dreaded teak deck repair...

[Rockter]

My olde early 1977 Unoin Polaris 36 has leaking teak decks, and it's becoming intolerable. It's time for the crowbar and glass fibre resin this winter, I'm afraid.

The boat is in Scotland.

I have read a few articles on it. I have to tear them up, drill the holes a bit wider into the core, let it dry as best possible, then resin in the holes, then attempt to finish the surface somehow.

The surface beneath one plank I lifted has a treaded appearance, somewhere betheen dimples and knurling.

I wonder could it be left as is, and just painted, or will it need sanding flat, and those non-slip mats stuck on.

It will be a big hit to the appearance, I know, but when the planks spring, and they do given time, the core will flood, and then the boat begins the great decline. It seems a pity, and it really is stupid, that the fasteners were allowed to penatrate the top glass of the deck.

Any vital hints on the great repair?

Thanks.

[TrueBlue]

I have teak decks but fortunately they are still thick, sound and fastened securely to the solid fiberglass substrate below (no coring). However, soon after buying the boat 3 years ago, while doing research to learn more about maintaining teak decks, I came across this SITE.

The information may not be pertinent to your decision to eliminate the teak deck, and perhaps you've already read it. But it may assist others in understanding the properties of teak decks and how to properly maintain them so they last for many decades.

[Rockter]

Thanks there true Blue.

I will read it.

It is a Tiawanese boat, and they are noted for it, and dreadful tanks.

[camaraderie]

Rock...you will need to take it down smooth before installing the non-skid. In any event you will probably wish to paint first which requires good surface prep and prime...then do the non-skid. Tough to get the core dry in Scotland I imagine.

[Rockter]

Yes. East Scotland is not too bad though. I am still very fond of the ship there Camaraderie, despite some truly shocking build short-cuts (stainless water tanks welded with wire rods!!!!... like 20 days to repair that one, but it holds water now, if not heeled for too long!!!).

I have no evidence of core rotting, though I may find some I imagine.

I wonder how useful the existing treaded surface would be though. I only exposed one plank worth of it, and it looked reasonable.

I really must mitigate the leaks. I will not stop all of them, but I should get to the deck leak points. It's slowly wrecking her cosmetics, and there is teak everywhere below.

What a paradox the Union Polaris 36 is there Camaraderie.... really solid deck gear, mast, hull, worm-gear steering, teak everywhere, classy lines, heavy hull.... then you get ambushed with terrible tanks, shocking stern tube lay up, leaking decks, and non-marine ply below.

If I can keep the water off it, we'll stay together a while longer, her laminates and I.

Onward.

[sailingdog]

Removing the deck and re-doing the non-skid is going to be a big project. I'd agree that you need to take the deck down to a smooth fair surface before applying any non-skid finish or treatment.

[Rockter]

I liked the look of that "Treadmaster" stuff.

Here it is on a sister ship, albeit a later model....

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...oat_id=1650914

I notice he's taken off all of the teak topsides work, cabin top included, and not just the deck teak. I wonder how anyone would ever get that treadmaster stuff off though? It certainly won't leak, and the colour will not show fade much.

Still, it looks a good finish and it would be good to have to go back to deck shoes only, again. It's been a while.

[camaraderie]

Rock...take a look on you tube at that Abigail Susan video that was mentioned on another thread for what may lie ahead for you as well as for some good tips. Just enter Abigail Susan in the search on YouTube.

[SimonV]

Rockter
Sent you a PM

[Jeff_H]

A couple quick thoughts here, Union was also notorious for using non-marine ply as their deck coring or more accurately building their decks as as wooden structure with minimal glass over plywood. There was a guy on the Cruising World forum about 10 years ago redoing his decks and ended up removing all of the plywood (most had significant rot and delamination once exposed). He chose not to go back to teak decks due to their heat underfoot (probably not a problem in Scotland), slow drying, and maintenance.

I have spoken to MAS epoxy about this kind of project. If miraculously the plywood is intact, the hot ticket is to grind down to a smooth flat surface, Saturate the surface with a penetrating epoxy to provide a sealed surface below the new finish. They suggested producing a new nonskid surface using thickened epoxy and a Gibco non-skid mold http://www.gibcoflexmold.org/ which is essentially an embossed non-skid pattern that you roll into the thickened epoxy and then they remommended priming and painting with Interlux's two part modified urethane deck paint. The nice thing about the MAS product besides its reduced alergens, is that it does not produce an amine blush, and it is available in various viscosities and setting rates.

Good luck

Jeff