Living For Sail · video

What this video covers

The owner of the 30-foot sailboat *Antidote* replaces aging cockpit teak with Permateek, a synthetic PVC decking material. After discovering saturated core material beneath the original teak panels, the owner decides to remove the old wood entirely rather than attempt repairs. The process begins by removing the cockpit pedestal and traveler hardware to access the underlying deck. A professional installer uses reinforced plastic material to create precise templates of the cockpit sole and mast base. These templates are transferred to a workshop in Bremerton, Washington, where the synthetic panels are fabricated. The installation technique involves thermally welding individual PVC planks together using a 1600-watt heat gun and a specialized weld cord, which melts into concave channels between the planks to create a permanent, watertight bond. Unlike traditional teak, the synthetic decking requires no mechanical fasteners, relying instead on a full-coverage polymer adhesive for installation. This method eliminates the risk of water intrusion through screw holes.

Boats in this video

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