Sea Deck

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Mike3888

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
43
Location
Enterprise AL
Vessel Name
Happy Happy
Vessel Make
Bayliner 3888 1989 gas
Having sea deck installed on swim platform, cockpit and upper helm. This is a little the cart before the horse I have already put a deposit down...
question is on maintaining and cleaning sea deck.. any suggestions
Pending your expert guidance,
Mike and the Admiral Karen
 
Having sea deck installed on swim platform, cockpit and upper helm. This is a little the cart before the horse I have already put a deposit down...
question is on maintaining and cleaning sea deck.. any suggestions
Pending your expert guidance,
Mike and the Admiral Karen

Can you be more specific than "sea deck"?
 
Soft foam flooring... should have said seadek
https://www.seadek.com/

From their website:
The best method to clean SeaDek is with SeaDek's Dek Magic cleaner, which is specifically formulated for PE/EVA foam. If Dek Magic is not available, SeaDek cleans easily with soap, hot water, and a stiff brush. For stubborn areas, a number of household products can be used. Do not use acid-based cleaners such as MaryKate's Hull Cleaner. Click here for more information.

Personally, I would not want soft foam flooring on my boat. Doesn't sound very durable. Not sure what it costs, I expect it's not very expensive. I had Permateek installed a couple years ago. Very durable, looks great, and I am guessing adds some value to the boat. Also more functional than the molded non-skid. Only downside is it can get pretty hot in the full sun. Admittedly not cheap.
 
They make a special cleaner for the SeaDek. We just installed some on our 37’ Intrepid center console this week. Guess we will find out how it holds up. Everyone I’ve spoken to that has it says it’s sometimes hard to clean but in the long run it’s worth it. If it last the timeline they say then We will be happy. I will say it looks great.


https://www.seadek.com/media/wysiwyg/Home-Three-Banner/4-019_-_How_to_Clean_SeaDek.pdf
 
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All thanks Much for the input! I will take some before and after pics when I get it installed..
 
Seadek is very durable. I redid the entire decks on our old boat with it, and it was still looking good when I sold it 6 years later. I have it on the poling platform and a few other places on my flats boat as well, I used leftover pieces from the big boat re-do, so it is about 14 years old at this point. It still looks good, though one section came unglued a year or so ago. The flats boat lives in the garage though, so it doesn't take as much of a beating.


In my experience it is the best deck covering you can buy.


I scrub it with a regular deck brush and whatever soap I am using. Stays pretty clean. In a high traffic area it does stain a little bit.



And no, it is not cheap.
 
They make a special cleaner for the SeaDek. We just installed some on our 37’ Intrepid center console this week. Guess we will find out how it holds up. Everyone I’ve spoken to that has it says it’s sometimes hard to clean but in the long run it’s worth it. If it last the timeline they say then I’ll be happy.


https://www.seadek.com/media/wysiwyg/Home-Three-Banner/4-019_-_How_to_Clean_SeaDek.pdf

Off subject but can you explain what you mean about waypoints? A waypoint can be exactly what you say it is not, such as some well-known manmade or natural structure.
 
I've never used or seen this brand, that I know of. But, I have seen plenty of EVA decking. How the owners liked it totally depended upon their expectations.

If they wanted a surface that would be "permanant" and durable for a decade or more, they were disappointed.

If they viewed it as outdoor carpeting of sorts, where it would be durable ~5+ years and replaced,, they were thrilled.

Doing it with intentional sections so a section can be replaced if it gets torn, e.g. by something heavy and pointy gets dragged across it, is helpful. But, for the most part, folks I know just ig ore the occasional ding and by the time it accumulates too many it has been long enough they are okay replacing it and feel it owes them nothing.

So, like I said, I know plenty of folks thrilled and a few disappointed and expectation, nit brand, seems to be what mattered.

