Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

Hi all,
Great place you all have here, I am hoping you can offer a newbie some help on a project we are looking at.
The boat is a 70ft power catamaran that is brand new and only 90% complete. The previous owner died before it was complete, so there is not a lot of infomration as to how he was going to complete it with final finishes, so we are working things out as we go.

I have several trades (builder, carpenter, electrician and mechanic) lined up who are all friends and looking for a challenge "Boys project". The problem is none of us are familiar with boat construction, which is fortunate as most of the construction is already complete, it is mainly just fitting of fixtures, upholstery and painting.

I am trying to work out a budget for this project to see if it will fly, but I am coming up on a fairly hefty expense in the decking and flooring. I like the Teak look on the decks and a floating timber floor for the main deck and carpet in the bedrooms.

From the pictures you can see there is a lot of decking required for the outside areas. I estimate there is about 70sq/m of outside decking that needs to be layed. The pricing I am finding is all over $200sq/m for just the fake Teak like isiteek, flexiteak, etc. plus installation. I am hoping that there may be some other options that we have not considered. My mate the builder thinks that we should do a Teak borders with carpet in the middle.
Can anyone offer some alternatives for decking ?

The boat will be worth over $2mil when completed, so it needs to have a good look, I just do not want to be spending over a 100 grand on just the decks
Thanks

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

http://www.awlgrip.com/Pages/awlgrip-home.aspx for the exterior.

Inside,I don't know if you guys have composite decking for homes in your area,but it's light weight and flexible compared to standard wood flooring.It also doesn't require finishing/refinishing.It comes in various sizes,UV stable,and nearly water proof.This seems to be available in your area. http://www.trex.com/au/index.html

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

Howdy iEnforcer,

Welcome to the drydock...

If you give it a bit of time you will get a lot of good input from a bunch of very helpful and knowledgeable boat guys...

You have many options for the flooring on that beautiful craft...

If my math is correct, you are in need of approximately 700 Square feet of flooring...

Some of the high end look, but low end cost ideas that immediately pop into my head are ...

Of course, Marine Carpeting...

Then there is exterior tile that could be installed in the galley area and baths...

A highly durable and slip resistant exterior coating of Gel-coat, done with tasteful patterning
of smooth borders surrounding a textured area...even going so far as to add some coloring...

A limited amount of carefully and artfully placed selection of Mahogany or Teak, separated by any of the above...

Hope some of this helps to inspire...

Best of Luck,
GT1M

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses.
It is a daunting task and the list of items to complete this vessel is growing.
I appreciate the input in regards to the options there are for decking. I was thinking I need the same finish across the boat.
Looking at the options for decking, it looks like I can do some mix 'n match with wood, paint and carpet.
I will find out early next week if the sale will proceed as there is another party with first dibs on the vessel.
The biggest problem is getting it moved from it's current location into the water. It will require 2 cranes, large low loader semi and a team of 5 electricians, as it is very tall (21ft) and will need to disconnect about 15 houses from the grid as the boat is slowly driven to the water. I am hoping this project will happen as it will be a lot of fun.

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

This is going to sound harsh, but... You are in over your head. This is a 70ft yacht. NOTHING is going to come cheap. Using home building supplies to finish off what started as a quality build will leave you with a floating tub that is worth pennies.There is no economical way out of this one. The synthetic teak is probably your cheapest option. If that makes your head spin, just trying to insure or afford moorage for this thing is likely out of your budget.

Try not to take this the wrong way. I just hate to see another enthusiastic boater turn into a failed dreamer who lost a mountain of cash on a fiberglass yard monument. You either have the budget to finish this off right, or you don't. Doing this half way will likely result in a boat no one wants and you will then likely never be able to recoup your investment. Your target market for this boat is very small and the competition is fierce. Don't underestimate how hard this thing is going to be to get rid of.

Edit: Also... this probably isn't the best site to look for advice on this particular kind of vessel. www.boatdesign.net has a large member base with skills and resources that you will find more suited to your needs. You will need real professional help at a level that just isn't available here.

