Luxury yacht interior design is an art form that combines creativity, functionality, and elegance. It requires careful planning and attention to detail, incorporating the latest trends and selecting the perfect materials and styles. Yacht interiors must not only evoke desired emotions and sensations for the owner but also maintain high levels of functionality, such as cleverly integrated storage solutions and efficient spaces. When evaluating a yacht’s interior design, consider both aesthetics and practicality to ensure your on-board experience is as luxurious as it is comfortable.
The top 7 trends in custom yacht design for 2023 include natural light, connection between interior and exterior spaces, and the use of natural light and connections between interior and exterior spaces. Interior designers like Bryan O’Sullivan and Candace Langan emphasize the importance of optimizing space for yacht living areas, while others like Black argue that the main differences between residential and yacht design are due to limitations on headroom and the need for more services.
Life on the water can be as elegant as on land, and interior designers like Candace Langan emphasize the importance of creating a synergistic experience. Experts share how to make a yacht’s below-deck, yacht interior design stream-lined, safe, and “see-worthy”. Furniture choice is one of the most important considerations for both the style of your superyacht interiors and the safety aspect. Ensuring that the onboard quality of design is up to par with the owner’s expectations is a hugely important part of this process.
📹 Meet Jean-Marc Piaton, Interior Designer of the Sun Odyssey 380
Since 2017, Piaton Yacht Design and Jeanneau have worked closely together to create the new style and interior design of the …
What is a yacht designer?
Yacht designers, also referred to as naval architects, are responsible for the creation of designs and construction plans for a variety of small marine vehicles, including yachts, powerboats, and sailboats. They frequently collaborate with brokerage firms, design shops, boat builders, and academic institutions in the fulfillment of their professional duties.
Can architects be billionaires?
Jack Dangermond, a landscape architect with an estimated net worth of 8 billion dollars, has been identified as a potential investor in real estate or design-focused startups.
Can I design my own yacht?
A semi-custom design is a yacht option that allows the owner to design their own yacht while minimizing build time and budget. The hull form and design are part of an existing series of yachts, and the owner can design the yacht’s décor and, depending on the builder, amend parts of the interior layout. However, this may not appeal to yacht owners who desire a unique look.
A production yacht is the quickest and most cost-effective way to buy a new yacht, as production yacht builders buy materials in bulk and build their yachts quickly due to repetition. This option allows for quicker delivery and possession of the yacht sooner than custom yachts. However, it has less room for owner input on design and some décor choices are typically left open.
Can an architect design a yacht?
Marine architects are professionals who specialize in the design of marine vessels. They possess a unique combination of expertise, including a comprehensive understanding of ship systems. They guarantee that all systems are integrated and compatible, thus ensuring the vessel’s overall aesthetic coherence.
How long does it take to design a yacht?
Designing a yacht is a complex process that can take six months to over a year, requiring an experienced naval architect to produce a complete ready-to-build yacht design. The exterior design process is simpler than the marine engineering and mechanical design services required for the internal systems. The outer shell appearance affects propulsion, electronics, stability, structural rigidity, plumbing, and hydrodynamics. The cost for a yacht “design only” work ranges from $3, 000 to $30, 000, depending on the plan’s details.
Generally, the design cost should not exceed 15-20% of the overall build. However, some small boats with sophisticated onboard equipment and luxury features may require the assistance of a more experienced engineering design expert. The design cost may account for a significant percentage of the overall cost.
Who makes the most money on a yacht?
A yacht captain is a highly prestigious position with a salary of over $187, 000 per annum, depending on experience and the size of the yacht. This unique employment opportunity offers the opportunity to enjoy the natural surroundings and work at sea. Among the many interests of yachtsmen is the popular video game, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), which has over 15 million players worldwide. The objective is to reach the opposing team’s headquarters, the bomb site, and plant the bomb before time runs out.
The game offers multiple maps and modes, and yacht clubs often organize tournaments for sailors to win prizes. CS GO training maps are also available for those who need to improve their gaming skills. Whether a new player or a seasoned pro, the love for playing Counter-Strike is a common thread among yachtsmen worldwide. The game has been around since 1999 and is one of the most popular games globally.
Do millionaires own yachts?
Superyachts have become a status symbol for the ultra-rich, providing secluded leisure and networking sites. They are the single most expensive asset to own, surpassing property. Tech billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Ellison have purchased larger yachts, which are virtual palaces at sea with amenities like gyms, spas, pools, nightclubs, and cinemas. These yachts, typically over 80 feet long, are mostly custom-built and often cost nine figures. Even chartering a yacht for a week typically costs upwards of $1 million.
