Teak Stair Threads

[Pete]

I have been on a de-teak path for years on our 48 LRC. All the teak around transom door is gone. The bow pulpit teak inlay is gone. All antenna bases and stand off fairing blocks are gone. The cockpit to boat deck hatch trim teak is gone. What will remain in the end is the hand rails, just too attractive to go. My next project is the teak stair threads that go from the lower deck to the boat deck/salon cabin top, both port and starboard. Today these are 3/4" thick tread inserts, four on each side.

Purpose of this post is to solicit thoughts and experiences to help choose a replacement thread material. My first choice would be a faux teak material that really looks like teak. Another approach is to just use 3/4" prefab fiberglass, paint to match area, and use non-skid on the top as on the decks.

Any ideas and experiences would be appreciated. The solution must be maintenance free and safe for traction when wet.

Thanks

Pete

 

[saltshaker]

Starboard works and looks great. You can buy them pre made as tread replacements. SAMs has them.
http://parts.samsmarine.com/PartSearch/LinkPart.cfm?ItemNmbr=S78843C

 

[Boatsb]

Starboard works and looks great. You can buy them pre made as tread replacements. SAMs has them.
http://parts.samsmarine.com/PartSearch/LinkPart.cfm?ItemNmbr=S78843C

Or if they are not standard sizes I use a cnc shop that can make them out of starboard or other non wood materials.

 

[Cricket]

We made bridge ladder treads from acrylic which were painted and non skidded. Looked great but they chipped on the edges, should have used fiberglass instead of acrylic. After the 2nd paint job we had enough and went back to teak.

 

[eze2bme]

I used 1 inch thick starboard to replace the treads in my ladder from the swim platform to the aft deck. Worked great and with the application of non-slip tape has held up well. I ordered sizes I needed then used my router to round the edges.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I used 1 inch thick starboard to replace the treads in my ladder from the swim platform to the aft deck. Worked great and with the application of non-slip tape has held up well. I ordered sizes I needed then used my router to round the edges.
View attachment 19332

A guy in our marina used a material similar to starboard that is marketed for decks on houses. It looks like wood. He actually had to heat one of the "boards" in a huge oven to get it to bend around the transom as he used it to replace the coaming boards.

 

[oscarvan]

Trex?

 

[Pete]

I need to clarify exactly the steps destine for replacement. Here are two pictures from several years back during a paint job that are not the best but should help. In the full side shot, focus just above the port hole/escape hatch on the side of the hull. The step treads are just above this area. In the other picture look just forward of the left piling where two of the teak treads are visible.

Pete

 

[rsmith]

4 stabilizer blades? What's that about?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

4 stabilizer blades? What's that about?

I think that was common with the air operated ones. Gyro-gale, I think.

 

[oscarvan]

4 stabilizer blades? What's that about?

Fast dive...... Russian subs and all that.......

 

[Pete]

Yes, the stabilizers are Gryo-gale pneumatic stabilizers. They are original from Hatteras that offered them as an option. Mine are the original design that relies solely on a pneumatic gyro for all sensing. Since this is the only boat I have owned with stabilizers, I can not offer a comparative opinion, only that there is a world of difference between having them on versus off.

Pete