I gave up the fight to keep the loose teak in place and tore off the teakdeck while at anchor in Porto Santo. On our Bavaria 38 Ocean we found the original deck with a non slip pattern. Just needed a touch up on some minor scratches and cracks before putting on a couple of layers of deck paint. more than 60% of the deck surface, beneath the plywood had been penetrated by water. The positive side, ment it made it easier to remove the deck panels in larger pieces. Cleaning away black glue/old sika… took some time using rotating metal brush on a battery drill. But in nice weather and assisted by cold beers it went well.
There is one thing that many people do not consider when using teak on their boats. Dutch sailors hated it, as splinter wounds caused by cannon fire resulted in infections far worse than oak or other wood. Something to remember if you encounter a warship from an unfriendly nation while cruising !!!! Deck shoes might be a good idea. Nice video, Thomas.
Ha ha😂 Well we never know this days what to encounter at sea. Pretty unstable situation. But thanks for the heads up😜 Thank you so much for watching and for being here🙏🏻
My Nauticat originally had a teak deck that was replaced with a "faux teak" deck probably less than 10 years ago. That fake teak is failing (due to a combination of shrinking and glue letting go). I'm planning on pulling it all off, fairing the deck surface and putting down a new layer of 17oz biaxial fiberglass that will allow me to further fair the deck. Then I'm going to apply paint and "Soft Sand". From what I've seen, soft sand creates a very nice looking and feeling non-skid surface. I'll put an off white paint down so it doesn't get so damn hot. Well, that's my plan, for what it's worth... The soft sand will likely need repairing and repainting when I sell the boat in 10 years or so, but that'll be a lot easier the 2nd time around. Glad to hear your channel is taking off. I like "real" sailing stories and not people "acting" in front of the camera. I know people feel like they have to edit the heck out of their videos to make them look as professional as possible... i'd rather see more videos with less editing than less videos with more editing. But I'm an odd duck. I bought an old motor sailer... Thanks for sharing your story and thoughts. Fair winds.
Nice place to get teak, I recently used some teak I got in Indonesia (1962) to rebuild compass housing. It was my father's had made custom speaker cabinet, Just the cut off piece with jig saw was so beautiful.
Hi Thomas, I like your videos! Thanks a lot. I also have a Bavaria build in 2006 with a teak deck, 6mm thickness, and I love it. If you walk on deck after a strong sailing, you will not catch any salt from dried saltwater, if you compare this to a gelcoat surface you will find there a ton of salt. Boat is in the Med., but closed with a full cover, when not sailing, teak looks like new, using the boat 12 weeks per year in sun/summer. Only the Sika starts to become soft at some spots. I never used any chemicals to protect the teak! Have good time! Armin
Hey Armin, thank you so much for being here and for sharing 🙏🏻 I believe the teak deck was better before 2009. So with much love and care it’s probably possible to save lots of problems. It’s a different ballgame constantly being on the move far from marina. Fair winds fellow Bavaria sailor ⛵️
Thomas good stuff and interesting to hear your view on boat stuff. I must comment that like in this teak case there are many views and opinions - but most importantly there is different build quality. There is a teak and then there is teak. For example Nautor Swan have their own teak farms. So you can get the best quality if you have the money. In the boats that are available for us who do not have money to get a new Swan there still is several differences in your teak deck. I totally agree that having a teak deck that is like 4mm is not smart and you should not have it. So do not get Teak deck to Bavaria, Hanse, X, Jeanneau, Beneteau, J etc. production or semi custom boat. My opinion is - if you do not have money to a quality teak deck do not use fake teak eighter - like Isoteak, Flexiteak etc. Just paint your deck with a good paint like KiwiGrip. In older quality boats you can have proper teak decks (Burman teak). My boat is Swedish built and it had a 13mm teak deck when new and I still have about 10mm after 25 years - so I think I have still 25 years left on my deck mauby even 35 years. I do take care of the deck. I wash it 2 times per year in the beginning and end of the season and I use Boracol usually ones a year or biyearly (no pressure washing like you stated.). I do not agree to have sealers, Teak oil etc. it will make your deck black and not silver like it should be. The deck is best when it is like silver color and the color is uniform. For this year I have a bit bigger job for the deck. As the wood have worn a bit in some areas the seams are up. This is not good, so I will cut them down carefully. This is the first time I am doing this for this boat. (I sail in the Baltic Sea and my season is about 7 - 8 months / year. ) All good to you.
