A Deck Dilemma

[Peerie Maa]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

This would be a first.
I do not believe I have ever recommended this time wasting practice
I do not believe I have ever even used it
the decks of woodwind are white
they do not leak
now let’s rip some rotten oak out !!!!

Did you not do something similar when repairing/rebuilding a yacht?

So, we are beginning to see more and more decay. Over beers I expressed my disdain for cotton caulked decks and the damage they cause a boat. More good boats have been wrecked by rain water getting in than rocks, stormsv and rum combined.

Ray wanted to put ply and fg over them, I said I think I have a better idea I'd like to try.
Woodwinds decks are strip planked. I haver never seen anyone else do this. I guess mot people believe the crap they read in boat building books about strip plank being slow to build,difficult to repair... luckily I never read one of them .
The decks were crappy built from the git go, wide boards only an inch thick, cotton caulked and payed with pitch and some tube goo ,but good flavor of wood, mostly silver bali. But everywhere there was rain wet cotton there was decay.

I ripped some "Spanish Cedar" into 0ne and two inch strips and traced them, one by one , onto the crap seams ,then cut the seams out with a skilsaw with a banged up blade ,hitting many fastenings (good riddance).

Right away they begin to look better with the trad crap cut away.
Yes, it uses a lotta epoxy, but that is a good thing. I've long said that a little epoxy is a bad thing,you want success?? use a lot.


This saw was on it's last legs, it died soon after, the damn cotton getting shredded went inside and melted the fan...

[Peerie Maa]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

I think Nick was "taking the mick", as they say over there. (Do they actually say that? Or does that just happen in Guy Ritchie movies?)

That is the polite version. I was semi serious.

[cstevens]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Uh oh, Nick has the receipts!

[cstevens]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

That is the polite version. I was semi serious.

Ah yes. And it's true that no character in a Guy Ritchie movie would ever stoop to using the politer phrase. However I'll avoid the other one here for fear of retribution from the gods of the forum!

[willin woodworks]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Not sure I'd agree that what was installed were splines. When I think of splines, they are more like what Gypsie used to spline his carvel hull prior to sheathing; thin little strips.
Not sure what to call what Bruce did, maybe intermediate planking?

[cstevens]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Not sure I'd agree that what was installed were splines. When I think of splines, they are more like what Gypsie used to spline his carvel hull prior to sheathing; thin little strips.
Not sure what to call what Bruce did, maybe intermediate planking?

Bruce called it a strip-planked deck, which seems right to me. He did note that he'd never seen it done before but I guess the proof is in the result. Woodwind is still sailing at least. Not sure what she has for a deck right now. Maybe Bruce can share an update on how it went if Nick promises to be nice about it? I'd be curious to know for myself.

[Peerie Maa]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Not sure I'd agree that what was installed were splines. When I think of splines, they are more like what Gypsie used to spline his carvel hull prior to sheathing; thin little strips.
Not sure what to call what Bruce did, maybe intermediate planking?

Bruce calls it strip planking. If the seams are routered out to a bit wider than the widest gap, the splines glued in, should work OK.

[Peerie Maa]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Bruce called it a strip-planked deck, which seems right to me. He did note that he'd never seen it done before but I guess the proof is in the result. Woodwind is still sailing at least. Not sure what she has for a deck right now. Maybe Bruce can share an update on how it went if Nick promises to be nice about it? I'd be curious to know for myself.

Was I being nasty? Sorry if that was the impression.
Providing that the finished strip planked deck was adequately fastened down (Bruce did say that he hit several original fasteners) there is no reason for it not to work. It works on hulls, after all.

[ron ll]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Oh, please please don't make Snoose "salty" with TDS or some other fake laid deck! She's so much better as an honest work boat. No slight intended for those things on faux work boats - tug yachts and so on - but not for the real thing.

No fear Chris.

[Boatbum]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Oh, please please don't make Snoose "salty" with TDS or some other fake laid deck! She's so much better as an honest work boat. No slight intended for those things on faux work boats - tug yachts and so on - but not for the real thing.

TDS is not a fake teak. It is real teak (3/8 thick) that has been laminated onto a Formica-like substrate. The one advantage is the it has no bung holes or seams that can leak. Except for the absence of bungs it looks and functions just like a laid deck.

Granted she is not actually a laid deck, but book matched teak is tough to find and expensive. TDS is far more practical. And certainly better than covering and painting it.

[Bobcat]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Teak is just wrong for a boat like Snoose in my view

[pcford]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Boat cover?
Just a suggestion but lots of boats have them.

[cstevens]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

TDS is not a fake teak. It is real teak (3/8 thick) that has been laminated onto a Formica-like substrate. The one advantage is the it has no bung holes or seams that can leak. Except for the absence of bungs it looks and functions just like a laid deck.

Granted she is not actually a laid deck, but book matched teak is tough to find and expensive. TDS is far more practical. And certainly better than covering and painting it.

I might wear a pre-distressed leather bomber jacket bought off the rack at Macy's (well, no - I wouldn't, but never mind) but I would never say that it is anything other than an imitation of the real thing. Just because it looks the same and it's made of the same material, doesn't mean it's "real". Again, I don't mean any slight to teak-over-plywood decks in their proper place. But that place is not on a real work boat. My two cents. Other people may reasonably disagree. And I'll admit to being a work boat snob here. I am not ashamed.

[jpatrick]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

How about a new plywood deck that's covered with dynel or glass cloth bedded in epoxy. Then over that, bed strips of wood. No caulk. Butt the strips tight with epoxy oozing out. Your choice of wood species, Ron. Teak is very durable but maybe too snooty? Or Doug fir because it's more "workboat" like. Either way you get a dry deck and a durable, non slippery surface that doesn't need to be painted.

Jeff

[ron ll]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

How about a new plywood deck that's covered with dynel or glass cloth bedded in epoxy. Then over that, bed strips of wood. No caulk. Butt the strips tight with epoxy oozing out. Your choice of wood species, Ron. Teak is very durable but maybe too snooty? Or Doug fir because it's more "workboat" like. Either way you get a dry deck and a durable, non slippery surface that doesn't need to be painted.

Jeff

That would look nice, but one of the reasons I like the existing plank deck is that it’s honest. It’s the original planks, warts and all. But as it’s no longer practical, I want to just solve the problem as honestly as possible. I think adding more wood on top is a little too yachty for my taste. Form follows function and all that.