DECKING


TIKAL MARINE SYSTEMS Tikal Marine Systems from Hamburg, Germany produces high quality materials for the mega yacht sector. They are specialised in the caulking of teak decks as well as the bonding & levelling of the decks. They offer a 10 year warranty on the products and Tikal TSC is available in black, gray and white. They have gained experience with teak decks on many super and mega yachts over the past 25 years. Tikal offers professional applicators, competent advice and an experienced technical service. For more details Tel: +49 / (0)40 / 526 30 60 3 or visit www.tikal-online.de


Tikal TSC product range


TIKAL MARINE SYSTEMS Tikal Marine Systems from Hamburg, Germany produces high quality materials for the megayacht sector. They are specialised in the caulking of teak decks as well as the bonding and levelling of the decks. They offer a 10 year warranty on the products and Tikal TSC is available in black, grey and white. They have gained experience with teak decks on many super and megayachts over the past 25 years. Tikal offers professional applicators, competent advice and an experienced technical service. For more details Tel: +49 (0)40 526 30 60 3 or visit www.tikal-online.de


cases, depending on the colour, it is impossible to walk on them without shoes.


Simon Clarke of Yacht Tek in Spain disagrees. He says, “When comparing the same colours like for like there is very little difference. He believes that because Flexiteek 2G is less dense than quality teak it cools underfoot slightly faster than the real deal. Simon adds, “Older style synthetic teak decking made from a mixture of PVC and other materials, was certainly warmer than real wood often by as much as 3 or 4 degrees Celsius. “But,” he says, “Over the years significant improvements have been made to reduce the problem so much so that the heat transmitting the Flexiteek is almost similar in heat transmission as is true teak.


There are many different measurements to be taken into account when making this argument. “And,” he points out, “When decks get hot they can be cooled down using water. When you do this synthetic teak cools faster than does real teak.


ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES Because synthetic decking is manufactured, it comes with a level of creative freedom. It can appear to flow seamlessly around obstacles, and because caulking lines are effectively ‘drawn on’ the look can be more uniform. That same sense of uniformity can however immediately differentiate to the viewer the differences between teak and fake. Synthetic teaks have in the past been the subject of manufacturing errors which have cause decks to bubble swell and disfigure.


Modern manufacturing processes are making such scare stories a thing of the past. Flexiteek 2G is a synthetic teak/wood product


produced using sanded PVC. It is being increasingly specified as the decking on many superyacht new builds and is in use aboard on board many others worldwide. Flexiteek decks offer less maintenance than a teak deck and do not need to be oiled. They do not fade or crack and have better non slip qualities that allows for easier maintenance. They can be pressure washed, are lighter in weight and can be easily bent and curved in ways that teak cannot. Compared to teak decks the installation of synthetic decking takes just a few days and has virtually no impact on the planning of the yacht build. No painting, sanding or cleaning afterwards: it is ready for use, instantly. Maintenance is very low: just flush the deck or use a power-wash.


CONCLUSION It is quite hard to pinpoint how many superyachts now have synthetic decks. It used to be that the grander shipyards would never stoop so low as to install what they saw was an inferior product. For many years the top end shipyards frowned on what they called fake teak and snorted contemptuously when its use was suggested. Over time that has changed and we are now seeing the greatest growth in the tender market for more practical hard wearing reasons.


What began as being a good idea for use in tender garages and for heli-decks if only because of its oil spill stain resistance has now gown to the point that few shipyards have not installed composite decking. The use of synthetic teak is gaining ground with Lurssen, Royal Huisman and Feadship all admitting to having used it on board significant new builds.


Those more appreciative of naturally occurring materials will enjoy the natural qualities of teak, along with the sound knowledge that the real stuff is always going to be more impressive.


Synthetic teak offers benefits from a cost and maintenance point of view, and can be more easily sculpted to the ever-changing, dynamic world of yacht design. One word can summarise the synthetic stuff: easier. They offer real cost benefits over real teak. They are durable, low maintenance and visually pleasing. There can be no doubt now that these new synthetic alternatives to traditional teak superyacht decking are beginning to show their advantage over the natural product they seek to emulate and there will become a time when teak is considered as specialist as copper rivets.


136 | SUMMER 2021 | ONBOARD


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164