Why do super rich buy yachts?
The super wealthy often crave solitary ocean existence due to their high-profile public lives and the need to escape crowds and danger. They have an extraordinary wealth of over $30 million in assets and spend around $1. 1 million per year on luxury items, making up around 20% of the world’s luxury market. However, they comprise around 90% of the world’s yacht market, with Russian billionaires owning the world’s most expensive luxury yacht, worth over $1 billion.
Despite the benefits of owning a yacht, there are substantial risks associated with owning one. Boating accidents are common, but sailing requires skill and years of training. The world’s oceans can become choppy, cloud cover can reduce visibility, and weather conditions can make it difficult to determine where you are on the planet precisely. Larger vessels tend to have excellent communication tools, while smaller ones do not. These factors increase the risk of spending life at sea.
Moreover, many of these boats are far from the nearest help, often sailing outside of country jurisdictions, meaning there is little to no security coverage. Yacht owners often have to hire security, particularly if traveling through dangerous areas like the Indian Ocean. The more the super-rich spend on their luxury yachts, the more attention they draw.
The superyacht market is so exclusive that it is difficult for regular people to understand its workings. Researchers are slowly penetrating the market’s elusive milieu by shadowing yacht brokers and using that to gain insights into how it works. The conclusion seems to be that yachts are a status item that allows wealthy people to compare themselves to others. Monaco makes a visible show of this competition, with large and elaborate vessels dominating smaller pleasure craft in size and prestige.
Yachts are a depreciating asset and heavily dependent on the wealth effect. When the super rich feel they have more money, they are more likely to participate in the 20223 yacht clubs market. However, if the economy takes a turn for the worse, they may cancel orders and sell their yachts to the highest bidder. Running a yacht costs around 10% of the purchase price, so a super-rich person who purchases a $100 million yacht can expect to pay $10 million per year in fuel, staff wages, maintenance, and support.
What do you need to be a yacht designer?
A bachelor’s degree in naval architecture or marine engineering is typically required to become a yacht designer. These programs focus on engineering and science concepts, as well as mathematical concepts like trigonometry and calculus. Some programs may allow students to focus on specific areas like sailing yachts. Licenses may be required for certain employment positions, and marine engineers and naval architects may take an examination offered by the U.
S. Coast Guard to obtain a mariner’s license. Higher levels of license can result in higher pay. The first grade is the 3rd Assistant License, followed by 2nd and 1st Assistant Licenses with experience and further testing. The highest grade is Chief Assistant. To succeed in the yacht design field, yacht designers should develop specific skills, concepts, and talents.
Who designs luxury yachts?
British yacht design has seen a rise in recent years, with designers like Tim Heywood, Remi Tessier, Espen Øino, Terence Disdale, and Andrew Winch becoming established names in the industry. Redman and his co-directors have completed projects like Vava II and Hampshire II, showcasing the unique and small nature of British yacht design. Martin Francis, a 73-year-old superyacht designer, was the technical expert for 110m yacht A and is currently working on a Lürssen project.
British yacht design is influenced by education from institutions like Central Saint Martins, the RCA, and the AA. Gresham, a former member of the Williams F1 team, has also ventured into yacht design, highlighting the British psyche’s ability to inspire creative design and engineering.
Do yachties get paid a salary?
A yacht deckhand’s salary can range from $3, 000 to $3, 5000 per month, with rare cases earning over $4, 000 per month. Starting as a junior, the average salary can be between $3, 000 and $3, 5000 per month. Over time, the salary can increase to $3, 500 to $4, 500 per month, with the potential to increase to $5, 000 on the world’s largest superyachts. A yacht deckhand is responsible for maintaining the yacht’s exterior, including washing down the entire superyacht, packing for guests’ trips ashore, painting, stripping, varnishing, waxing, applying Awlgrip, cleaning engines and equipment, and maintaining water toys and tenders. This role requires a good eye for detail, a willingness to work hard, and an energy and enthusiasm. The ideal candidate should be able to listen to instruction and quickly learn new skills.
