Teak or fiberglass swim platform

[leclerc457]

My new 07 vRide has a teak swim platform...I am not sure I like it. I have had teak years ago on boats growing up and I know if you take care of them they will last a very long time, but I do like the look of a fiberglass swim platform instead. I am worried the teak will be slippery where the fiberglass has the nice pad.

I found a fiberglass platform on craigslist for $400, is that a fair price?

Those of you who have teak, how do you like it? Is it slippery?

Thanks,

[ahopkins22LSV]

Fiberglass platforms are nice. I do enjoy mine. Like you said the pad is nice. Depending on the color though they can show wear/scratches easily. Skiers and riders need to be careful while on the platform with their skis/boards to avoid scratches. I like Teak a lot though and it just depends on the color scheme of the boat. For instance, I don't think teak would look good on my TXi. $400 seems fair, is it local? Shipping could be a ton...

[Levi900RR]

Keep your teak.

Use this:

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/46679-if-youve-got-teak-read-this/?hl=%2Bhave+%2Bteak+%2Bread+%2Bthis

[Ndawg12]

$400 is a great price if it's in good shape. My 06 vRide had a teak, and I wanted it too look like the new wake boats so bad that I tried to build 2 fg platforms and ended up selling my teak and bought an actual fg platform that was red and had to paint white Hindsight being 20/20 I wish I'd never wasted my time and money with any of it and homemade surf gates are alot easier to fab up with a teak platform.

[malibu2004]

Teak all the way.

Just clean it, sand it, oil every year and it will stay nice.

[Michigan boarder]

I'd say buy it, that is a very good price. Hand on to your teak for the summer. Then make a decision on which you like better after you've used the fiberglass one. You'll get $400 back out of either one that you sell, no risk involved.

[kerpluxal]

I personally prefer the teak to the fiberglass. I do not find it slippery, and any scratches are easily removed.

[mattm]

You can probably find someone with a fiberglass platform that will trade you for your teak. Personally, I'd take teak any day.

[WakeGirl]

My new 07 vRide has a teak swim platform...I am not sure I like it. I have had teak years ago on boats growing up and I know if you take care of them they will last a very long time, but I do like the look of a fiberglass swim platform instead. I am worried the teak will be slippery where the fiberglass has the nice pad.

I found a fiberglass platform on craigslist for $400, is that a fair price?

Those of you who have teak, how do you like it? Is it slippery?

Thanks,

Make sure it's the right size. In 2007, your boat had one of the narrowest beams offered by Malibu & if you end up with a platform off of any of the other vdrives that they built that year, it will likely be too wide or not fit correctly. For example,the VLX & VTX that year were both 5" wider than your boat on the beam. Maybe it doesn't translate to a 5" wider platform, but could translate to a platform that may be too wide with mounts in the wrong spots. Be careful.

[codyfunk]

$400 is a great price if it's in good shape. My 06 vRide had a teak, and I wanted it too look like the new wake boats so bad that I tried to build 2 fg platforms and ended up selling my teak and bought an actual fg platform that was red and had to paint white Hindsight being 20/20 I wish I'd never wasted my time and money with any of it and homemade surf gates are alot easier to fab up with a teak platform.

What did you paint it with?

[Ndawg12]

What did you paint it with?

it actually held up well. Sanded with ~320, primered, top coated, and clear coated with Rustoleum. If I had to do it all over again I'd use Duplicolor from an autostore but after 2 seasons the Rustoleum still looked pretty good.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Ndawg12

[leclerc457]

Make sure it's the right size. In 2007, your boat had one of the narrowest beams offered by Malibu & if you end up with a platform off of any of the other vdrives that they built that year, it will likely be too wide or not fit correctly. For example,the VLX & VTX that year were both 5" wider than your boat on the beam. Maybe it doesn't translate to a 5" wider platform, but could translate to a platform that may be too wide with mounts in the wrong spots. Be careful.

Good advice, thanks!

[Brianl]

I just sold my 2004 VLX and bought the 2014 23 LSV. My VLX had the teak platform which i absolutely loved. It is not slippery, easy to maintain and adds a touch of class to any boat. When i ordered my New LSV i tried to find a way to get a teak platform but its not even an option for the new models, which was disappointing. i would gladly get rid of the fiberglass platform on my new boat for a teak platform any day...

[Levi900RR]

I just sold my 2004 VLX and bought the 2014 23 LSV. My VLX had the teak platform which i absolutely loved. It is not slippery, easy to maintain and adds a touch of class to any boat. When i ordered my New LSV i tried to find a way to get a teak platform but its not even an option for the new models, which was disappointing. i would gladly get rid of the fiberglass platform on my new boat for a teak platform any day...

You could make one...

