Teak decks are great while they last but eventually they wear too thin to hold the seam caulking and fastener plugs. This was the case with HIGH HOPES, a Nauticat 44 when she came to us. It was also apparent that the deck structure was inadequate: the foredeck area was sagging for lack of proper support and the tension of the lower shrouds had caused local distortion of the side decks. It was clear that the teak decking had to be replaced and that the fiberglass deck under it needed to be beefed up in places.

After considering several alternatives, the owner decided to replace the teak with a synthetic sheet material made by Vetus, called Happy Elephant. Gold Star Marine had used the material on many other vessels, with excellent results.

The project involved these steps:

• Remove the ketch rig and bring the boat inside
• Remove the teak decking
• Plug the fastener holes with epoxy putty
• Apply new fiberglass laminate to the entire deck area
• Build up the foredeck area with a foam core laminate
• Fill and fair the entire deck area
• Gelcoat and polish the water ways
• Make patterns and cut the sheet material
• Apply the Happy Elephant
• Stand back and admire the result!