Teak Platforms

[Nando]

I don't get it (okay, I don't get a lot of things, but...) I was looking on SIA and there are two of the best looking ProStars ever yet they have teak platforms. Did a quick check of the other Mastercraft listings and all but two of the new boats were teak. Having just spent a couple of hours on my CC platform to get it looking good, I can't see why anyone would go with a wood platform- I mean, it's the only piece of wood on the whole boat- they've gone to great lengths to get rid of all the other wood on boats and yet we keep this one piece. And they're hard on ski bottoms (especially if they're oiled regularly)- give me a nice piece of maintenance-free fiberglass with a nice soft SeaDek covering!

[fox197]

Agree 100% My prostar has fibreglass and can't go wrong

[LeonL]

SeaDek doesn't last forever. It takes punishment from the sun and dries out and deteriorates. The older CC fiberglass platforms with rubber or whatever, gets funky down in the depressions and it skies serious brush scrubbing to keep it clean. And they crack from UV exposure. For me, give me teak!

[supersonicus]

+1 for teak.

[thompjs]

Just slap some Watco Teak Oil on it from time to time.

[MrB]

I love my teak when it's clean and oiled. BUT, I'm tired of it. I'd like to try fiberglass.

[oldjeep]

Sure are pretty, but who needs the maintenance.

[smalor]

Teak on my 89 Centurian Falcon.....no maintenance......works great......love it

[Bulldog]

I LOVE my fiberglass platform. It's the only way to go IMO.

[jedgell]

Just doesn't look right to have a $50,000+ high tech boat with a wood platform.

[PatM]

I paid extra for teak on my 09 SN. The fiberglass ones I saw got beat up. I clean it once a season and never oiled it. Oil gets on the ski and just adds dirt.

[RichardDoane]

@jedgell - I disagree, my prostar with the teak platform looks sweet, and if it gets a scratch/nick then a little sandpaper fixes it with a teak oil touch up, try that when you get a chip in the fiberglass step, or the cat scratches your seadeck

[baja]

Like them both. I have teak on my 94 ProStar 205 and Fiberglass on the 2007 LXI. I oiled the teak annually for the first 10 years to restore the color. Now I've let it mature to the natural grey of all outdoor woods and it should last another 21 years no problem.

[Broussard]

In my opinion the teak platforms look better and nicks can be easily fixed unlike fiberglass.

[rab]

I love the classic look of teak but I also like the extra grip from a fiberglass platform with rubber on it. I slipped off a teak platform that was oiled a bit too much and broke my pinky toe.

[Cumby85]

Because they look awesome. My 16 year old teak.

 

 

 

[Ed_Obermeier]

You guys who say teak is no maintenance please explain that to me. IMO no maintainence = looks like crap.

 

I've had both. Love the look of well maintained teak like on my '05 LXI but liked the functionality of the padded FG platform I had on my '00 Supra Legacy a whole lot more. Like @thompjs said just keep some Watco teak oil on it (after sanding it down to bare wood once) and it looks like new regardless of age.

[ozski]

I don't care as long as the bottom of my very expensive ski is not getting scratched up. I've got a bunch of little nicks in the front of my Quest from hopping off the back. Changed my technique a little with the Helix and its not as bad. At the end of the day I'm going to say no to both, give me carbon fiber please, modern, super cool and less weight over the back of the boat.

[aupatking]

This used too be a shopping mall, now it's all mountains and rivers.

Teak is pretty. +1 Teak. This should have been a poll

[socalskier]

Teak all the way. Prettier and way better for sliding off with jumpers. Very easy to fix a nick in the teak and very hard to fix the fiberglass. Like the godfather said, "It's tradition"!

[Hallpass]

Teak all the way. One of the things I do not like about modern boats are the fiberglass platforms.

[Dacon62]

Teak looks great if you keep it up=work. Won't go back to it.

[savaiusini]

My Prostar originally came with fiberglass and I sold it for more than it cost to buy a new teak one... I second @richarddoane's comments. If you get a scratch, sand it out real quick and slap a fresh coat what ever you use on it. I use this stuff and swear by it.

 

[aupatking]

It says enough that there are no pictures of beautiful fiberglass decks. I get that the things are 100% functional. Their function, over a shorter lifespan does not outweigh the aesthetics and long term function with minimum upkeep. At least, not to me.

Totally opinion though. I actually like to spend a little time with wood. Gotta say too, my Connelly Hook on the shelf is way prettier than my Vapor. I won't be skiing on that Hook.

[GAJ0004]

I would rather have a teak platform. If properly maintained it can take more punishment from every day use from skiing. Mine is 20 years old and still looks as good as it did the day I brought it home, but it has required maintenance. I want to see what a fiberglass platform looks like after 1700 hours. If I did get a boat with a fiberglass platform I would get it in white, and I would cover all the fiberglass parts with shrink wrap tape to protect the finish, an idea I picked up from Randy Meny.

[slow]

Better things to do with my time then maintain a teak platform

[skibug]

Teak all the way. We have a 2012 TXi and found a 2008 LXi teak platform to slap on it. The fiberglass platforms tend to get all beat up, nicked up, etc. Also, the sea deck foam doesn't last forever. $150 to replace it and a lot of work to get the old stuff off.

[rockdog]

Wow, shocked at how many think it's difficult maintenance, I'd hate to see the maintenance paid to the rest of their boat. Light rub and clean and oil recoat once a year it probably the easiest part of keeping my boat tip-top.

[swc5150]

How are you guys beating up your composite platforms? I've had a few of them now, and have never even come close to putting a ding in one. With that said, I have zero maintenance hours on my composite, versus lots on my old teak. Maintaining teak properly takes more than a single layer of oil on the sunny side. Teak does look nice though.

[dthate]

Wood is good....

[andjules]

I don't necessarily agree that it's more durable (it certainly might be) or that it requires no maintenance (it doesn't take much).

 

@Cumby85 said it all: It looks awesome.

Go look at the dash of a Rolls Royce, or a Bentley. Tell me if it's wood or plastic.

 

[swc5150]

I think of a tournament boat more like a Ferrari...no wood on that dash:)

[andjules]

Frankly, the 2nd piece of wood on a ski boat should be the throttle ball. It was sad when that fell out of fashion.

[Nando]

I'm surprised this discussion has been mostly about what they look like. I like the way teak looks, and it's not that big a deal to maintain, I just don't like putting my ski on on the wooden surface when there's the option of a no-scratch one. Two of the boats I regularly ski behind have fiberglass, three have teak (including mine). I just prefer to keep my ski scratchless.

[D-Law]

My teak platform finally bit it. 2003 Nautique 216 and it was never quite right from the beginning. (bad glue, bad piece that started to separate) Went to the Nautique dealer and inquired about a new fiberglass platform. $1,300 plus shipping! Just found a used teak platform online for $300 plus $150 shipping. :)

[skibug]

You can buy them new here:

 

http://www.theplatformguy.com/