Nautor Swan 43

[Lew Morris]

The price is too good to turn down, it's loaded with electronics, the interior is, if not mint, very close to it. The engine has low hours and generally speaking this boat is in excellent condition... except, the teak deck.

We're told it's been sanded twice. And it shows. There are a few split planks, a LOT of exposed screw heads (since the original wooden screw-plugs have been shaved down), and the caulking is pulled away from the wood in as many places.

The teak covers a fiberglass deck so I'm not too concerned about the seaworthiness of this vessel, but I like to "barefoot it" and don't relish snagging a screwhead ... so the deck has to be replaced.

I'm a pattern/mold maker by trade so I'm confident that I can handle the joinery (given enough time). Can anyone steer me toward books, or lend and personal experience regarding re-decking a boat?

Thanks.... again.

Lew

[duluthboats]

To go over a FRP deck, here is one way to do it.
http://westsystem.com/ewmag/

Gary

[Lew Morris]

Thanks Gary,

A little prelimary phone work this afternoon came up with a yard estimate of between $35,00 and $40,000 to remove, and replace the entire teak decking on this boat. The boat is in southern California so I think this might be a reasonable estimate. It's old growth teak and I understand it's nigh impossible to find now.

We considered stripping the teak, fairing the deck surface, and applying a Gibco texture using Awl-Grip. We would do it ourselves for considerably less than the quoted teak price... sweat comes cheap(er).

But that teak REALLY looks nice and is a great surface. The method outlined on the Epoxyworks site is definitely another route.

We do not enjoy the luxury of a slip, so either of these jobs would have to wait for a year or so... the next time the boat is due out for route maintenance (other than for the survey (if we decide to proceed with the purchase)). A job of this scope, obviously, being too intricate, and time/space consuming to do on a mooring.

The budget that we have alotted ourselves to spend on "a" boat is tight (miserly even). For us to be able to buy this vessel we would have to offer the gentleman half of his asking price.. and to be honest, I would be embarrassed to do so. But you never know what really motivates a seller, sometimes it isn't always money.

Some one out there has enough $$$ to buy her, and ship her off to a yard before they even set foot on her... I think we need to move on to the next boat and just let her be the one that got away.

Sound like the right choice to you?

Lew

[nicole]

Dear Lew, intersted in the swan you found. if you didn't buy her, can you send me info? nicole@nicolepodio.com
thanks! nicole

I'd look for water damage or rot in the deck's core. Exposed screw heads sound like an ideal conduit for rainwater into the core to me.

Tim Dunn