Bruce in Bangkok ha scritto:
Your real task is to prevent deterioration of the structural deck. The
teak is just a cosmetic addition and contributes little but looks to
the boat. Teak isn't even particularly "non skid" when compared to
other surfaces.

Basically, any deck overlay that is fastened with screws will
eventually leak into the deck core and cause rot. Now, this is not a
overnight process and even if some moisture gets into the core it
doesn't cause instantaneous rot but it is not something you want to
happen.

If you have any areas where the plugs covering the screw heads are
missing or the caulking is missing then certainly those areas are
leaking. In addition it probably means that the overlay is getting
thin enough that more of the plugs are going to come out from time to
time.

I suggest that you try to locate a short section of decking, remove
all the screws and cut/scrape out the caulking and try to lift one
piece of the overlay. I suspect, from the screws, that you will find
that it IS NOT glued down but if it is glued down then you can remove
the screws, inject thickened epoxy to make a "epoxy nail" and insert a
new plug to fill the screw hole. then scrape out all suspect caulking
and recaulk.

If however, the strips ARE NOT glued down then you will need to remove
all the screws, remove the teak, plug all the holes in the deck, check
for soft spots in the deck, repair any found, replace the original
strips using an adhesive, plug the screw holes in the teak with epoxy
and a teak plug, recaulk and sand.

I have already considered, as some of you suggest, not to use teak
anymore but my conclusion was: no, I agree that "teak=leak=money..." but
I will keep up with the original design. I realize it is a major work
and I will enjoy doing it myself as far as I can.
The boat is not a Nauticat. She was designed by Sparkman & Stevens and
built in Finland under their strict control on construction standards.

There are few questions you may help answering:
1) repairing or re-decking completely would you recommend rabbeting the
planks in order to make a caulk channel from the upper surface down to
the bottom of the rabbet (like now) or no rabbet at all but just a space
filled with caulking all the way from the surface to the underlying f.g.
deck?
2) better not using screws anymore?
3) what kind of glue between planks and deck, possibly fast setting?
4) tools. I foresee remaking few planks from scratch and I may be
working in the open, maybe just under a tentlike roof. Besides all
obvious wood tools I have a circular saw, a router and a jig saw. Would
you recommend a small band saw or a miter saw for example? I can use
hand planer but would you recommend an electric planer?
This is the actual input I am asking from you, guys: technicalities you
may know better than me.

Regards
Daniel