[Bill_AirJunky]

I tried to love my teak. I did love it as long as it looked good. But I keep the boat on the lake in the summer & you cannot get away with just sanding it & oiling it once a year to keep it looking good. I tried a variety of different products & techniques & they all basically look good for a month or so & then look all bleached out the rest of the time. I tried to sell it but no one wanted it. So I ended up having it sprayed with LineX bedliner with no grit. Then I installed a deck pad on it. Four years later & about all I've done to it is put one of Cory's covers on it. People love it. I've had guys walk over from 6 boats over in a raft-up because they wanted to check it out.

I had the same issue on my previous boat too. I think the bottom line is if your boat sits in a garage 3/4s of the year, then teak looks great for longer. But if your boat lives on the lake more than a few months at a time, day & night, exposed to the sun, water & rain, then this is far more maintenance free, non-skid & scratch resistant.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Bill_AirJunky

[Levi900RR]

My boat sits on the lift all summer with the teak sticking out the back. I know the season is "short" up here in VT, but I plan on spending about 30 mins a year taking care of my teak. Using Teak sealer, rather than oil keeps it looking good all year. You can see from my thread above what it looked like last fall. I could bring the can and a foam brush down to the dock once in the summer and it would literally look brand new all summer.

[leclerc457]

Thanks for all the feedback!! I think I will just refinish the teak and see how it works this summer then go from there!

[formulaben]

On 3/5/2014 at 1:01 PM, leclerc457 said:

I am worried the teak will be slippery...

So long as you don't use fine sandpaper it won't be an issue. It sure looks good when you use it, but it will undoubtedly be slippery!

Formulaben's Teak Platform Rehab Program (aka my 2 cents):

1) Use 60 grit sandpaper on a random orbital sander and wet sand your deck (light pressure, moving constantly.)

2) Hand sand the bevels between the planks and any other areas that need it.

3) Let it dry to see the results (it doesn't take long at all!) You will see your teak will look much better.

4) Let it dry overnight, then clean with mineral spirits and dry again overnight.

5) Lastly apply Amazon's Golden Teak Oil or  Lite N Easy Teak oil.  A 2nd coat should be plenty.

Reapply oil as needed...no other prep is needed except free of debris and dry; should only take 5 minutes!

The results far exceeded my expectations.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by formulaben
link updates

[WakeGirl]

I tried to love my teak. I did love it as long as it looked good. But I keep the boat on the lake in the summer & you cannot get away with just sanding it & oiling it once a year to keep it looking good. I tried a variety of different products & techniques & they all basically look good for a month or so & then look all bleached out the rest of the time. I tried to sell it but no one wanted it. So I ended up having it sprayed with LineX bedliner with no grit. Then I installed a deck pad on it. Four years later & about all I've done to it is put one of Cory's covers on it. People love it. I've had guys walk over from 6 boats over in a raft-up because they wanted to check it out.

....

I had the same issue on my previous boat too. I think the bottom line is if your boat sits in a garage 3/4s of the year, then teak looks great for longer. But if your boat lives on the lake more than a few months at a time, day & night, exposed to the sun, water & rain, then this is far more maintenance free, non-skid & scratch resistant.

Hey Bill, are you still able to get that Gator Grip? I did a search & couldn't find a source online any longer. I liked that stuff a lot for many of the same uses that you've put it to on your boat & trailer.

[Ndawg12]

Hey Bill, are you still able to get that Gator Grip? I did a search & couldn't find a source online any longer. I liked that stuff a lot for many of the same uses that you've put it to on your boat & trailer.

I tried to get it from Bill several times, I think his source dried up a few years.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Hey Bill, are you still able to get that Gator Grip? I did a search & couldn't find a source online any longer. I liked that stuff a lot for many of the same uses that you've put it to on your boat & trailer.

No, the guy who I was buying from in Sac got divorced. I guess his father-in-law was involved in the importing of it to the US.

A good alternative is Hydroturf. I've bought it off Ebay a couple times. I also see it on http://www.hydroturf.com. It's not quite as soft but it does break in about the same.

[Malibudude]

I prefer teak during the heat of summer as my fiberglass gets soooo hot.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I prefer teak during the heat of summer as my fiberglass gets soooo hot.

Hydroturf it. No clue why, but I don't have that issue at all. Yea, it gets warm. But not blistering hot like dark vinyl.

[formulaben]

Bill, are those transom protectors an add-on or did they come with the Boat Buckles?

[Bill_AirJunky]

Bill, are those transom protectors an add-on or did they come with the Boat Buckles?

That's a part that comes on the Boat Buckles.

BTW, I've since had to replace both of the Boat Buckles & went with the Fulton version of the product. I smacked one of them on a railroad tie at the back of my RV parking space, destroyed it. The other was being finicky after 8 yrs of use. We'll see if the Fulton version is any better.