Replacing the deck on MK1 33

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

The deck on my 1973 N33 is totally gone and no part of it is attached to the boat any more as it has all lifted.

Does anyone have any experience of removing the teak deck and replacing it – probably with fibreglass (can’t really warrant the price of new teak!)

I believe that the sub deck on this age will be ply wood, not fibreglass and no core, which I would also replace if required. Does this ply make up the roof of the cabin or are there battens across and a second ply layer for the ceiling?

Just after an idea before I start ripping into the boat!

Thanks

[John Crump]

Kieran,

My previous boat was TACKLEWAY – a 1972 33. It had had the deck entirely replaced in the 1990s. Beneath the teak cladding lies a plywood deck which I understand was NOT marine ply. The plywood is supported by wooden cross frames and, I think, wooden longitudinals that run down the inside of the fibre glass hull. Water penetrates the teak around the screws and then rots the ply and perhaps the frames as well. I sold the boat in 2016 to a man who lives and keeps the boat at Cowes, IW. Unfortunately he is not yet a member of the NA (but I intend to approach him about that in the new year!) He has a set of photographs recording the work involved in replacing the deck and deck structure. The work was done by a previous owner who was a joiner / carpenter by trade. The latter told me that it took “2 years of his life”. He replaced the rotten beams and then the deck, this time with a thicker marine ply. Then the deck was sheathed with glass-fibre before being re-clad with 4 mm teak strips – which by 2013 had worn through in places!
I am afraid that I cannot advise details of the current owner of TACKLEWAY without his permission (and I have no e-mail address) but when I contact him in the new year I will ask for his permission to inform you.
I am afraid that this will be rather depressing news for you – but is of course a worst case scenario.
Regards,
John Crump (South Coast Secretary and Membership Secretary from February 2018)

[Anonymous]

Thanks, John,

Thank you for your reply.

The boat has been in Spain for the last 20 years so has been in a fairly dry climate, hopefully this has saved the struts under the ply! If it is just the ply that has gone in places then I should be able to sort it myself – anything more and she may find herself in a professional boat yard!

Kind regards,
Kieran

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