I've always thought it looked sharp. And, there is a fishing boat here that has it, and it is a relatively few years old. It is starting to look pretty ratty, but the boat 6-pack charter fishes twice a day 200 days a year.
 
I've considered this several times, for several different boats.

What I could never get an answer to, is how it holds up to heavy and/or pointy items being on it for any period of time:

  1. 40lb kayaks upside down on the foredeck - will this leave an impression (fittings, etc.) after being stored there over several years?
  2. Pointy-legged deck chairs with rounded-end poles for feet - will this leave (permanent) impressions after a 200lb person sits in it for an afternoon?

Anybody have any experience? Based on a general close-up inspection I've seen on a few boats, I'm thinking these would definitely leave "dents" in the foam.
 
I've never used or seen this brand, that I know of. But, I have seen plenty of EVA decking. How the owners liked it totally depended upon their expectations.

If they wanted a surface that would be "permanant" and durable for a decade or more, they were disappointed.

If they viewed it as outdoor carpeting of sorts, where it would be durable ~5+ years and replaced,, they were thrilled.

Doing it with intentional sections so a section can be replaced if it gets torn, e.g. by something heavy and pointy gets dragged across it, is helpful. But, for the most part, folks I know just ig ore the occasional ding and by the time it accumulates too many it has been long enough they are okay replacing it and feel it owes them nothing.

So, like I said, I know plenty of folks thrilled and a few disappointed and expectation, nit brand, seems to be what mattered.

I've always thought it looked sharp. And, there is a fishing boat here that has it, and it is a relatively few years old. It is starting to look pretty ratty, but the boat 6-pack charter fishes twice a day 200 days a year.

Good points gk and I agree with you. Would be interesting to hear from the OP as a case study on what his expectations are.
 
Pointy-legged deck chairs with rounded-end poles for feet - will this leave (permanent) impressions after a 200lb person sits in it for an afternoon?

In the installations I've seen, I've never seen the chair use case be a particular problem. I haven't seen any particularly pointy leg chairs, but have seen deck chairs, folding beach chairs, and "director's" chairs.
 
In the installations I've seen, I've never seen the chair use case be a particular problem. I haven't seen any particularly pointy leg chairs, but have seen deck chairs, folding beach chairs, and "director's" chairs.

Thanks. Yeah, I didn't really mean "pointy" per se, just those that have the rounded pole end instead of the flat, spread-out-the-load, fittings at the bottom.
 
We were told to expect 5 maybe 6 years. There are several charter fishing boats here that get 3 or 4 good seasons before re-installing again. It will stain. We can install it twice for the price of re-gel coating the deck plus the timeline for boat loss having to wait on it being done. With this they measure cut and install.
 
Just out of curiosity, why would someone choose a soft foam decking when there are a number of very good faux teak products that are very similar to real wood and superior in some ways (such as maintenance)?
 
We were told to expect 5 maybe 6 years. There are several charter fishing boats here that get 3 or 4 good seasons before re-installing again. It will stain. We can install it twice for the price of re-gel coating the deck plus the timeline for boat loss having to wait on it being done. With this they measure cut and install.

How does price compare to some of the more permanent synthetic teak products? I have to guess it's much less expensive.
 
Just out of curiosity, why would someone choose a soft foam decking when there are a number of very good faux teak products that are very similar to real wood and superior in some ways (such as maintenance)?

My GUESS is that the application of EVA foam is a lot more forgiving of surface imperfections, waviness, and irregularities than a harder material would be.
 
We were told to expect 5 maybe 6 years. There are several charter fishing boats here that get 3 or 4 good seasons before re-installing again. It will stain. We can install it twice for the price of re-gel coating the deck plus the timeline for boat loss having to wait on it being done. With this they measure cut and install.


Get them to save your scrap pieces for you, it can be quite useful. There are lots of little things I have used it for on our boats, just this weekend I put a piece over the spot in the deck where the anchor chain rubs a little bit upon retrieval/deployment. I don't expect it to last real long in that scenario, but when it wears out I will just put another piece down.
 
