Teak vs. Fiberglass Platforms

[trreid]

Have had both teak & f/g platforms- each require attention as time wears on. Teak requires more ongoing maintenance, but responds to it by aging gracefully. Fiberglass may be low maintenance, but acquires & shows its scars.

Teak is more 'fixable' if it gets dings & blemishes over time- either they don't show, or can be sanded out. The cleaning & oiling is a pain, but you can bring back tired-looking teak with a little TLC.

On a f/g platform, you also wind up with lots of nicks at the edges- but they require repair, rather than simple maintenance, so unless you're good with gelcoat, it's not a DIY item. After 2-1/2 seasons, mine needs some work- and I'm more careful with it than I ever was with teak.

As for looks, it's a matter of taste- though I do think that f/g looks better integrated with the newer hull designs & graphics.

[trreid]

Oh Todd, I had such high hopes for you

Ya gotta love the smell of teak oil and the look of well cared for teak.

So how rides the Phantom?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My own version of the "dark side," I suppose.

Ski is working great- except for one monster wipeout at the second wake on my second day with the new settings (out the front). Friend driving the boat said he heard the fall- sounded like a "rifle shot." That would have been my face hitting the water. All's well. Hoping to get back in the course next week.

TR

[trreid]

Ouch? Off-side?

I've taken to hooking my off side a little but only when I'm getting tired and lazy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On-side- went for "one more" and pulled hard- got more angle than my tired a$$ could handle- too fast, got way out of shape, & buckled at the wake.

[trreid]

How much difference could the choice of swim platform make in overall resale value? The upcharge for fiberglass was only $220 new! Even if the resale value flipped completely the other way, you're talking about less than $500 difference. Other factors (hours, condition, maintenance) would likely eclipse the impact of the type of platform. You could lose $500 in resale if the weather is bad when you're trying to sell...

Not worth worrying about.

[Woody26]

I like f/g, but my only beef is that it bleeds black on my boat when people climb back in. Does anybody else have this problem? Next season I think I'm going to try the trexx or gator grip.

[Headhunter 2317]

I was thinking about spraying with LineX. They can match any color. Most likely, I will make the platform and have them spray it. Not sure about spraying teak....The rep said they could make it as smooth or as rough as you want.

[03sportster]

TEAK

[hotrodbowtie]

I have always been a teak guy until the new boat arrives. I have be a faithful once per month refinisher. Love it to look good. My last teak platform (98 sunsetter lx) was the only one that you could say was "slick" and it was a bit slick. My main issue was that we tend to teach alot of people to ski/board. I tend to spend alot of time on the platform helping put on skis/boards and it is way too crowded. On the new boat we measureed teak vs fg and found the glass to be almost 3" deeper and larger in overall shape on similar lsv boats. Since I tend to spend a lot of time back there I opted for more room and I hope it is worth it. I will put on clear protectant on all edges of platorm as well as on back of boat and I will ad a transom pad to protect the gel. Kind of anal I guess but I like it to stay like it came from the factory.

[aoblak]

I have always been a teak guy for all of my boats, but I just ordered a new boat, I just couldn't get over how much nicer the new boats look with the fiberglass platforms. Part of me is a little bit nervous about having fiberglass but with having small kids and alot of people always on the platform I feal that fiberglass is the way to go.

[BarefootOz]

Any idea what type of oil they used in the factory to get the blonder, lighter color my new platform had in the picture above? Mine came in lighter than most, and I liked it that way.

Boomer,

A 50/50 mix of Linseed Oil and Mineral Spirits.

[Greg_S]

I like f/g, but my only beef is that it bleeds black on my boat when people climb back in. Does anybody else have this problem? Next season I think I'm going to try the trexx or gator grip.

I had the same problem and I ended up cleaning it with a tire brush every time I put it in the water. After that got old, I bought a platform cover in the screaming sacs group buy and the problem is solved. I think its dirt that accumulates while the boat sits in storage.

[Brad]

I like the new FG platforms, the teak ones take to much work to keep up. I don't think I can get a new one because the new hulls are different from my BU.So I thought what could I do? So I designed my own Platform made a mold and Now I can make it any color I want, put whatever trim I want on it Plus pick my own non-slip material. Anybody interested?

Brad

[JasonK]

My teak deck is bolted to the boat with about 15 screws from underneath, to a fiberglass ledge. Has anyone had a model like mine and removed the platform?