📹 What Actually Happened To Teak Sailboat Interiors – Ep 274 – Lady K Sailing
This week we take a look at teak sailboat interiors and what actually happened to cause Beneteau, Jeanneau, Hunter, Hanse, and …
I grew up in Newport, Rhode Island and, for not long enough, apprenticed to a shipwright, the late Frank McCaffrey at Narragansett Shipwrights. My job was to rip firring, sweep up, layup, fill, and fair laminates, and find and preserve every scrap of teak, no matter how small. I can still smell it, even in my sleep. Teak has magic spices within it. It never completely leaves you.
Fantastic episode. Thanks for touching on the sourcing of teak wood. Though the SE Asian countries are predominately the ones with the wood. There are numerous areas of Africa that grew it 50+ years ago which are currenlty being logged in conflict zones. Makes it tough to weigh the balance when deciding. Great to see companies looking at alternatives.
Lived aboard 10 years, Pearson 42 factory new in ‘82,I did teak work for a living, still own some raw teak… in todays world it is silly .. hard to maintain, super expensive and no one even knows what it is compared to the past..let it go.. it’s like living in a coffin with all teak and mahogany… some traditions are best left in the past.. 99% of people who sail today are not worth killing a fine old teak tree over.. let it live …
Thank you for the Teak insight. I just bought a boat with a full teak deck and cockpit. It needs cleaning, sanding and repair. It might be its last sanding because it’s a production boat from 2012. I’m debating what to do in the next few years: Do I replace the deck with real teak or use fake teak composite? Real teak now sounds unethical and very expensive.
On the right boat of the right era, a full teak/timber interior is wonderful. A work of craftsmanship to be appreciated and preserved. But for modern monohulls they’re simply too dark and maintenance intensive for long-term living, and for multis it’s essential to use lighter materials. Tradition has it’s place, but so does progress.
Another great episode, Tim, and one I’m sure you enjoyed researching since you’ve been saying for a long time that you’re not keen on Ikea-style interiors. Clearly cost has been the issue, as anyone who has tried to source the stuff for boat repairs will tell you. It seems all those French production boats used teak decking, which is now needing to be repaired/replaced. I think the European boat builders are also plugged in these days to the interior finishing systems being used in European campervans. They look quite similar, and may very well be produced in the same big automated factories. The idea in the vans is to reduce weight, but I wonder how the same sorts of veneers on things like tables will hold up on a boat. My other big issue with these Ikea interiors is the lack of rounded moldings. When you walk through them there are sharp corners sticking out everywhere, especially in the saloon/galley. That spells bruises when you underway and heeled over. As for the darkness of teak below decks, I can understand why many people don’t like it, especially once you’ve spent a few days holed up in inclement weather. My boat, a Catalina 34 mk 2, is much lighter below, but I wasn’t sure what wood was used. After seeing your article, I’ve now done a bit of investigation, and it appears it is mostly ash.
Great article, Tim. I’m an old codger, prefer REAL wood over the Ikea style. But teak here in Annapolis is $50 a board foot the last time I checked. I substituted Sapele for $13 a board foot and to my surprise – it is gorgeous (if darker) – with fine swirls, nearly as hard as teak, saws and sands well, and certainly looks as good, if not better, than teak for inside use. I never cared for teak decks anyway.
My 35′ boat is an ’84, and it’s full of teak and about 20% mahogany, and I love it. A bit dark inside, but when it’s beautiful is beautiful. With the maintenance, well, an onshore house requires the same, or maybe more maintenance. Love the look of those teak deck hand holds with fresh varnish. Someone else can have the production boat.
I don’t particularly care what wood is used in the interior, plenty of other good woods out there. Lots and lots of boats were built with not a scrap of teak anywhere near them, I’m personally a huge fan of white oak. Used to have an old Mathews lobster boat, oak frames, cedar hull and decks. Interior was almost exclusively pine, and while not a sailboat she looked pretty damn good down there.
I grew up in the north of Europe where there traditionally has been two acceptable interior materials: teak and / or mahogany. Funnily enough, there was even a bit of separation, where on the west coast of Sweden, they often used mahogany (think Hallberg Rassy, Najad, Malö) and in Finland (Swan, Finngulf, Maestro etc) and Swedish east coast (Sweden yachts, Cenit, Arcona) they typically went with teak. I realize modern interiors are in some way better, but to me.. I dunno, it feels wrong. I want to be in happy place, in the dark cozy real wood interior. Luckily, my boat, built on Swedens east coast in the 90’s, has full teak interior. I call the interior design style “mood of environmental irresponsibility.” Ah, happy to be a diletant. Even that Hylas, even though I’m sure it’s well built and all, looks like a luxury version of some French 80’s production boat made of cherry or some such shit, the cabinetry is all wrong style wise and high gloss surfaces 😀
As a professional wood worker, I have to say, there simply is no substitute for teak. As a boat owner, I have to say that its use on the outside of boats should be strictly limited (Unless you like spending all your sail time varnishing.) And teak over fiberglass decks is a real deal breaker for me because of the hundreds of screw holes holding the stuff down. (One leak and you’re screwed.) Almost all old decks of the past need replacement because the planks were so thin to begin with. You can’t really sand them thinner since many bungs have been sanded through.