My GUESS is that the application of EVA foam is a lot more forgiving of surface imperfections, waviness, and irregularities than a harder material would be.

I'm sure it is more forgiving, however the harder materials do have some flex to them and can adapt to surfaces that are not completely flat, such as a curve in the floor of a deck. I wouldn't expect it to adapt well to abrupt changes or a wavy surface. A good installer should be able to evaluate and advice.
 
I'm sure it is more forgiving, however the harder materials do have some flex to them and can adapt to surfaces that are not completely flat, such as a curve in the floor of a deck. I wouldn't expect it to adapt well to abrupt changes or a wavy surface. A good installer should be able to evaluate and advice.
Agree
My experience is with PlasDeck for exterior and it will conform to gentle curves. For the abrupt changes you can fill / blend with the adhesive either as a prep step letting it dry/cure or a heavy application of adhesive in selected area as it is being installed. I had separate non skid sections with a recessed smooth border between. I simply " filled in" those sections with adhesive. When rolling the decking for positive / uniform adhesion you have to be careful to roll in a direction that spans the low spot to avoid mirroring the underlying contour.
Also for interior PlasTeak worked well for me and they have an option thin pad that can be applied as an underlayment that provides a softer cushion feel underfoot. Probably not as soft as Seadeck but still pleasant and a note durable surface.
 
I have Plasdeck as well. One of the reasons I like it (and similar products) is the added water proofing it provides. I have an older boat (69) which is a sedan cruiser very much like a Chris Craft. And my boat and Chris Craft used this product for their decks which is much like a heavier wallpaper except plastic. In refit I had it all torn out and many areas of the deck (wood) was wet.

First the wood was painted with an epoxy paint, then the Plasdeck went over it. I didn't go with a teak appearance as my boat wood in mahogany and the two colours of wood would clash. I have an article from Pacific Yachting from ten years or more ago interviewing the guy who owned C&C sailboats and whatever. He was quite anti-teak anything on boats. He felt teak was used because that was what people expected on a "quality" boat. He felt there were better and lighter woods available. One day I'll type in the article for folks to comment on.
 
We have had Seadek on the steps to our flybridge for 5 years now. Still looks like new. We did it for nonslip steps for our Lab, Radar. Works great but it isn’t cheap.
 
PlasDeck and other similar syn-teak products are amazing. Some are a little better than others, I chose PermaTeek but there are a few brands that are probably very similar in most ways. These products are nearly indistinguishable from real teak in feel and appearance, with the advantage that they are basically maintenance free. Even if stained they can be cleaned and even lightly sanded. They come in a variety of colors including the caulking colors. I've been dancing around this question but now I'll ask directly since I keep hearing that SeaDek is not cheap. Why chose SeaDek over some of the other syn-teak products that look, feel, and wear more like real teak?
 
My deciding factor for PlasDeck was that, if factory done, all the joints are plastic welded. If DIY and others were glued together with basically super glue. I didn't trust it for durability and really didn't want to do it myself completely. I made the templates and factory did all the cutting and assembly shipping me a few pieces (LG & SM) that I did the install.

I did the same w PlasTeak for the interior... I did the template and factory digitized and cut the pad and flooring exactly per template. Very minor trimming it a couple places and it went down EZ

EDIT... I had one hatch and the factory cut kerf was very small and factory advised trim inside / outside hatch was not necessary... even with the cushion pad underneath.
 
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My deciding factor for PlasDeck was that, if factory done, all the joints are plastic welded. If DIY and others were glued together with basically super glue. I didn't trust it for durability and really didn't want to do it myself completely. I made the templates and factory did all the cutting and assembly shipping me a few pieces (LG & SM) that I did the install.

