replacing laid deck

[redsail]

I am planning out the project of replacing my leaky and a bit rotten aft deck on my 32 Atkin ketch. Rain has taken its toll and the inch and a half red cedar is to go.
I'm thinking of yellow cedar which has good resistance to decay and I have a good source. The longest lengths are about 7 feet and I would mill the planks to be about 3 inches wide, same as the red cedar I'm replacing. A V for half the thickness for caulking the cotton and some kind of seam compound over the top.
Or.......half inch marine plywood screwed down over the deck beams and the yellow cedar milled about 1 inch thick screwed right thru the ply into the beams.
Not sure which black goo to top it with either. Sika 290 probably.
Comments please.
John

[Bob Cleek]

Comments? or do you want us to tell you how to do it?

You're way off if you think you can lay inch an a half deck with a three inch width. You shouldn't get much beyond a square section on laid deck. No wonder it leaks! If you have inch and a half thick deck planking, it shouldn't be more than about two inches wide.

Get a good book on laying deck. You'll find the standards for the dimensions of the caulking seam. Caulk with cotton and pay with Jeffrey's marine glue. Don't waste your time with anything else. You'll find good close grained vertical grained doug fir or cedar is just fine for the job. If at all possible, avoid the plywood underlayment, unless you want rot city. Few understand that a true, "leakproof" laid deck requires the planks to be properly dimensioned. Most try to "cheat" with planks that are too wide and too shallow. You want something that approaches square with some solid caulking in there.

[BETTY-B]

An exact example to what Bob Cleek mentions above. Alaskan yellow, 1 15/16" x 1 7/8", cotton, Jeffery's. It's the driest part of my boat these days....

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/BETTY-B/EuropeMed007.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/BETTY-B/P1010272.jpg

[seayou7]

Betty-B Nice job! Mighty nice man hole, too.

[Jay Greer]

The advise you have already received is 100% correct and right on!
Try to find a copy of "Boat Building" by Howard Chapelle. Within the timeless pages are the secrets of building a long lived wooden boat. Larry Pardy also has an informative book on wise building proceedures.
Jay

[redsail]

Then that's what I'll do. I have some great VG yellow cedar that I can mill out
to 2 1/2 X 1 5/8 thick that will be perfect.
Any problem finishes that react negatively with the Jenkins? Don't want it to go mush like sika does with linseed on it. I'm leaning towards a tung oil finish or one of the pale/wheat colored sikins finishes. That stuff wears quite well and recoats easily. I will make a test piece at home first and let it sit for the winter. I won't be starting to rip up the old deck till the spring temps start to warm up but I want everything ready
Thanks guy's

[bott]

I'll just add that there are many posts from the same old masters already posted here about different finishes for laid decking well worth reading... many dealing specifically with yellow ceder too!

G'luck!

[Jay Greer]

I leave my decks bare. Much better for traction. Salt water and a mop are best for traditional wooden decks.
Jay