I grew up on Morgan boats. I personally welcome the newer aesthetic. I can’t stand the look of teak and other dark woods. I banged my ankles and knees dozens of times taking a trip to the head in the middle of the night. No matter how many lights I turned on, I couldn’t see because the teak just absorbs all the light. White surfaces let the light bounce around and fill the boat which takes less lights turned on. Not to mention, I HATED having to sand and re-finish all the teak every few years. It was just a nightmare. All that said, to each their own. Why do people gotta be so judgey about other’s tastes?
Well I agree if you are talking about some of the seventies Taiwanese/Hong Kong boats which lined the bulkheads with vertical teak planks, however, most boats built after that used teak veneer plywood with solid teak used only on the corners (ie: Gulfstar) basically what high end boats like the Hylas do today – and that technique does not add much weight while preserving the warm glow of wood. I think the modern production boats look like the interior of the work cubicles in office buildings.
The lack of teak in production boats is largely a function of four things. 1) Design – modern production boat have molded fiberglass interiors with veneer if there is any wood. This design is not compatible with a real wood stick built interior. 2) Lack of skilled wood workers to build the high quality stick built wooden interiors. 3) Time – it takes a lot longer to build one of those old style interiors compared to a molder glass interior with drop in Ikea style furniture. and 4) Price. Teak is expensive as are other hardwoods. Also as I mentioned a stick build wooden interior is a custom interior built as a one off. That takes time and highly skilled labor. Those two elements combine to equal MUCH higher cost before you even buy the $50+ per board foot wood. A fifth consideration is the quality of the wood that is now available. Creating a main bulkhead with the wood on either side of the passage forward being large panels of book matched teak, cherry, mahogany, etc. requires top quality wood. Given current wood quality, that generally means buying two to three times as much wood a you need which greatly increases the cost.
I am in a shipyard, refitting my beautiful lady, an old Oyster SJ41*, when i have a walk with my dog, i clean the walk way (gloves, bucket & go to hunt trash all over the port), and i often find old pieces of mahogany & teak, i store these “false-trash-” in my boat, and make all the carpentry i need with them. * : (btw i did not see the history of Oyster in your website).
Tim, I have an 80s Dutch sailboat with teak finish from floor to the deck. But all of it is veneer. I am certain that all the teak you see on high end boats is veneer. I have worked with high end furniture manufactures and well placed veneer has always been acceptable in high end furniture. So I oils not downgrade boats with beautiful wood veneer interior.
Hello! I have experience with teak wood furniture making. This is easier than you mentioned. In China I saw teak from Birma by round timber log. China have border with Birma. The price for log tiber around 10000 RMB per qbm. It is less than 1500 USD. Of course after sawmill price going higher, but it relatively low compare yacht people expect. About 20000 RMB per qbm I brouth best teak plank for my project. If you need teak I can share contact in China for you. I’m love teak furniture.
This episode hits home for me while I await the closing on our new boat. How’s this for the craziest boat shopping story of 2024… I set out to buy a Viper 640 to put on my local lake until I move back near the ocean in a couple years. (I’m an hour drive) During the shopping process, I asked my wife if there any features she would like on our “little lake boat” and she said, “A wheel, lifelines, and a head.” Well, that wasn’t going to fit on our lakes or be pulled by our Subaru. A couple months later and the seller of a Beneteau 50 slow-walks things past our closing, withdraws the boat, and then relists it a few days later for $50K more. In our sadness we looked at some Nautor Swan ads. This morning, we have a deal on a Swan 59. 0_o I would not have predicted this outcome in a million years.
Teak is great, but not the only “best” timber. There’s others near as good, for internals AND externals. Depends on situation AND taste AND budget AND desired maintenance effort. In my estimate, probably 50% of teak’s popularity today is snobbery and nostalgia. Imo, anyone who obsesses over (solid) teak today is a numpty who deserves to waste their money.