I just had my deck renovated this year on my Bavaria 50 Vision of 2008. I had some experts on teak decking and synthetic (teak) decking have a look at the situation. The first thing I was told by the original teak decking expert, was that the wood used is NOT TEAK but IROKO. The strips are glued on multiply wooden boards which are glued to the polyester deck. I had a lot more than just one strip to renew, we had an expert carpenter doing the job which (as you did) made a template and than saw the strip according to the template. The strips he made were 12 mm thick which is thicker than the strips he took out. With a multitool he also cut the board out untill the polyester deck and glued the new strip directly unto the polyester deck. It was a far more expensive job as proposed because of the labour hours involved and knowing it on beforehand I would have accepted the offer of the synthetic teak deck company. Now I have to apply oil at least 3 to 4 times per season to avoid water ingress in the wood which has similar cracks in the wooden strips as I see on your deck. I tried to cover the wood with epoxy but that is a no go, the wood becomes (too) dark and there will be airpockets between the epoxy and the wood which are ugly to see. No I am looking for a decent product to protect the deck but I have not found it yet. I love watching your videos and will be starting our trip next summer in the Med. Good luck with your endeavours and wish you favoureable winds and following seas!
This brings back memories of a boat I owned built in the early 1950's that had a teak deck. I restored the deck but while scrubbing the face of the teak I found it lifted out the wood between the harder grain so never scrub it, just sand it and bleach it and stain it. A little trick if you buy some teak that has green wood in it. Put it in direct sun for about 15 minutes and it goes away.
Our Bavaria teak deck lasted 20 years, though its lifespan was somewhat shortened by the original owner's misuse of a pressure washer. The deck was built with multiplex and 4mm teak, which worked reasonably well, but 10mm pure teak is undoubtedly better-it all comes down to budget. For a new boat, we’d still choose real teak. Done properly, it’s expensive, but worth it. We tried a variant of synthetic decking, often referred to as “flexi-teak,” as a replacement. While it performed well for the first two years, we’re now considering returning to real teak. We acknowledge that modern teak may be younger and not as dense as older stocks, but good-quality teak is still available. On a new production yacht, it’s hard to judge the standard of teak provided, but for our next boat, we’d set clear requirements for quality and thickness. Again, it’s a matter of price. In Indonesia, a teak deck for a 55-foot boat might cost around $15,000, though the teak is unlikely to be very old. Burmese teak can cost upwards of $25,000. In Thailand, you can get an excellent teak deck installed for about $40,000, with a thickness of 6-8mm. Teak, when treated right-avoiding high-pressure cleaners and harsh chemicals-can last many years. Proper maintenance involves using only seawater and a soft brush, brushed perpendicular to the grain. While teak will naturally weather to a grey patina, many people resort to aggressive cleaners to maintain its original look, which damages the wood. Regarding synthetic alternatives like "flexi-teak" (a brand name), we tested 10 variants a few years ago and found only 2-3 acceptable. In the end, none fully satisfied us. Costs for these alternatives are about 65% of real teak, as installing them nicely is labor-intensive. Other options include polyester anti-slip surfaces with profiles, or painted polyester with added grip. These are inexpensive and cooler underfoot but tend to wear off or become dirty over time. Cork decking is another possibility; while it’s not cheap and transport costs to Asia are high, it shows promise in durability and performance. A final note: beware of some synthetic teak decking sold online-it can be highly flammable. Removing the teak on our bavaria took us 4 months btw...Just my two cents!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and confirming the price differences. Thailand is known for having pretty good teak👍🏻 My previous owner was living far away from his yacht, and outsourced the care taking and services when not in use. I’m pretty sure they used pressure cleaner. Once it’s destroyed that way I found the Semco product to be outstanding to protect it. Because the soft teak gets so wet from water. In my older yacht with thicker teak that was harder I followed your recipe, and it was light grey and beautiful. But had som leaks from screws that was pretty hard to locate😅 Again your input is most appreciated 🙏🏻
I'm glad you could get the teak to fix that plank. It was annoying me, so I can only imagine how much it was annoying you! Thanks for the explanation; these things are not always obvious to the landlubber. I didn't know about the plywood underlay!
I own a boat with teakdeck from 2005 since 2015 and since that , I sand it every year. After some years, the surface gets quite rough because every wood has harder and softer parts and the softer parts disappear of course much faster. And so dirt, microorganism and humidity have an optimal chance to connect and do their destruction work. By sanding you get a much smoother surface which drys also much faster and additional, you keep the sikaflex seems on the same level as the wood which avoids mechanical load on the sikaflex - wood connection which is the reason that the connection gets lost after some years. Important is of couse, that you sand only as much as necessary to get a smooth surface again. My deck looks after sanding quite blotchy (grey and brown) but after some weeks it is constant grey again. Of couse you can sand the deck also that it looks like new but that would cost some years life - here I agree with Thomas. For maintenance I use only Boracol which removes green algs and mold which is unavoidable because I use my boat in northern Europe full year and especially in autumn and winter it is permanently weat.
Hi Thomas, excellent content, and I am certain it will come in handy with my ageing teak decking. A quick question, what was the name of the two component epoxy that you used. I have noticed with many adhesive products, they recommend a special 'primer' coat before application of the adhesive, but if you have a product that you have had good results with, share the love 😉. Keep up the excellent content. Fair winds 👍🏻
25 years ago together with my dad we put an oldschool quality teak deck (25mm solid planks) on his 31ft sailboat. It still looks great. But I find it to hot for my feet in summer, so when looking for my sailboat (a Gib’Sea 44) I wanted a polyester deck. It is much cooler on my feet. Still think this was the correct decision for me.
