Cracks in a few planks on the teak deck.

[Make_My_Day]

Our Carena 40 steel ketch has teak over plywood deck construction. The plywood is mounted to steel beams. The boat was built in 1980 and the teak is original. Still over 10mm thick.

I have maintained the teak since we have bought her 7 years ago. Replacing seams with Sika 290 as needed when they detach. The deck is still in pretty good shape considering the age.

Since we’ve left The Netherlands in 2021 we have been in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. A lot of sun needless to say. Sometimes it’ll be dry for months with little to no rain. I have since noticed a few cracks in some of the teak planks. I assume this is coming from the expansion and contraction of the teak.

Any suggestions on how to fill these cracks? I have wood epoxy or Sika 290 available onboard. I also have penetrating epoxy and normal epoxy with various fillers.

Any insight or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[donradcliffe]

I have the same problem on my tongue and groove porch deck in California, where the winter is wet and it never rains in the summer. I first tried exoxy which just made more cracks open up when the wood dried out. Then I tried the 290, and the cracks open up in the summer and bulge up in the winter.

I'd try throwing a bucket of seawater on the deck every other day.

[Cheechako]

I would prefer a sealant over epoxy for that. Something tenacious and flexible.

[psk125]

If you're keeping the teak wetted down, to keep it swollen, could the cracks be coming from the expansion/contraction of the steel, due to the heat? Like Chachako suggests, something that will bulge out and allow the cracks to close up again if they 'want' to is key. Putting a hard filler in the open crack will cause further damage to the wood if it closes up and make the problem worse.

[JPA Cate]

The seawater, daily may be even better than every other day, when the boat is in a very dry area.

Ann

[Make_My_Day]

Thanks for the tips.

I think I’ll start with the simplest of wetting the deck regularly with seawater and see where that gets us. Otherwise I’ll try some flexible sealant like 290PRO or 295UV

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Make_My_Day

Thanks for the tips.

I think I’ll start with the simplest of wetting the deck regularly with seawater and see where that gets us. Otherwise I’ll try some flexible sealant like 290PRO or 295UV

The 290PRO is, (for best results,) designed to be applied over a primer.
The 295UV is primarily used for glass/acrylic/polycarbonate mounting and sealing.
With un-clean/oxidized wood and salt water in the Teak, (and no primer,) the longer-term adhesiveness of 290 will be in doubt.
But it's worth a try, just don't expect a miracle.