I’ve always said that fake wood grain is the ultimate abomination of woodworking. Those who use it simply have no standards or taste. I’d prefer to have plastic, concrete, or hardboard just look like it is. At least it’s REAL. But I also wondered why you didn’t mention white oak, which is abundant, rot-resistant, and beautiful. And any wood species has its own beauty when properly finished, even though it may not be expensive. Of course, it’s our own fault when we overconsume and a species becomes scarce.
I started building yachts in 1971 and by 1990 I was thoroughly done with sailboat interiors looking like a teak forest. It was especially annoying to see such a premium wood slathered all over cheap sea-going clorox bottles. It was a marketing trend driven by the need to convince the public they were getting a high-end product for the big bucks they were spending on their fibreglass “yachts”. It’s as faux as plastic wood on the dashboard of an Oldsmobile. And by the way, properly done, veneered cabinetry is every bit as good as solid wood (ask Feadship) and saves a heck of a lot rainforest hardwoods like teak, zebrano, mahogany, rosewood, ebony, etc,etc,etc. Wasting teak and mahogany on the interiors of boats has been one the main drivers of the depletion of the resources. There are many of other plentiful and beautiful materials for your interiors if you break out of the teak and mahogany rut and use a bit of imagination.
Largely, I think this comes down to personal taste. While I generally like interiors (house, boat, whatever) done in fine wood and great craftsmanship, I must confess that it can be overdone and some of the older traditional boats do come off as a bit gloomy. I also find that Ikea look very unappealing. So I guess I fall somewhere in the middle in terms of preference. I don’t like to see wood around areas with high water access such as near the sink, or stairs to the cockpit. That just screams maintenance to me and maintenance is not a labor of love, but rather of necessity, so less is more. Off topic question. Whenever sites listing sailboats for sale is brought up on YouTube, it seems to be almost always Yachtworld. What do people think of sailboatlistings and/or other sites? It doesn’t seem like yachtworld has as many listings, but perhaps just my experience.
A view from the UK. Are you serious my sailing friend that seems to sail from an office. I can only conclude from your article that you think all wood interiors are good, all modern interiors are bad. You cannot be more further from the truth. Just because YOU think this way, does not make it true. You are a dinosaur my friend. Living and sailing in your grandma’s wardrobe maybe right for some but for the 21st century some see this as history. Teak – or wood interiors are an anachronism, sorry but my advice is to get into the real world.
The 1936 Berthon Gauntlet we’ve just started restoring on our YouTube website “Journey of Sailing Yacht Syrinx” has a backbone, frames, planks, deck, and houses entirely of solid teak. Interestingly, her interior is mainly from lovely quarter-sawn English oak with just a bit of teak. She’s one of only two Gauntlet’s out of 38 built this way. I can’t imagine what she would cost to build today even if the wood could be sourced. We’re rescuing her following several decades of neglect and her teak construction is the only reason Syrinx is still with us today.
I’m looking to buy an older Alden right now with full teak interior and I was wondering the same thing. I do think there are various woods that could take the place of teak. Even maple is underrated. Some manufacturers like Halberg Rassey are doing full oak which I think looks nice. Definitely modern/ikea sort of aesthetic but the quality is there. Boat I’m looking at now is as classic as they come. Teak & holly floors, V-berth, the works. This article makes me more happy with my decision to lean classic! Thanks!
Hey Tim, I recently found your Chanel, and I find it and you to be awesome. Thank you so much for all the time and effort, and knowledge you put into informing people about entering this lifestyle. As someone who is just getting started into this dream adventure myself. I am curious if it would be advantageous to cover some of the maintenance dos and don’ts. For example, I come from a fairly extensive mechanic background, and when I see you talk about things like sweadge fittings and things my brain says, OK it seems like I should maybe lube those with maybe a silicone based lubricant to keep them nicer for longer and things of that nature. How much of that mechanical background is applicable? And what might I get get myself into trouble with. What products are good for salt and not and things like that. I know that there are a lot of ways to find those answers, but I just thought that maybe it is a topic worth covering, and it seems your experience might lend itself well to it.
