A Deck Dilemma

[Bobcat]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

There may be a reason why no one now builds laid decks.

[jpatrick]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

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.

Your taste and aesthetics are your's to make, Ron. I wouldn't ever try to sway you otherwise. My suggestion for the deck was based on a simple notion: If I had a work boat that was still in the act of working... fishing, hauling cargo, whatever... I think I'd want a deck that could both readily take abuse and always be watertight. And it seems to me that a layer of solid wood underfoot will receive a dropped anchor or downrigger ball a lot better than anything else. Snoose presently has only half of this deck because it's not water tight. A sealed deck, covered with wood meets both criteria. Personally, I realize that my suggestion isn't historical, but I don't see any dishonesty. But it's your boat... your decision. Either way, I hope to actually see her someday and maybe take a ride. She sure looks swell.

Jeff

[Rumars]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

As Bud McIntosh said, laid decks are for people who can afford to hire a hand to sluice down the deck with salt water every morning (or something like that).

The lawn owners solved that problem long ago, get a pump with a timer automatic and a perforated hose and your deck stays swollen as long as there is power. Of course one has to start the treatment with a tight deck, otherwise you're just keeping the bedding damp.

If you want a dry deck and keep the original boards and the appearance, that's entirely possible, it's just a lot of work (or money). Carefully remove the deck, saw each plank horizontally down the middle. Reinstall the bottom half using nails away from the screwholes. Smear the entire thing with thickened epoxy, then put a few glas layers over it. If you don't like epoxy you can use hot tar and felt, white lead and canvas, 5200, a layer of thin ply, etc. Now install the second half of the deck planks into your goop of choice, screw trough both layers, bung and pay the seams. All original material, all original appearance inside and out, dry beds below.

[cstevens]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

The lawn owners solved that problem long ago, get a pump with a timer automatic and a perforated hose and your deck stays swollen as long as there is power. Of course one has to start the treatment with a tight deck, otherwise you're just keeping the bedding damp.

If you want a dry deck and keep the original boards and the appearance, that's entirely possible, it's just a lot of work (or money). Carefully remove the deck, saw each plank horizontally down the middle. Reinstall the bottom half using nails away from the screwholes. Smear the entire thing with thickened epoxy, then put a few glas layers over it. If you don't like epoxy you can use hot tar and felt, white lead and canvas, 5200, a layer of thin ply, etc. Now install the second half of the deck planks into your goop of choice, screw trough both layers, bung and pay the seams. All original material, all original appearance inside and out, dry beds below.

Now I *definitely* want to see Snoose outfitted with a sprinkler system! I would go sit on C dock at six am just to watch it start up.

[Pelirrojo]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

We redid a lot of workboat decks with ply and glass. It is the honest solution, if you wanted to save money you could likely do gaco flex and that’s a viable option. A lot of this depends on what you want out of the work. Do you want the fast and easy way, the driest solution, the traditional, or a combination of the above? They all get different answers, non are wrong.

Nicholas

[pcford]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

and there's always covered moorage.

The important thing is that there is a huge amount of energy transmitted to a deck in full sun...get your deck out of the sun!

[ron ll]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

We redid a lot of workboat decks with ply and glass. It is the honest solution, if you wanted to save money you could likely do gaco flex and that’s a viable option. A lot of this depends on what you want out of the work. Do you want the fast and easy way, the driest solution, the traditional, or a combination of the above? They all get different answers, non are wrong.

Nicholas

I’ve done all the other decks and cabin tops on Snoose with ply embedded in thickened epoxy, and epoxied glass cloth. I know that system best and it definitely creates dry decks. That’s probably what I’ll do on the foredeck. And it occurs to me that if I absolutely can’t stand the look, I could still add ‘fake’ planks over it, but I doubt I would. I guess I was hoping someone had a magic easy solution to keeping it bright. Probably no such thing, though I was tempted by Sam Devlin’s suggestion of Coelan clear finish that he used on the decks of Josephine.