Thank you so much for sharing 🙏🏻 I have had same solutions before and with thousands of screws that’s plugged it was a nightmare as well. But that was a really old yacht. 50 years old now. Previous owner had not taken good care of it, and I suspect pressure cleaned. It’s beautiful but hand full of work
Teak is nice, but as an option you can today choose many syntetic versions that is just amazing. My friend bought a new Bavaria C 50 Style last year, and i been sailing a lot with him, the syntetic teak gives a very good grip, can be washed by high pressure washer and gives also good insulation to your boat. But it is slightly more expensive than a traditional teak deck, but will save you a lot work in the future.
I have same experience on an older yacht. It was a true nightmare😅 Balsa core can really destroy your day. Not only when the fiberglass is punctured, but even only from different temperature out/inside. I lost money on that one, and have some expensive experience in upper fixer projects😅
I like synthetics and spray on cork. By the way, you deserve lots of views. To the point, no fluff, bit of humor, but more importantly, great and useful information. Thanks
Another great video, yes I have teak deck on my Jeanneau 54DS as well and I love the look and the traction you get but I also need to do some small repairs. Nice repair job!
Good teak advice! Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. But if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Be free, my friend!
My 1985 Beneteau has a solid teak deck. It's been kept in good condition and looks nice. And it's been sanded many times. So now it's so thin that I have to remove it in the next couple of years. If I sand it one more time I will expose the screws. A job I don't look forward too do.
Another. great video Thomas. You could of added another fact about teak… the weight! I’ve estimated an additional 320kgs on your boat. Walking barefoot impossible on teak in the summer hot months !
Flott video som vanlig Thomas, kanalen din har den mest nyttige og praktiske informasjonen. Jeg ser hver eneste av videoene dine med penn og papir i hånden for å ta notater til min egen båt :)
The teak decks on my HR46 were replaced in Sweden in 2017. I purchased the boat in 2019. they are still like new. Maintenance is a simple treatment of boracol twice a year. Would I specify teak decks on a new boat? No. But out of respect for the wood, I will do my very best to prolong the life of my decks.
Thank you so much for watching and for sharing your experience 🙏🏻 Could be a teak deck can give some insulation/protection from big changes in temperature. However having hatches and port lights open due to lack of air conditioning feels like the biggest challenge to me. I’m curious in what kind of yacht you had this experience?
Sorry if this is a naive question but what is the benefit of a teak deck? It seems to need quite some maintenance and considerations, it is getting hot in the summer and it is quite expensive. So what makes it worth to have it . Btw, looks do not count, that is in the eye of the beholder 😊
I still have the original teak deck on my 1996 Swan 40, SY Marinara. I believe it’s 12 mm thick. I had it recaulked and sanded five years ago here in BODRUM, Türkiye. It’s probably about 9 mm now after 28 years of use and sanding. For me, it’s a must have on a boat. In my opinion a deck without the teak looks and feels very cheap. For safety offshore, nothing beats the grip of the teak deck. I would recommend to invest in a good teak deck to anyone who loves the boat they own. Oguz Kunak, Türkiye.
Nautor quality is excellent. Now days they have their own teak farms to get the best quality teak. I have a Swedish built boat from 2000 with a Burman teak deck. It has 10mm left from the original 13mm. Previous owner sanded it lightly - I am against sanding. You can use Boracol to get the shit and algea out and then just light washing to keep the colour uniformly silver. Ones per year Boracol with a roller or biyearly with a brush :).
I got the same problem with my teak on my Bavaria 330 sport motorboat from 2001. But i got unlucky last winter herr in Norway that the tarp i had over it in the winter ripped and snow and water got down under the teak and it broke lost.😢
I’m sorry to hear about that. I can totally see how snow, ice and variation between cold and warm totally killing it. Thank you so much for watching and for sharing 🙏🏻 Sending som warm greetings from Indonesia to Norway 🇳🇴
The info-graphics are always helpful to imagine the problem. I wonder if simply removing all teak and replacing it with _sprayed cork_ would grant peace of mind ?...
Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻 There are many new experimental solutions on the market. It’s not many materials able to compete with solid teak, except for gelcoat. It’s a brutal environment. All the best 🙏🏻
The bigger the better for sailing. The smaller the better for maintenance. Unless you are as lucky as I was when I’m Grenada having a bunch of happy ladies to help me⛵️
Apart from cosmetics, are there any benefits teak vs (say) awlgrip or another type of deck non skid surface? I note that quite a few boats are either replacing teak with plastic teak or siply a grippy type of paint.