I did the same w PlasTeak for the interior... I did the template and factory digitized and cut the pad and flooring exactly per template. Very minor trimming it a couple places and it went down EZ

Thanks Bacchus. Although I did not do DIY, the process is the same with PermaTeek. Templates are sent to the factory for fab and welding. There are some reviews online, but I think there are 2-3 top brands that follow this process and are the most highly recommended. There is also some owner involvement in the design of the pattern, edges, colors, etc.
 
I have no joints in my Plasdeck material and I too did inside and out.
 
Thanks Bacchus. Although I did not do DIY, the process is the same with PermaTeek. Templates are sent to the factory for fab and welding. There are some reviews online, but I think there are 2-3 top brands that follow this process and are the most highly recommended. There is also some owner involvement in the design of the pattern, edges, colors, etc.
I dont recall which brand but one I considered mentioned welding but after talking to them I found planks were welded but margin board (around outside if desired) was glued.
 
Just out of curiosity, why would someone choose a soft foam decking when there are a number of very good faux teak products that are very similar to real wood and superior in some ways (such as maintenance)?

The folks I know who have used it, both commercial and recreational, have all chosen it because it is much faster and easier to install. Unroll it, cut it with a knife, peel-and-stick (or in some cases glue from a tube).

"Checkered pattern" in gel coat? No problem. Ignore it. Crazing in gelcoat? No problem. Ignore it. Old textured paint? Sand it smooth and no problem. Old chalky surface? Sand to good substrate, but no need for it to be polish smooth. Got some deep chips? Fill with glue (if using glue) or a filler (before sanding).

They aren't looking for the "installation of all time", since they know they will be doing it again in a few years. As long as it is cut to the right shape, down pretty good in general, and down well at the edges, they are happy.

I've seen whole boats done in a long afternoon, large decks done in a short one, and cockpits done over lunch.
 
The folks I know who have used it, both commercial and recreational, have all chosen it because it is much faster and easier to install. Unroll it, cut it with a knife, peel-and-stick (or in some cases glue from a tube).

"Checkered pattern" in gel coat? No problem. Ignore it. Crazing in gelcoat? No problem. Ignore it. Old textured paint? Sand it smooth and no problem. Old chalky surface? Sand to good substrate, but no need for it to be polish smooth. Got some deep chips? Fill with glue (if using glue) or a filler (before sanding).

They aren't looking for the "installation of all time", since they know they will be doing it again in a few years. As long as it is cut to the right shape, down pretty good in general, and down well at the edges, they are happy.

I've seen whole boats done in a long afternoon, large decks done in a short one, and cockpits done over lunch.

So my point once again, if it is not cheap, shy not get something that is more permanent?
 
So my point once again, if it is not cheap, shy not get something that is more permanent?

That is probably a personal decision.
-- If you like the soft feel on your feet, you may prefer it for that reason.
-- I think I remember it is cooler on one's feet than some of the harder plastic teaks. That may be another reason to prefer it.
-- It comes in different looks and patterns and you may prefer one of them to the looks and patterns of other teak systems
-- You'll have to do less prep, which may be a plus, w.r.t. boating time vs project time balance
-- It is probably less expensive per install, especially all in, which may be a plus if thinking about the "today" cost.
-- It'll be faster to install (whether you or a contractor), which may be a plus, w.r.t. boating time vs project time balance
-- It doesn't require special tools, such as miter/chop saws and trim saws, (or seam welder's, if you'd like to avoid caulking planks), which may be a plus, depending upon what you or your contractor already have
-- If done in small sections, it may be more repairable in the event of something major that would damage either.

On the flip side
-- You may prefer the look of the patterns that a different, harder product comes in
-- You may prefer the firmer feel under your feet
-- You may enjoy your boat more and worry less with a harder teak, especially if small defects bother you
-- You may want to "do it and forget it" vs think of it as a maintenance item
-- It may cost less, especially over time, to go with the product that lasts longer, especially if you keep your boat for a long time and pay others to do the installs.

Etc.

There are trade-offs both ways, I suspect.
 
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