Those interiors are primarily mahogany, not teak although mahogany has many of the same issues. It’s very expensive and only grown in a handful of places. Also, the vast majority of what is sold as “teak” anymore isn’t. Most outdoor furniture being sold as teak for example is actually acacia, which has many of the same advantages and appearance but is much less expensive and more readily available. Iroko is another common substitute. I think there are a few reasons they’ve changed, it’s expensive and hard to come by, but the labor involved in building those interiors is so much more, the time to cut, mill, steam, bend, final fit and final finish is extraordinary. Veneer is cheap and eliminates movement associated with climate. Wood expands and contracts with moisture primarily in width. Plywood does not have this issue because it is several thin layers glued together in opposing directions so doors and drawers etc don’t swell and stick with changes in humidity. Also, younger generations like the ikea look, so they get away with it. It’s the same with cars, people think the lcd instrument clusters and touchscreen dashboards are so cool/futuristic and expensive but they are used because they are incredibly cheap. An lcd screen costs much less than 4-8 gauges and it costs next to nothing to program a touchscreen button that communicates via CANBUS running over 2 low voltage wires compared to the cost of the buttons, fuses, relays and wiring used in older cars plus they can use one dash and program it based on options rather than have several different dashboards based on optional equipment.
What is the fascination with wood on a boat? Neither look nice and are silly choices for interiors on a boat since boats are in high moisture enviroments their whole life. Wood and water dont mix people! Someone in the home building/sales industry needs to show these boat dudes how to design an interior that is atractive and NO maintenance.
I have some teak built into my 1980’s Golden Hind. Cannot get new replacements (at almost any price) here in Europe. Internal joinery is Sepele. I have had some success getting replacement with old external doors (if you are very, very careful). The second option is Iroko. Its a pig to work, and does not weather the same – but – it can look good if finished. Old Iroko is common enough in old (garden) decking or doors.
I have a 1986 Catalina which has a lot of teak compared to newer boats and even to some of it’s contemporaries. I have some teak around that I got deal on some years ago. But I have used Catalpa, an North American tree that is sort of hard to find but not too expensive. Very rot resistant. It was grown by farmers back in the day and used for fence posts. Looks like Oak but better rot and check resistant. Also Black Locus is great for boat building and much cheaper. They don’t look like teak but, great alternatives.
I weirdly prefer the epoxy interiors. If I can just spray it with a mixture of chemicals, let them rest for a few minutes, wipe them off and be done, GREAT. I understand the appeal of classic interiors, but I cannot begin to want to maintain them. Just give me wipe-n-go. And the ability to have whatever color suits my fancy.
Bamboo is a grass that is very close in strength to aluminum. In WW 11 Sitka spruce was used to build the famous Mosquito bomber. It was so fast that the German fighters were left behind. Bamboo weighs 20 pounds per cubic foot but spruce weighs 27 pounds per cubic foot. Bamboo’s tensile strength is 28,000 psi and aluminum’s tensile strength is 30,000 psi but its weight is 166 pounds per cubic foot. They make marine-grade boards and plywood using bamboo. When it is harvested the stump grows back in 5 or 6 years. For catamaran boats, it is very light and strong.
There is plantation teak, very eco friendly, and although not as drable, is great for interiors. Also can use ipe for exterior durability. Cyprus and cedar heartwood is good and from USA. I use them on my Pearson 35. Light color seems bigger inside and so I have white cedar bulkhead and tan deckhead, with some ipe and teak topside. Cheers
So from my initial view on these two styles of interiors. I prefer the Ikea light wood on white vs the red wood that would be considered the legacy design. I’m not calling the light wood real solid wood but more synthetic wood. It’s might be a generational thing. I’m only 31 years old. The change in interiors over time might be an interesting topic to cover in the future. I do appreciate good craftsmanship especially with wood but I’ll still choose the Ikea design for yatchs.
Well don’t have to be a rocket scientist the world has 8 billion people, when i was 30 you could get old growth teak,mahgony 15/16 inchs wide 2 1/4 inch rough cut, those years are gone, i almost cry about the jobs i did an ended up not getting paid for the work and money on peoples boats, bottom line is it’s not for sale so next best is white oak structure and cherry for interior and get the money up front
hardwoods are also out of fashion generally in Europe where the main issue is not ethical but rather that it makes for too dark interiors weather on land or boats….the price of antique furniture has collapsed so as nice as teak interior look, you got to roll with the times and brighter boats are also a good thing
A couple points: Iroko is a good substitute for teak. I just used it to make a replacement seahood and it looks amazing. Yes, teak prices have gone crazy, but also the shift away from it also just mirrors the shift away from quality furniture. It’s cheaper (materials and labor) to screw together plywood. Boat builders could just make beautiful materials out of solid cherry, or Brazilian cherry if it was just about moving away from teak. Yes, teak (and mahogany) make for a dark interior and each to his own. We elected to keep it and use light cushions and maple slats on the walls (and more lighting) to help things balance out.
