Fiberglass or Teak

My fiance and I are getting a new boat (04 VLX, oh yeaH...) and I want a fiberglass platform. I think they are lower maintenance and just look better with the boat. Our Sunsetter has a teak platform and the only reason it looks as well as it does is because my fiance works his butt off maintaining it. Does anyone have any opinions on fg v. teak? I have heard a couple of things about color bleeding from the platform...
Jesi

I've got an X-2 and the fiberglass platform. It's great and prefer it over the teak. Maintenence is one thing, but I believe it just goes nicer with the boat.

One thing though, some teak platforms come with something called a "transom saver". This is a raised plank on the platform that keeps ski's and boards from hitting the transom. My fiberglass one doesn't have this and I've been debating whether to but a strip of somthing (like rubber matting) along the back of the transom to keep it from getting dinged up.

Any color besides white will have alot of scratches on it.Something to consider.I have a black one(until my teak comes in)and after using fiberglass....I would only use wood.But I do like the way the glass looks....and the black matt/grip stuff leave foot prints on my white interior.

I have heard that happens (the footprints)
We are definitely only considering white. We are getting a white hull anyway. Less work.

Fiberglass platforms have a tendency to hurt the knees when you get out of the water. The rubber on them is HARD! Fiberglass can spiderweb and crack when it gets bumped, damage is ugly. If you like to sit on the swim step in an expensive bikini, it will fray your bottoms (wife knows this well).
Teak-fades and needs TLC in the off season, but teak is a little stronger, and cheaper to repair if it gets dinged. Just some thoughts!

i think teak looks the nicest if you are willing to take care of it.

teak is definitely more maintenance but i love the look... just a personal preference you have to decide on.

in either case, the transom saver is KEY unless you really want your gelcoat pummeled by newbies.

I know it's more work, but I prefer teak.

I've seen and used fiberglass, teak, rhino liner over teak, fiberglass matted. I still prefer teak.

I'm sure it's a loosing battle in the long run. Eventually it will all be glass.

I had the debate with my son over fiberglass vs teak.

I had previous expereince with teak so that is what I went with. When I put the boat away after a weekend I apply a little bit of teak oil, focusing on the spots that have been scuffed. A couple of minutes work keeps the teak looking "nice". If you want it to look "great" it will be a bit more work to clean it and reapply the oil.

My previous boats all had teak platforms. When they got really bad I would take a belt sander and really sand it down. 10 minutes of work and the platform would look like new again. Even the chunk that was gouged out from the boat slipping under a dock while stern tied was sanded smooth and looked fairly reasonable, a repair that would have been impossible on a fiberglass platform.

I have been waiting to see a similar boat as mine but with a fiberglass platform after a couple hundred hours of use. I got tired of telling my guests to sit down and put the board off the platform instead of sliding off, so now I just sigh, apply a bit more oil, and wonder how the fiberglass platforms hold up to that abuse.

Rod

teak

Really think it depends on how the fiberglass plaform is constructed personally If it is bolted on in the way the mastercraft ones are then I think I'd go teak. but my Skicraft Senator (see profile pic) had it as part of the boat at was sturdy as hell. It was marine carpeted on top and looked really good after 150hrs with no signs of wear except for the carpet flattening down a bit.

I'm building a deck right now out of marine grade plastic...two 3/4" pieces welded together. This has been a winter project (that has extended into summer somehow), but I think it will be nice when it's done. No maintenance but a little different look and feel than fiberglass (and much more durable).

Here are a couple of photos...one of the two pieces that shows the machined area (where I'll put either Gator Grip or Hydroturf) and the whole deck...the second photo is a test plate that shows how the two white pieces will be held together with the black welding rod. Everything will be rounded over and made smooth, so I'm hoping it's easy on the body and feet. We'll see. I'll post some photos when it's done.

thats a sweet platform

JB that platform looks great!! Nice that Air logo!!

I prefer teak. I doubt if it's more maintenance then a FG. A FG you need to clean more (because you see more on it) and wax it as often as the boat. Teak however needs a little oil once a month...
But the main reason liking teak is that I think teak looks and feels 100% better (new or (ab)used) then a FG! But it's all personal.

(Message edited by Laptom on June 25, 2004)

Our FG deck on our 04 SAN is beat to hell and has chips all over it. I wonder how much a wood one costs now...

I had a 85 ski centurion with a teak platform and teak wood in other places.The boat was very nice and taken care of,but alot of time and elbow grease to keep it that way.Teak stays nice when always in water when you oil them that is trying to repel the water a debate in itself.Now I have a MC Tristar it has a intergrated swim platform with texture with in the fiberglass,not faded or scratched up.If I could aford a new boat depending brand I would go with fiberglass.If you have chips in your fiberglass wood is alot softer so I think it would still look like ••••••

John, not sure what you are doing to your deck to beat it to hell. My last 2 boats have had fiberglass decks and I have had no problems at all.

I think it all depends on how you use your deck. If I had a fiberglass deck, it would look like crap within the first week.

Yes the teak deck is more work to maintain, but a fiberglass deck CAN'T be maintained. My teak deck is pretty hammered right now, but I know with 15 minutes of labor, it will look brand new again.