Hi Thomas, a very valid video once again! Have you considered swapping to a faux teak deck like Flexiteek? ( a Finnish company that has a good product) I think you have enough traction on your channel that if you would contact a manufacturer they could very well make a deal for you…
@@gaplife3611 I have very limited experience with synthetic except from what I have seen, and from my dinghy. The one that’s teak imitation gets even hotter than teak. I can’t imagine what kinds of glue capable not loosing the bonding when in subtropical sun is baking. My friends with their pretty new Lepard had lots of problems. The Grey flex teak in my dinghy is totally falling apart and loosened. It can be coincidence, and I must repeat my experience is limited. For my own opinion if I could choose I would only have white gelcoat with non skid surface. Not the DIY version, but the ones that can be cleaned and even polished. Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻
Teak is beautiful but on the lomg distance, anything that requires maintenance better be left behind. Also, it adds weight to the boat too. Many people today leave it only on the cockpit. From what I've seen, the Amel faux teak is the most ingenious solution. Don't know why no production yacht company copied it yet. BUT with many friends, sex slaves and all that to give a hand, I'd leave the teak deck and be happy. And free! Hahaha! Enjoy! Fair winds!
Can i ask you what brand/type of caulk you use? I have teak in my cockpit. Unfortunately, two boards are lifting and several places are in need of recaulking. I have been trying to figure out if i should use sikaflex (no idea what number) or TDS (teak deck systems) caulk. Or if you have had better luck with any other brands?
I've been watching people struggle with Teak since I first started watching the beginnings of Delos. (actually don't think he had it) I wouldn't want it. Its hotter, its harder to maintain. I remember one boat so worried about how much heat they would have with bare feet with different shades of white, teak would be a nightmare for bare feet and leak issues. No thanks.
Try staining the replacement strip before you finish with your final coat. Done well, not one should tell the difference (if that is the effect you want). Otherwise, ask Mr Beaumont for a tip 😊😊.
Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻 It’s not completely finished in this video. Only the woodwork 😜 It all needs to be cleaned properly after volcanic ashes again…
When I look for boats, teak deck is always a big turn off. Not showstopper but turn off. You have to discount the cost of removing and making a non slip painted deck.
It was a great topic that I was interested in. But it was a little confusing. You showed the bow section of a 'teaked' boat several times and it looked great, with a small comparison of the Semco. But the condition did not compare with the teak on the sides of deck so I don't know what was your teak and what was someone else's, or if the good teak was Be Free when you first got it. If you don't sand teak, you will never get rid of the ridges and could eventually be hard on the feet to walk on. I had always thought that if you did a fine sanding and then coated it with several thin coats of Semco, that it would penetrate deep and seal the wood fibers from any water or dirt penetration and UV damage to the pulp. When I was much younger working on my Dad's boat for him while he was at work, the old timer next to our covered slip in FL swore by Semco (or maybe Cetol, it was a long time ago) and used it all the time. It is so easy to re-coat and usually didn't need to re-sand. He said it had silica in it that hardened thus hardening the wood when it penetrated. Can you elaborate sometime on any of this? My boat came with a teak deck that had been long neglected by the 2 attorneys that had purchased it as a charter boat and never did a lick of maintenance on it. But that was the only way I could afford it. I had to remove all the teak.
I gave up the fight to keep the loose teak in place and tore off the teakdeck while at anchor in Porto Santo. On our Bavaria 38 Ocean we found the original deck with a non slip pattern. Just needed a touch up on some minor scratches and cracks before putting on a couple of layers of deck paint. more than 60% of the deck surface, beneath the plywood had been penetrated by water. The positive side, ment it made it easier to remove the deck panels in larger pieces. Cleaning away black glue/old sika… took some time using rotating metal brush on a battery drill. But in nice weather and assisted by cold beers it went well.
There is one thing that many people do not consider when using teak on their boats. Dutch sailors hated it, as splinter wounds caused by cannon fire resulted in infections far worse than oak or other wood. Something to remember if you encounter a warship from an unfriendly nation while cruising !!!! Deck shoes might be a good idea. Nice video, Thomas.
Ha ha😂 Well we never know this days what to encounter at sea. Pretty unstable situation. But thanks for the heads up😜
Thank you so much for watching and for being here🙏🏻
My Nauticat originally had a teak deck that was replaced with a "faux teak" deck probably less than 10 years ago. That fake teak is failing (due to a combination of shrinking and glue letting go). I'm planning on pulling it all off, fairing the deck surface and putting down a new layer of 17oz biaxial fiberglass that will allow me to further fair the deck. Then I'm going to apply paint and "Soft Sand". From what I've seen, soft sand creates a very nice looking and feeling non-skid surface. I'll put an off white paint down so it doesn't get so damn hot. Well, that's my plan, for what it's worth... The soft sand will likely need repairing and repainting when I sell the boat in 10 years or so, but that'll be a lot easier the 2nd time around.
Glad to hear your channel is taking off. I like "real" sailing stories and not people "acting" in front of the camera. I know people feel like they have to edit the heck out of their videos to make them look as professional as possible... i'd rather see more videos with less editing than less videos with more editing. But I'm an odd duck. I bought an old motor sailer...
Thanks for sharing your story and thoughts. Fair winds.
Thomas, you are - one off - the smarter sailors on YT. Fair Winds.