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

Hi,
Nah I do not take that the wrong way as I am sure many people come on here with dreams of a superyacht for cheap. It is important to give people a reality check, but I am trying to be real and ensure it does not turn into a money pit.
I currently have a 18mo 43' Hanse 430E (sail boat), so I know what boats cost to own and run.

This 70ft boat is purely a project to finish and sell, but have some fun along the way with my mates. The problem we have in Australia is that everything seems to cost twice the cost for anything to do with boating. We have a budget of $250k to finish the boat off. Most of the F & F's are onsite and just needed to be fitted, so all we need to really spend money on is skilled labour that we cannot do ourselves and consumables like flooring, lighting and paint.

Working out how much Teak cost to lay freaked me out, as there was so much decking area we needed to cover. The interior is not really an issue as we can use a floating timber floor and carpeting. Looking at many boats on the market, showed me that most had Teak decking, so this was my reasoning for asking for some alternatives to very expensive teak. I am happy with the fake teak products if they are done right, however after some evaluation and thinking, a boat with that much teak would look wrong. Having a mixture of products seems to be a smarter was, as you can create a feature to the decking rather than just one look.

Our boat market is nowhere near as bad as the USA, as we have not hit a recession, more like a cooling of the economy. New boats in the size and volume of this boat are all north of $3mil, so our desire to sell for around $2mil is not unrealistic. We just need to ensure it has the right look and style.

The feedback I am getting from everyone here is great, hopefully we will buy it and then create a thread on the progress for everyone to enjoy.

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

To get $2mil for that, it will have to be finished to a high standard and certified to Lloyds or other qualified standard. Insurance companies are going to want to see certification to that level or it will be a dock condo. To sell in the EU market you will need CE certification. These things are not cheap. You could easily burn $100k on electronics for that boat. Keep in mind that this is not a yacht from a well known reputable builder. It will not command the same level of cash that a new Sunreef with a pedigree will. It will be well into the unknown used boat realm of pricing before it even hits the water.

Who is the design from? This is a very different world from your Hanse. To get top dollar for this will require a broker with some serious skill.

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

if the boat will be worth $2M, then spending $100K on decking would be about right.

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate the input.

This is a serious boat, with a lot of space. There are 4 staterooms, 2 with Kings and 2 with triple single kings, so it will sleep 10 in beds and all staterooms have an en suite with separate head and shower. There are 2 brand new 700hp Detroit series 60's with gearboxes, shafts and rudders all installed. It has 4 large Utek fridges and 2 large utek freezers, washer/dryer and a complete galley with all appliances. The bridge is almost complete with only final wiring of the roof gear (radomes and Ariels). The bridge has 3 Simrad 12" displays as well as electronic detroit controls. There are 5 driving stations with all controls!!!.

As for the value, it is hard to tell, but try to find me a 70ft power boat that is brand new for under $3mil, regardless of who made it. Most boats of this volume new, are well over $3mil, most over $5mil. I know how important the look will be, and have set a realistic budget and asking price target.

The certifications is an interesting comment. The boat will not need any "certifications" to be registered in Australia as it will not be for commercial use, only private use. This requires only the basic safety gear to be registered, however the insurance requirements may be different, I will need to check. The boat's hull is from Crowther Catamarans, so it is a well known and established design company. I am waiting to hear more details about the design from them and how much input they had in the construction.

The guy who built the boat was an engineer who was obsessed with quality (not looks) and it is visible in the construction, it is very well built.

I have been looking at what the current fitout is like in the price range of boats. They seem to now favor the patterned gellcoat on the walkways and bow, with teak for the entertaining areas. The weird part is most go for white carpet in the main saloon areas. I am not keen on a white carpet as it will be way to hard to keep clean. I think a mixture of finishes on the floors and deck will create the look I am after.

Again Thanks for the responses.

Re: Need advice on economical decking for 70ft Cat

Gel-coat for outer surfaces would be the smart money. Teak is a pain in the leg to keep looking million dollar good. Most people I know of want nothing to do with teak about 6 months after they have it, unless they like the gray look.