seen here.)

Jleoanrd, that will keep them busy and off your back for awhile, ya think?

Keep it up and you will be voted off the island and reported to the ABYC for not adhering to TF standards......

I think these style teak decks are like Taiwan Trawlers in general.....if they had decent maintenance all along....they are still decent....but because of the method of construction a lack of maintenance takes its toll quick.

 

[PM]

Well Klee, The only point you missed to be a true 'lightning rod" is to advocate a single over a double engine( or vice versa).

So far no lightning strikes yet, but the post is young.

pete

 

[sunchaser]

I feel bad for ya jleonard and wish they would quit picking on your teak decks screwed into cored decks, so I had an idea....

Watch this. Like a pack of dogs they will come for me and my boat and leave you and yours alone!

Hey guys....I have a STEEL boat with a VOLVO in it and it has a FJORFORD as an anchor. And...I have teak decks from stem to stern, teak in the cockpit, teak on the side decks, even teak covering the deckbox in the bow where we are sitting in the photo. AND, all of this teak is screwed to a STEEL deck!

We shoulda just sunk the piece of crap years ago....but we didn't have time because we've been having so much fun on it including the last six wonderful days aboard.:lol: (so I wouldn't trade it even up for any teakless wonder I have seen here.)

Jleoanrd, that will keep them busy and off your back for awhile, ya think?

Gustavus? Surely not AK. BTW nice to see that you and your mate are staying fit.

It is amusing to read boat construction opinions from naysayers who are repeating stories from naysayers who've never set foot on the vessel in question.

I still wish I had my Trojan woodie that had teak decks and showed like a wooden boat festival winner. Oh, and it had gas engines!

 

[healhustler]

I feel bad for ya jleonard and wish they would quit picking on your teak decks screwed into cored decks, so I had an idea....

Watch this. Like a pack of dogs they will come for me and my boat and leave you and yours alone! ....Jleoanrd, that will keep them busy and off your back for awhile, ya think?

Not fair, Bill. Ya can’t take mouth-watering nautical art like that boat as an example. Even the dog pack knows not to take on the big bull.

 

[klee wyck]

Not fair, Bill. Ya can’t take mouth-watering nautical art like that boat as an example. Even the dog pack knows not to take on the big bull.

Thanks Larry,

While I am not, of course, the big bull bull in real life, I do feel like it when I step on this boat.
That was my point. The things I listed which are often perceived as weaknesses in the commentary, have ironically been among her strengths during the decade under our ownership.
This past week, the Fjorford was an example. We were anchored for a week in the South end of Port Townsend Bay and had a pretty good NW blow for a couple of days and nights( small craft advisory in the bay with a gale in the straight outside the bay). At least three vessels drug by us including one that is still firmly ensconced on the beach when we left there. The Fjorford didn't budge.
The teak deck was applied by skilled tradesmen in the Netherlands and has had decent care in the 36 years since it was installed. The boat is moored outdoors in a geography where it rains 200 days per year and it is bone dry.

The Volvo has taken us to sea and brought us home every time during that decade and beyond routine maintenance the single part it has consumed during that period is a starter.
The generalizations often made here have not been my experience. The same point jleonard was making here.

And I agree, it is a work of art. In form and in function.

 

[rsn48]

Most of the complaints against Volvo motors have to do with part availability and obsolescence of parts. My understanding is that some places in Europe and North America have easy access to parts, other areas not so much. And price of parts is another issue.

In my location, where my boat is on the hard currently in refit, the Volvo guy is literally 30 feet away from my boat, but I ended up going Mercury (gas) as I had so many guys warn me that part availability away from the main centers would be an issue, yet up and down our BC coast there is a multitude of Merc engines, dealers, and easy access to parts, and they are cheaper.

The other reason I went Merc was that Volvo is still using marinized auto engines and Merc has moved away from car and truck engines and have created their newest gas engines out of a new engine block equipped with Merc goodies, an engine designed from the bottom up to be a marine engine only.