Nice place to get teak, I recently used some teak I got in Indonesia (1962) to rebuild compass housing. It was my father's had made custom speaker cabinet, Just the cut off piece with jig saw was so beautiful.
Hi Thomas, I like your videos! Thanks a lot.
I also have a Bavaria build in 2006 with a teak deck, 6mm thickness, and I love it. If you walk on deck after a strong sailing, you will not catch any salt from dried saltwater, if you compare this to a gelcoat surface you will find there a ton of salt.
Boat is in the Med., but closed with a full cover, when not sailing, teak looks like new, using the boat 12 weeks per year in sun/summer. Only the Sika starts to become soft at some spots.
I never used any chemicals to protect the teak! Have good time! Armin
Hey Armin, thank you so much for being here and for sharing 🙏🏻 I believe the teak deck was better before 2009.
So with much love and care it’s probably possible to save lots of problems.
It’s a different ballgame constantly being on the move far from marina.
Fair winds fellow Bavaria sailor ⛵️
Thomas good stuff and interesting to hear your view on boat stuff. I must comment that like in this teak case there are many views and opinions - but most importantly there is different build quality.
There is a teak and then there is teak. For example Nautor Swan have their own teak farms. So you can get the best quality if you have the money.
In the boats that are available for us who do not have money to get a new Swan there still is several differences in your teak deck. I totally agree that having a teak deck that is like 4mm is not smart and you should not have it. So do not get Teak deck to Bavaria, Hanse, X, Jeanneau, Beneteau, J etc. production or semi custom boat. My opinion is - if you do not have money to a quality teak deck do not use fake teak eighter - like Isoteak, Flexiteak etc. Just paint your deck with a good paint like KiwiGrip.
In older quality boats you can have proper teak decks (Burman teak). My boat is Swedish built and it had a 13mm teak deck when new and I still have about 10mm after 25 years - so I think I have still 25 years left on my deck mauby even 35 years. I do take care of the deck. I wash it 2 times per year in the beginning and end of the season and I use Boracol usually ones a year or biyearly (no pressure washing like you stated.). I do not agree to have sealers, Teak oil etc. it will make your deck black and not silver like it should be. The deck is best when it is like silver color and the color is uniform.
For this year I have a bit bigger job for the deck. As the wood have worn a bit in some areas the seams are up. This is not good, so I will cut them down carefully. This is the first time I am doing this for this boat.
(I sail in the Baltic Sea and my season is about 7 - 8 months / year. )
All good to you.
I just had my deck renovated this year on my Bavaria 50 Vision of 2008. I had some experts on teak decking and synthetic (teak) decking have a look at the situation. The first thing I was told by the original teak decking expert, was that the wood used is NOT TEAK but IROKO. The strips are glued on multiply wooden boards which are glued to the polyester deck. I had a lot more than just one strip to renew, we had an expert carpenter doing the job which (as you did) made a template and than saw the strip according to the template. The strips he made were 12 mm thick which is thicker than the strips he took out. With a multitool he also cut the board out untill the polyester deck and glued the new strip directly unto the polyester deck. It was a far more expensive job as proposed because of the labour hours involved and knowing it on beforehand I would have accepted the offer of the synthetic teak deck company. Now I have to apply oil at least 3 to 4 times per season to avoid water ingress in the wood which has similar cracks in the wooden strips as I see on your deck. I tried to cover the wood with epoxy but that is a no go, the wood becomes (too) dark and there will be airpockets between the epoxy and the wood which are ugly to see. No I am looking for a decent product to protect the deck but I have not found it yet. I love watching your videos and will be starting our trip next summer in the Med. Good luck with your endeavours and wish you favoureable winds and following seas!
This brings back memories of a boat I owned built in the early 1950's that had a teak deck. I restored the deck but while scrubbing the face of the teak I found it lifted out the wood between the harder grain so never scrub it, just sand it and bleach it and stain it. A little trick if you buy some teak that has green wood in it. Put it in direct sun for about 15 minutes and it goes away.
Our Bavaria teak deck lasted 20 years, though its lifespan was somewhat shortened by the original owner's misuse of a pressure washer. The deck was built with multiplex and 4mm teak, which worked reasonably well, but 10mm pure teak is undoubtedly better-it all comes down to budget.
For a new boat, we’d still choose real teak. Done properly, it’s expensive, but worth it. We tried a variant of synthetic decking, often referred to as “flexi-teak,” as a replacement. While it performed well for the first two years, we’re now considering returning to real teak.
We acknowledge that modern teak may be younger and not as dense as older stocks, but good-quality teak is still available. On a new production yacht, it’s hard to judge the standard of teak provided, but for our next boat, we’d set clear requirements for quality and thickness. Again, it’s a matter of price.
In Indonesia, a teak deck for a 55-foot boat might cost around $15,000, though the teak is unlikely to be very old. Burmese teak can cost upwards of $25,000. In Thailand, you can get an excellent teak deck installed for about $40,000, with a thickness of 6-8mm. Teak, when treated right-avoiding high-pressure cleaners and harsh chemicals-can last many years.
