ONBOARD Magazine summer 2021

DECKING
TIKAL MARINE SYSTEMS
Tikal Marine Systems from Hamburg, Germany produces high quality materials for the mega yacht sector. They
are specialised in the caulking of teak decks as well as the bonding & levelling of the decks. They offer a 10
year warranty on the products and Tikal TSC is available in black, gray and white. They have gained experience
with teak decks on many super and mega yachts over the past 25 years. Tikal offers professional applicators,
competent advice and an experienced technical service.
For more details Tel: +49 / (0)40 / 526 30 60 3
or visit www.tikal-online.de
Tikal TSC product range
TIKAL MARINE SYSTEMS
Tikal Marine Systems from Hamburg, Germany produces high
quality materials for the megayacht sector. They are specialised
in the caulking of teak decks as well as the bonding and levelling
of the decks. They offer a 10 year warranty on the products and
Tikal TSC is available in black, grey and white. They have gained
experience with teak decks on many super and megayachts over
the past 25 years. Tikal offers professional applicators, competent
advice and an experienced technical service.
For more details Tel: +49 (0)40 526 30 60 3
or visit www.tikal-online.de
cases, depending on the colour, it is impossible to walk on them
without shoes.
Simon Clarke of Yacht Tek in Spain disagrees. He says, “When
comparing the same colours like for like there is very little
difference. He believes that because Flexiteek 2G is less dense
than quality teak it cools underfoot slightly faster than the real
deal. Simon adds, “Older style synthetic teak decking made from
a mixture of PVC and other materials, was certainly warmer than
real wood often by as much as 3 or 4 degrees Celsius. “But,” he
says, “Over the years significant improvements have been made
to reduce the problem so much so that the heat transmitting the
Flexiteek is almost similar in heat transmission as is true teak.
There are many different measurements to be taken into account
when making this argument. “And,” he points out, “When decks
get hot they can be cooled down using water. When you do this
synthetic teak cools faster than does real teak.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Because synthetic decking is manufactured, it comes with a level
of creative freedom. It can appear to flow seamlessly around
obstacles, and because caulking lines are effectively ‘drawn on’
the look can be more uniform. That same sense of uniformity can
however immediately differentiate to the viewer the differences
between teak and fake. Synthetic teaks have in the past been
the subject of manufacturing errors which have cause decks to
bubble swell and disfigure.
Modern manufacturing processes are making such scare stories
a thing of the past. Flexiteek 2G is a synthetic teak/wood product
produced using sanded PVC. It is being increasingly specified
as the decking on many superyacht new builds and is in use
aboard on board many others worldwide. Flexiteek decks offer
less maintenance than a teak deck and do not need to be oiled.
They do not fade or crack and have better non slip qualities that
allows for easier maintenance. They can be pressure washed,
are lighter in weight and can be easily bent and curved in ways
that teak cannot. Compared to teak decks the installation of
synthetic decking takes just a few days and has virtually no
impact on the planning of the yacht build. No painting, sanding or
cleaning afterwards: it is ready for use, instantly. Maintenance
is very low: just flush the deck or use a power-wash.
CONCLUSION
It is quite hard to pinpoint how many superyachts now have
synthetic decks. It used to be that the grander shipyards would
never stoop so low as to install what they saw was an inferior
product. For many years the top end shipyards frowned on
what they called fake teak and snorted contemptuously when
its use was suggested. Over time that has changed and we are
now seeing the greatest growth in the tender market for more
practical hard wearing reasons.
What began as being a good idea for use in tender garages and
for heli-decks if only because of its oil spill stain resistance has
now gown to the point that few shipyards have not installed
composite decking. The use of synthetic teak is gaining ground
with Lurssen, Royal Huisman and Feadship all admitting to having
used it on board significant new builds.
Those more appreciative of naturally occurring materials will enjoy
the natural qualities of teak, along with the sound knowledge that
the real stuff is always going to be more impressive.
Synthetic teak offers benefits from a cost and maintenance point
of view, and can be more easily sculpted to the ever-changing,
dynamic world of yacht design. One word can summarise the
synthetic stuff: easier. They offer real cost benefits over real teak.
They are durable, low maintenance and visually pleasing. There
can be no doubt now that these new synthetic alternatives to
traditional teak superyacht decking are beginning to show their
advantage over the natural product they seek to emulate and
there will become a time when teak is considered as specialist
as copper rivets.
136 | SUMMER 2021 | ONBOARD