But Volvo are good engines.

Also the teak discussion. I was reading an older Pacific Yachting mag and the article was two boat designers discussing various issues in design. Teak was mentioned as a highly over rated, not necessary, heavy and expensive material, not - in their minds - suited for boats. They were more concerned with the weight factor and the expense.

I think teak on steel is brilliant, teak with a cored hull not so much.

 

[SteveK]

Most of the complaints against Volvo motors have to do with part availability and obsolescence of parts. My understanding is that some places in Europe and North America have easy access to parts, other areas not so much. And price of parts is another issue.

In my location, where my boat is on the hard currently in refit, the Volvo guy is literally 30 feet away from my boat, but I ended up going Mercury (gas) as I had so many guys warn me that part availability away from the main centers would be an issue, yet up and down our BC coast there is a multitude of Merc engines, dealers, and easy access to parts, and they are cheaper.

The other reason I went Merc was that Volvo is still using marinized auto engines and Merc has moved away from car and truck engines and have created their newest gas engines out of a new engine block equipped with Merc goodies, an engine designed from the bottom up to be a marine engine only.

But Volvo are good engines.

Also the teak discussion. I was reading an older Pacific Yachting mag and the article was two boat designers discussing various issues in design. Teak was mentioned as a highly over rated, not necessary, heavy and expensive material, not - in their minds - suited for boats. They were more concerned with the weight factor and the expense.

I think teak on steel is brilliant, teak with a cored hull not so much.

Unless it is glued, no penetration?
Cannot remember why, but volvo left a bad taste as in never again. Lemons are everywhere.

 

[rgano]

I`ve had screwed(you usually are),and glued(good), but not 'nailed". Not sure I ever saw that form of attachment. Tell us more.

The teak decking on my 1972 Grand Banks 42 woodie was nailed with bronze boat nails. Where the deck thinned and the thinner plugs popped out, I ended up using a 3/8-inch spot weld cutter to drill out the now showing nail heads down to a depth where new plugs could be added over stainless screws put in at an angle to avoid the nail's shank.

 

[SteveK]

The teak decking on my 1972 Grand Banks 42 woodie was nailed with bronze boat nails. Where the deck thinned and the thinner plugs popped out, I ended up using a 3/8-inch spot weld cutter to drill out the now showing nail heads down to a depth where new plugs could be added over stainless screws put in at an angle to avoid the nail's shank.

Thanks for this post, I have wondered why there was no slot in mine, this explains it

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I saw this today in Trade Only. I have no affiliation.

https://www.whitecapindustries.net/products/60902

 

[caltexflanc]

Count me in the same camp; loved our teak decks; wash 'em with clean salt water and a soft brush, let them turn silver. I don't know how long ours had been on the boat, but I know it was at least 20 years from pics from various PO's. It's the only Hatteras I have ever seen with them, though an old hand who worked at Hatteras for many years says that it was an option. I never did much to them in my 7 years of ownership until it came time to sell the boat so I had them all spiffed up. Just as with J Leonard, they passed a very picky surveyor, both the teak and the cored deck below it.

The Navy sure didn't seem to think they were such a bad idea.

 

[Peter B]

And this is exactly why I made this post. You really can’t quantify your comment. Yet you wrote it.
I doubt that only .01% of teak decks are still in good condition.

Jleonard, you just go on enjoying the fact that your teak decks were still in such good shape. Be glad, and be glad you were that lucky. Personally I love the look and feel of those genuine teak decks, but my boat was one of the many that developed huge issues from those damn screw-hole leaks.

I just think it's sad that in early days they needed to screw the teak strips down until the sealant/adhesive set, whereas newer boats have benefitted from the development (I presume) of quick setting contact type adhesive, so were able to avoid all those screws - and therefore bungs. Modern teak decks would therefore not be a leak risk as I understand it.