Proper maintenance involves using only seawater and a soft brush, brushed perpendicular to the grain. While teak will naturally weather to a grey patina, many people resort to aggressive cleaners to maintain its original look, which damages the wood.
Regarding synthetic alternatives like "flexi-teak" (a brand name), we tested 10 variants a few years ago and found only 2-3 acceptable. In the end, none fully satisfied us. Costs for these alternatives are about 65% of real teak, as installing them nicely is labor-intensive.
Other options include polyester anti-slip surfaces with profiles, or painted polyester with added grip. These are inexpensive and cooler underfoot but tend to wear off or become dirty over time. Cork decking is another possibility; while it’s not cheap and transport costs to Asia are high, it shows promise in durability and performance.
A final note: beware of some synthetic teak decking sold online-it can be highly flammable. Removing the teak on our bavaria took us 4 months btw...Just my two cents!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and confirming the price differences. Thailand is known for having pretty good teak👍🏻
My previous owner was living far away from his yacht, and outsourced the care taking and services when not in use.
I’m pretty sure they used pressure cleaner.
Once it’s destroyed that way I found the Semco product to be outstanding to protect it. Because the soft teak gets so wet from water.
In my older yacht with thicker teak that was harder I followed your recipe, and it was light grey and beautiful. But had som leaks from screws that was pretty hard to locate😅
Again your input is most appreciated 🙏🏻
Hi Thomas, I like your videos! Thanks a lot.
I'm glad you could get the teak to fix that plank. It was annoying me, so I can only imagine how much it was annoying you! Thanks for the explanation; these things are not always obvious to the landlubber. I didn't know about the plywood underlay!
Big fan of _acacia_ _avocado_ and _iroko_ as alternatives to teak.
I gladly sold my last teak decked sailboat 😊
I own a boat with teakdeck from 2005 since 2015 and since that , I sand it every year. After some years, the surface gets quite rough because every wood has harder and softer parts and the softer parts disappear of course much faster. And so dirt, microorganism and humidity have an optimal chance to connect and do their destruction work. By sanding you get a much smoother surface which drys also much faster and additional, you keep the sikaflex seems on the same level as the wood which avoids mechanical load on the sikaflex - wood connection which is the reason that the connection gets lost after some years. Important is of couse, that you sand only as much as necessary to get a smooth surface again. My deck looks after sanding quite blotchy (grey and brown) but after some weeks it is constant grey again. Of couse you can sand the deck also that it looks like new but that would cost some years life - here I agree with Thomas. For maintenance I use only Boracol which removes green algs and mold which is unavoidable because I use my boat in northern Europe full year and especially in autumn and winter it is permanently weat.
Nice job Thomas! 👍🏻
Very interesting and informative. I’ve wondered how all these new yachts could afford teak in those amounts 😮
Thank you my friend 🙏🏻
You probably remember my old video buying BE FREE that teak was not what I wanted
Hi Thomas, excellent content, and I am certain it will come in handy with my ageing teak decking.
A quick question, what was the name of the two component epoxy that you used. I have noticed with many adhesive products, they recommend a special 'primer' coat before application of the adhesive, but if you have a product that you have had good results with, share the love 😉.
Keep up the excellent content. Fair winds 👍🏻
Great job Thomas
Thank you so much 🙏🏻
25 years ago together with my dad we put an oldschool quality teak deck (25mm solid planks) on his 31ft sailboat. It still looks great. But I find it to hot for my feet in summer, so when looking for my sailboat (a Gib’Sea 44) I wanted a polyester deck. It is much cooler on my feet. Still think this was the correct decision for me.
Thank you so much for sharing 🙏🏻 I have had same solutions before and with thousands of screws that’s plugged it was a nightmare as well. But that was a really old yacht. 50 years old now.
Previous owner had not taken good care of it, and I suspect pressure cleaned.
It’s beautiful but hand full of work
Awesome video 👍 👌 Super 🆒️ 👌 Thank you for sharing with us these info and advice 👍🙏 Great stuff and good humour 😅💪👏🙏👍👌💯❤
@@LondonCarnaval Thank you so much for watching and for being here🙏🏻 Much appreciated
Teak is nice, but as an option you can today choose many syntetic versions that is just amazing. My friend bought a new Bavaria C 50 Style last year, and i been sailing a lot with him, the syntetic teak gives a very good grip, can be washed by high pressure washer and gives also good insulation to your boat. But it is slightly more expensive than a traditional teak deck, but will save you a lot work in the future.
Very informative. Thanks for sharing. I just removed the teak from my old boat 😊. It wasn’t recoverable anymore.
@@costinmorariu2413 thank you so much for watching and even sharing your experience🙏🏻 I bet you have had quite a task there?
@ yah about 2000 screws, out ow which 10 were leaking in the core, which complicated a bit the thing 😀.
