Cockpit Grates/drains

[Alden68]

My boats cockpit floor consists of 4 sections of teak grating sitting on the sole that allow water to pass through to the cockpit drains. It is time (actually long overdo) to replace the 40 year old grating. The 4 frames are actually perfectly intact; it is just the thinner grating that has not endured time with any grace.

From a seperate project I have a lot of teak plywood available and was hoping to recess it into the frames replacing the damaged grating. To allow water to flow freely through to the the drains I was hoping to install multiple, attractive metal drains in the teak plywood. However, I have only been able to find plastic drains. Does anyone here know where I could find metal drains that would work for me?

Thanks

[feetup]

For something that faces the elements as much as a cockpit grating I would be very reluctant to use any ply, no mater what the glue holding it together.

I have seen companionway boards and hatches built form Teak plywood that delaminated within the second season, and they were protected well with epoxy to seal and varnish for U.V.

Just my opinon, actual facts may vary.

Feetup

[sailingdog]

You really need to use solid teak for this... teak-faced plywood works in protected applications, like interior bulkheads, but really breaks down under the conditions a cockpit sole will see...

[Alden68]

feetup:

I thought about that but The pywood in question has been on my engine hatch cover for 3 years without a problem. The material was $660 a 4x8 sheet so I have to use it on something!

[Freesail99]

I often see teak grates for sale on eBay. I believe they are normally used in showers.

[teshannon]

I have teak grates in my cockpit and I don't think plywood would hold up. I have seen teak grating kits for sale that would be a much better alternative.

[Alden68]

damn - if I hadn't mentioned the plywood I could have found someone to tell me where I could find some nice bronze cockpit drains damn...

[artbyjody]

1-100web_33 bronze cockpit drains

West Marine will sell them too, as well as most local marine supplier places, they usually have to be special ordered as the plastic / Marlen ones are cheaper and easier to keep in stock....

[Alden68]

ahhhh bless you!

Time to break out the boat bucks...

[hellosailor]

Alden-
If the edges on your plywood have not delamiated after 3 year outdoors, count yourself very lucky. Remember that plywood is not always 100% solid and there may be voids in the sheet, along with areas where the composition isn't perfectly uniform. When you rip it down to strips for the grating, you're going to have a hundred times more 'edges' than you do now. If they start to delaminate, that's going to be a huge waste of both time and money.

Please...consider that all the "teak grating" on the market is SOLID NOT PLY and maybe there's a reason for that. Solid teak grating, and grating kits, or small strips of framed teak (or ipe, which is extremely similar but much cheaper) aren't that expensive. You are betting that your "3 years" plywood will last and wear like the "40 years" grating. I don't think you could get odds on that happening, even in Vegas. Not even ten years, and 50-50 says it will be a mess before five years are up. Especially since grating gets stepped on all the time, and that will cause serious flexing (compared to the sheets that just sit) which in turn will promote delamination.

Are you a gambling man?[g]