[ron ll]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

and there's always covered moorage.

The important thing is that there is a huge amount of energy transmitted to a deck in full sun...get your deck out of the sun!

Although that might help keep the deck tighter, there are many reasons that won’t happen. Plus the leaking on the bunk is an issue while cruising, not when she’s in her slip.

I did notice that Devlin’s Josephine is in covered moorage, which may explain why he’s had good luck with the Coelan finish.

[cstevens]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Although that might help keep the deck tighter, there are many reasons that won’t happen. Plus the leaking on the bunk is an issue while cruising, not when she’s in her slip.

I did notice that Devlin’s Josephine is in covered moorage, which may explain why he’s had good luck with the Coelan finish.

Maybe? But I believe that the new laid fir deck in Skookum Maru's cockpit is coated with Coelan and she's kept under cover but the planks are opening up just the same. Fortunately there is nothing below the deck other than the water tank and the steering gear. I've been thinking of going to plywood and fiberglass there though, as I can't help but wonder if her original laid cockpit deck is the reason she needed a new horn timber a few years ago.

[ron ll]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

So Skookum Maru has a Coelan treated deck? Other than Josephine, I had not heard of anyone else using it. And if she’s still opening up, I’m glad I didn’t try it.

[pcford]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Although that might help keep the deck tighter, there are many reasons that won’t happen. Plus the leaking on the bunk is an issue while cruising, not when she’s in her slip.

It is likely that the deck does not open the minute it is exposed to direct sunlight. You might try it.

[Boatbum]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

We redid a lot of workboat decks with ply and glass. It is the honest solution, if you wanted to save money you could likely do gaco flex and that’s a viable option. A lot of this depends on what you want out of the work. Do you want the fast and easy way, the driest solution, the traditional, or a combination of the above? They all get different answers, non are wrong.

Nicholas

All of this is moving the boat further away form her teak deck heritage and salty look. Seems to me the only option is a new laid deck (expensive and hard to find enough similar grained teak) or a TDS Deck. The TDS deck is considered more waterproof as it has no bungs and virtually no seems to leak. The substrate is a waterproof. And it is a lot cheaper.

If you don't care how it looks, just cover it with dynel/epoxy or possibly sunbrella impregnated epoxy. Both will stop the leaking. Be sure to leave a layer between the deck and the covering so they can each move independently of one another or you will get stress cracking

[Pelirrojo]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

All of this is moving the boat further away form her teak deck heritage and salty look. Seems to me the only option is a new laid deck (expensive and hard to find enough similar grained teak) or a TDS Deck. The TDS deck is considered more waterproof as it has no bungs and virtually no seems to leak. The substrate is a waterproof. And it is a lot cheaper.

If you don't care how it looks, just cover it with dynel/epoxy or possibly sunbrella impregnated epoxy. Both will stop the leaking. Be sure to leave a layer between the deck and the covering so they can each move independently of one another or you will get stress cracking

Snoose is a west coast troller, She never had teak decks, adding teak decks is the opposite of her heritage. A properly done fiberglass or dynel deck honors the practicality of her workboat heritage, in fact many of the working trollers have switched over to glass over ply decks for exactly the reasons outlaid above.

[Woxbox]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Before you rip out the good looking deck, where's the harm in reeving out the traditional caulking and replacing it with a flexible polyurethane type caulking? Sikaflex, for example. Give it a year or two to see if it holds through the summer. If it doesn't, then throw in the towel and go to plywood. It's worth a try, no?

[Peerie Maa]

Re: A Deck Dilemma

Before you rip out the good looking deck, where's the harm in reeving out the traditional caulking and replacing it with a flexible polyurethane type caulking? Sikaflex, for example. Give it a year or two to see if it holds through the summer. If it doesn't, then throw in the towel and go to plywood. It's worth a try, no?

May be widening the top caulking seam a bit, so that there is more rubber in there to be able to come and go.