I have same experience on an older yacht. It was a true nightmare😅 Balsa core can really destroy your day. Not only when the fiberglass is punctured, but even only from different temperature out/inside. I lost money on that one, and have some expensive experience in upper fixer projects😅
Good job Thomas👍 I’m doing the same on s/y Blue Magic
I like synthetics and spray on cork. By the way, you deserve lots of views. To the point, no fluff, bit of humor, but more importantly, great and useful information. Thanks
Thank you, that was very helpful!
Thank you so much for watching and even leaving a kind comment 🙏🏻
Good job Thomas,fantastic that you found some good teak
look for the portable Ecoflow wave 2 airco it helps a lot for sleeping 😊
I love the look and feel of teak decks.
However the maintenance is extensive.
Cheers
Very interesting.
Interesting fun useful.... I've got a ferro, only teak is the rubbing strake and bulwark , so happy days for me
Another great video, yes I have teak deck on my Jeanneau 54DS as well and I love the look and the traction you get but I also need to do some small repairs. Nice repair job!
Good teak advice! Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. But if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Be free, my friend!
Loved hearing your shout-out to Chasing Latitudes❣️ Is there a different product (not teak) that one could use in replacing damaged teak pieces?
My 1985 Beneteau has a solid teak deck. It's been kept in good condition and looks nice. And it's been sanded many times. So now it's so thin that I have to remove it in the next couple of years. If I sand it one more time I will expose the screws. A job I don't look forward too do.
Thank you Thomas, That damaged teak has been bothering me for awhile.
Thomas, I learned something new about teak.
Dad comedy. 😂
Thanks for sharing.
Ha ha😂 Thank you so much for watching and for being here🙏🏻
Another. great video Thomas. You could of added another fact about teak… the weight! I’ve estimated an additional 320kgs on your boat. Walking barefoot impossible on teak in the summer hot months !
Nice repair!
Flott video som vanlig Thomas, kanalen din har den mest nyttige og praktiske informasjonen. Jeg ser hver eneste av videoene dine med penn og papir i hånden for å ta notater til min egen båt :)
Feels good on the feet
Sure do when it’s not tropical sun heating it up to BBQ level😅
Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻
Gets hot !!!😢 good replacement!!!
What could you use as a substute / paint /auggrip / spray on cork ?
The teak decks on my HR46 were replaced in Sweden in 2017. I purchased the boat in 2019. they are still like new. Maintenance is a simple treatment of boracol twice a year. Would I specify teak decks on a new boat? No. But out of respect for the wood, I will do my very best to prolong the life of my decks.
Ingenious! Well done. Admirable even!!!
Really informative Thomas still marvel at the humour in a second language, I’ll be popping to practical with Thomas.
I found teak keeping humidity out.
Thank you so much for watching and for sharing your experience 🙏🏻
Could be a teak deck can give some insulation/protection from big changes in temperature. However having hatches and port lights open due to lack of air conditioning feels like the biggest challenge to me.
I’m curious in what kind of yacht you had this experience?
Sorry if this is a naive question but what is the benefit of a teak deck?
It seems to need quite some maintenance and considerations, it is getting hot in the summer and it is quite expensive.
So what makes it worth to have it . Btw, looks do not count, that is in the eye of the beholder 😊
If you don't sand the teak, how do you clean and prepare the teak before a fresh coat of sealer? How often do you reseal the teak?
I still have the original teak deck on my 1996 Swan 40, SY Marinara. I believe it’s 12 mm thick. I had it recaulked and sanded five years ago here in BODRUM, Türkiye. It’s probably about 9 mm now after 28 years of use and sanding. For me, it’s a must have on a boat. In my opinion a deck without the teak looks and feels very cheap. For safety offshore, nothing beats the grip of the teak deck. I would recommend to invest in a good teak deck to anyone who loves the boat they own. Oguz Kunak, Türkiye.
Nautor quality is excellent. Now days they have their own teak farms to get the best quality teak. I have a Swedish built boat from 2000 with a Burman teak deck. It has 10mm left from the original 13mm. Previous owner sanded it lightly - I am against sanding. You can use Boracol to get the shit and algea out and then just light washing to keep the colour uniformly silver. Ones per year Boracol with a roller or biyearly with a brush :).
I got the same problem with my teak on my Bavaria 330 sport motorboat from 2001. But i got unlucky last winter herr in Norway that the tarp i had over it in the winter ripped and snow and water got down under the teak and it broke lost.😢
I’m sorry to hear about that. I can totally see how snow, ice and variation between cold and warm totally killing it.
Thank you so much for watching and for sharing 🙏🏻
Sending som warm greetings from Indonesia to Norway 🇳🇴
The info-graphics are always helpful to imagine the problem.
I wonder if simply removing all teak and replacing it with _sprayed cork_ would grant peace of mind ?...
Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻
There are many new experimental solutions on the market. It’s not many materials able to compete with solid teak, except for gelcoat.
It’s a brutal environment.
All the best 🙏🏻
It seems like when tea gets old many people just remove it because of the maintenance in the heat on your feet.
If I buy a sailboat how do I get those beautiful women to help me?
