In a message dated 02-04-99 1:00:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time, owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com writes: << My personal advice is that it is not easy to repair the spongy deck, and probably not worth the effort! >> My 34'MT when bought last year had a deck like a trampoline and water would squirt up out of the bung holes a inch or more when walked on. I ripped off the teak, cut out top layer of glass leaving about a one inch lip all around. Removed the sodden and rotten plywood squares and cleaned with grinder, wire brush, linoleum knife, whatever - until bottom layer of old glass was clean. Then I replaced the plywood with PVC foam bedded in thickened epoxy. Replaced the old glass after it was thoroughly cleaned also bedded in thickened epoxy. On top of that I bedded a layer of 1/4" PVC foam board, topped with two layers of biaxial glass cloth matting. Around the edges placed a strip of the old teak that I had milled to 3/4" wide with a beveled edge to protect the raw edge of the PVC and cloth. The deck is now solid, water tight, and hopefully will last. Took all last summer to accomplish. Charles Monroe, EBB TIDE, soon to be at the Pt. Patience Marina, Solomons, MD

I'm in the process of repairing a spongy deck, too. If the boat is a good boat and to your liking, you can probably get a good price with the "spongy" decks. It actually isn't that tough to repair - just takes some basic wood working and fiberglass skills, and the willingness to cut into your pride and joy! Beyond that, if you've owned a teaked-deck boat long enough, it will eventually take on water and become spongy, unless repairs have already been made or unless it was built properly to begin with! Usually starts happening after about 12-15 years out in the open. Someone wrote: > > << My personal advice is that it is not easy to repair the spongy deck, and > probably not worth the effort! >> -- Bob McLeran rmcleran@ix.netcom.com M/V "Sanderling" Docked at Point Patience Marina Hailing port: Wianno MA Solomons, MD Hampton 35 Trawler