Teak versus Marine Wood

[RookieHunter]

Would it be against the sailors code to replace outside teak with this marine polymer wood that stands up to weathering better? I have found a supplier of teak and this marine specialty wood locally. Obviously the marine wood is lower and holds up better, but would you regret losing the look of Teak for the convenience of not refinishing it twice a year?

[Jeff_H]

I am not sure what you mean by "Marine Polymer wood" but in a general sense, most plastics wood substitutes tend to be weaker and more flexible than teak. I have replaced hatch slide guides and other teak trim items with white polymer plastics. I found that the plastics have a shorter lifespan and need to be fastened much more closely. While there are reinforced plastics made for structural applications, the reality is that most consumer plastics, like Starboard, do not seem suitable for things like toerails and grab bars.

Jeff