@@MemorialParker
"heat on your feet."
I heard that one, too.
@@MemorialParker
Make a said face and say You need HAAALP.
Gotta practice fake crying with a pet dog, first.
another very informative video,
thanks for that and keep them coming!
...I also wonder if there's a rule of thumb between displacement - or length - of a vessel and potential hours of inevitable maintenance ?...
The bigger the better for sailing. The smaller the better for maintenance. Unless you are as lucky as I was when I’m Grenada having a bunch of happy ladies to help me⛵️
Apart from cosmetics, are there any benefits teak vs (say) awlgrip or another type of deck non skid surface?
I note that quite a few boats are either replacing teak with plastic teak or siply a grippy type of paint.
Hi Thomas, a very valid video once again! Have you considered swapping to a faux teak deck like Flexiteek? ( a Finnish company that has a good product)
I think you have enough traction on your channel that if you would contact a manufacturer they could very well make a deal for you…
What are your thoughts on synthetic teak decks?
@@gaplife3611 I have very limited experience with synthetic except from what I have seen, and from my dinghy. The one that’s teak imitation gets even hotter than teak. I can’t imagine what kinds of glue capable not loosing the bonding when in subtropical sun is baking.
My friends with their pretty new Lepard had lots of problems. The Grey flex teak in my dinghy is totally falling apart and loosened. It can be coincidence, and I must repeat my experience is limited.
For my own opinion if I could choose I would only have white gelcoat with non skid surface. Not the DIY version, but the ones that can be cleaned and even polished.
Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻
I live in Far North Queensland, no aircon, no go.
I have a double heating system. Maybe we can exchange? 😂
Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻
We'll talk about it when you visit Cairns.
@anthonymaddison9588 ha ha😆👍🏻
Teak is beautiful but on the lomg distance, anything that requires maintenance better be left behind. Also, it adds weight to the boat too. Many people today leave it only on the cockpit. From what I've seen, the Amel faux teak is the most ingenious solution. Don't know why no production yacht company copied it yet.
BUT with many friends, sex slaves and all that to give a hand, I'd leave the teak deck and be happy. And free! Hahaha! Enjoy! Fair winds!
Can i ask you what brand/type of caulk you use? I have teak in my cockpit. Unfortunately, two boards are lifting and several places are in need of recaulking. I have been trying to figure out if i should use sikaflex (no idea what number) or TDS (teak deck systems) caulk. Or if you have had better luck with any other brands?
I've been watching people struggle with Teak since I first started watching the beginnings of Delos. (actually don't think he had it) I wouldn't want it. Its hotter, its harder to maintain. I remember one boat so worried about how much heat they would have with bare feet with different shades of white, teak would be a nightmare for bare feet and leak issues. No thanks.
No teak/wood anywhere on the exterior. And keep wood to an absolute minimum in the interior. You can use other materials for interiors.That's it.
Sounds like I should avoid teak all together!
BE FREE THOMAS❤
Try staining the replacement strip before you finish with your final coat. Done well, not one should tell the difference (if that is the effect you want). Otherwise, ask Mr Beaumont for a tip 😊😊.
Thank you so much for watching 🙏🏻
It’s not completely finished in this video. Only the woodwork 😜
It all needs to be cleaned properly after volcanic ashes again…
When I look for boats, teak deck is always a big turn off. Not showstopper but turn off. You have to discount the cost of removing and making a non slip painted deck.
Modern truth, they suck. I’d not choose to have one if given the choice.
👏👏👍👍❤❤
There are plenty of alternatives to teak these days and many of them are better than teak. I don't see why teak is used at all anymore.
As usual, great video Thomas. I'm glad I don't have a teak deck and I will never buy a boat with teak deck no matter how beautiful it looks on a boat.
Not surprised to see this cheap solution on Bavaria. Where else have they cut corners?
You lost me when said at the beginning you want air conditioning.
💯
Thank you so much 🙏🏻
It was a great topic that I was interested in. But it was a little confusing. You showed the bow section of a 'teaked' boat several times and it looked great, with a small comparison of the Semco. But the condition did not compare with the teak on the sides of deck so I don't know what was your teak and what was someone else's, or if the good teak was Be Free when you first got it.
If you don't sand teak, you will never get rid of the ridges and could eventually be hard on the feet to walk on. I had always thought that if you did a fine sanding and then coated it with several thin coats of Semco, that it would penetrate deep and seal the wood fibers from any water or dirt penetration and UV damage to the pulp.
When I was much younger working on my Dad's boat for him while he was at work, the old timer next to our covered slip in FL swore by Semco (or maybe Cetol, it was a long time ago) and used it all the time. It is so easy to re-coat and usually didn't need to re-sand. He said it had silica in it that hardened thus hardening the wood when it penetrated. Can you elaborate sometime on any of this?
My boat came with a teak deck that had been long neglected by the 2 attorneys that had purchased it as a charter boat and never did a lick of maintenance on it. But that was the only way I could afford it. I had to remove all the teak.