Everyone loves an immaculate teak deck. They look great at boat shows and at chic Mediterranean quays, as well as providing excellent non-slip properties in the most demanding of conditions.
However, teak also has drawbacks. Firstly it doesn’t last forever, especially if a modern, and likely relatively thin, teak deck is scrubbed regularly. At the extreme I’ve seen a deck lose 1mm of thickness each year through scrubbing. Given the high cost of replacement this can have a significant impact on a yacht’s resale value.
The material also easily absorbs heat from the sun, making it uncomfortable to walk on in bare feet when in the tropics or Mediterranean summer. This also contributes to heating the interior of the boat.
Teak doesn’t look good from a sustainability perspective either. A key problem is illegal logging of rainforest in Myanmar, one of the only four countries in which the species grows. Unfortunately, a ban on importing this illegal timber into the EU hasn’t stopped the trade, as evidenced by court cases in countries including Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Holland following the discovery of illegally imported teak.
As a result, the only way to be absolutely certain a source of teak is sustainable is to use salvaged material (or to ensure that the teak can be GPS-traced back to stump).
Timber at risk
“Teak is now considered a high risk timber,” confirms Nigel Stuart, MD of Spirit Yachts. “We take our responsibility to the environment very seriously and we are not prepared to risk using unsustainable wood.”
Teak alternatives have been available for many years and are gaining wide acceptance. In many cases they also offer multiple advantages over real teak, including better longevity. Many can be factory-made to match a template or CAD file, which significantly reduces labour and installation costs, while customisation can extend to logos and boat names.
Available products can be split into four broad categories:
PVC
Cork
Modified softwoods
Expanded foam
Many of these don’t absorb liquids and are therefore easy to keep clean as any dirt stays on the surface.
Source: https://bit.ly/3eU9mIO