I'd like to take it off and refinish it, but I'm reluctant to take it off. Worried about the screws "biting" for the re-install.

I refinished it with it on and had a hard time not effecting the fiberglass around it.

Edited June 2, 2006 by JasonK

[BuBuddy]

I've seen a lot of discussions over the years on this topic. When the first composite platforms for Malibu showed up, people seemed very resistant to it. But in the past year I've noticed a lot of people moving over to fiberglass. So let's hear what you think.

Just out this afternoon and the feel of teak underfoot is very nice. Upkeep is minimal. Got the 11 year old up for the first time on a wakeboard using a boom! The long line is next.

[Big Dubya]

My boat's got wood.

oh, and JasonK:

go ahead & remove the screws, and when you are putting it back together you can put a little bit of polyester resin in the screw holes & on the threads as you re-install.

that will lock them in, but you will still be able to break them free the next time you want to maintain the step.

(not too much resin, as it will squeeze out & drip. I usually use a toothpick as an applicator for this kind of job)

[wakeup]

Had teak all my life and we even have a lot of deck teak on a 60' Blackwell for fishing the gulfstream..BUT what a pain on maintenance. Since I got my new boat with a fiberglass platform, I love it. I like it better because there is no maintenance, it matches the boat, and so far mine does not track black stuff in the boat. I never have a need to take mine off and it just sits on the back of the boat and does what it is suppose to do. So far, no scratches or dings.

The look of wood is pure and is beautiful when clean, but when it turns that silver color, I really don't like it. For me I think I'm sticking with FG, at least on a wakeboard boat. I leave it in the lift all week and head to the lakehouse on the weekend. Last thing I want is more maintenance.

[Brad B]

Mine has teak.

I use Teak Guard get almost 2 seasons after each treatment - could go longer but I like it perfect.

And we get about 175 hours a season and the boat stays in a covered slip 10 months a year.

When I get a new one I'll probably go FG just because thats what they put on 'em now.

[Arkid]

Teak requires care?

I'm just going for the natural look

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The platform on my SLXi is somewhat well cared for....

Looks beautiful to me! I've just ordered some 'Teak Guard' and i'm about to get to it. I tried regular teak oils and cleaner from West Marine but it always looked old and worn a day after using that stuff. Hopefully the Teak Guard will make a difference.

[MARiley]

teak ftw

my dad just had ours redone by a neighbor woodworker. it looks flawless. so dark and high glossy it always looks wet. reminiscent of a '58 chris craft.

i'll try to get a pic asap.

[larrys]

On the VLX... Are the teak platforms that much smaller than the FG ones? I had a teak on my '04 and I don't recall it being any smaller than my FG ones on my '06 and '07. I am seriously considering going back to teak on my next boat. My '07 FG is so slippery that I have had several injuries from people falling. My self included.

Edited July 24, 2007 by larrys

[vogues69]

Hands down TEAK !!!

I used a sealer not oil. Then added some grit to it. It looks so nice the guys don't even want to stand on it. The sealer doesn't require laying it on more than once a year. I call it a labor of love.

I had a fiber glass swim platform my helper told me to stop backing up after we hit the don't. Yeah after that "Beauty Mark" it was teak all the way on any new boats.

[uk_exile]

I currently refurbing my teak platform. Previous owner applied polyurethane !!!

Applied paint stripper then sanded. Looks awesome now and have not finished yet as only the priming oil applied so far. I'm using a specailist tung oil / beeswax blend.

http://www.endeavourmarinetimberfinishes.c...mingoil_fr.html

Will be applying the finishing oil tonight

http://www.endeavourmarinetimberfinishes.c...hingoil_fr.html

Will post before, during and after pics when completed.

Edited July 24, 2007 by uk_exile

[uk_exile]

before

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...rent=before.jpg

stripped and sanded

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...rent=sanded.jpg

begin priming oil

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...nprimineoil.jpg

finished

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...rrent=after.jpg

Edited July 25, 2007 by uk_exile

[TLo]

Teak guard in the fall before storage. No maitenance all summer.

[areamike]

before

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...rent=before.jpg

stripped and sanded

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...rent=sanded.jpg

begin priming oil

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...nprimineoil.jpg

finished

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s288/uk...rrent=after.jpg

Awesome. I think the previous owner of my boat did the Polyurethane thing too. I'll be stripping mine and re-doing also this winter during the off-season.

Thanks for the info.

Oh and I voted Teak.