Wood doesn’t belong on a salt water boat. It is the worst material to have on a boat. 90% of the repairs and failures that I’ve had to fix on people’s boats, is from the wood failing. Interior wood is one of the worst. The mold, the mildew build up, the rot. No one and I mean NO ONE actually fallows through with the level of maintenance, throughout the boats life, that is required to keep the wood from becoming such a massive issue, that the only solution is to hire someone to come in, rip it all apart and replace all the rot.
My attraction to sailing in general is to connect with nature as well as humanity’s past. To days where technology was limited and artistry ruled. To when boat lines were beautiful and beams narrow. I do like the odd charter on the big condo but for my day to day, give me the beautiful warm wooden interior…..But not overly excessive “woodiness”!!!! 😂
I’ve been researching teak alternatives for the last few years. The leading contender is black locust but I’ve not yet put it into practice. For the interior without lots of exposure. To UV light and salt I’m thinking of using Brazilian teak. It looks close to real. Teak and it readily available and reasonably priced around $12 a foot.
That’s a great question, of course, where is the teak? the next big question is where is my money (to pay for the teak)? the answers: no teak no money The conclusion: that boat on which you wanted to go to wait for death after your retirement while you take advantage and enjoy the time sailing does not exist or you can’t afford it … do you change your plan? or …? please answer this questions ….
I think the current standard is keep the gelcoat no skid until it gets too much crazing, and only then get the FlexiTeak. For a 53′ performance Cat I estimated FlexiTeak fore and aft added at least 600 lbs (275kg) to the boat. On a performance cat, you don’t want to add weight if you don’t have to. (the 600 number is my estimate so I might be completely wrong.) On my boat there’s no exposed wood at all. When I went out to see it the first time I walked past hundreds of poorly maintained boats covered in faded uncared for teak. The cure for the Ikea flatpack look is to select a few key elements of the cabin woodwork and do something special. A bit of inlay and veneer on the table, a panel or some fret work on a cabinet or book case, maybe the cabinet doors in the cabin. I noticed on a 32′ Hunter I visited in Annapolis there was just a touch of woodwork that caught my eye, like Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn sitting at a bar full of college kids all wearing the same t shirt. The Hylas looks great. To get a boat like that without going broke, without having top side teak that has to be redone every year, and without that ever vulnerable wood core hull, 2000 to 2016 boats. To also get all your specs at the end? My Hunter Passage 456. Going to really hurt selling her.
I don’t like the heavy wood interiors in boats, and when I do one up, it’s going to be very light coloured, which I find a lot more appealing. I’m not really sure what materials yet. I once knew A Guy who worked in a Saw Mill in Vientiane in Lao. He was explaining to me that the French, in the colonial days, pre Conflict in SEA, planted a huge amount of plantation teak, they recognised the value in it, and that it would become scarce. Those plantations are still there, a 100 years later, and is being harvested now. The problem with it, is that it is much lighter coloured, and no where near as tight grained as natural teak, it just doesn’t look the same, I’ve seen it. It’s also not so oily. Natural teak is a low canopy tree, that grows in heavy shade in jungles, really, really slowly, which is where it gets it’s tight grain from. The plantations, naturally enough, were single species (Teak….), in full SEA sun, and grows much bigger, and quicker. It gives a very different type of wood, that grows much straighter than natural teak, but much, much quicker. There is plenty of teak available, it’s just not the right stuff for the traditional teak using industries.
Good riddance to teak imo! Now we have an absolute moral duty to avoid it too. * As a kid, I didn’t mind working teak on weekends on Dad’s boat. * As crew of a wooden warship, I learned to bloody hate teak. And brass. Nope, panda-skin seat covers don’t appeal to me, even though panda hides tan up well.⚓
INCORRECT — Get over it. Teak is a product that can be farmed like any other crop. Warren Buffet explains this in his discussion on the magic of the Bond Market, which knows how to price things over a hundred year period. (the value of the “bond” will change throughout the maturity period of that 100 years and will be priced market perfect – this is done with Scottish whiskey over a 50 year period). To the extend that some third world country doesn’t know how to manage that crop, then that is the problem. Had it been grown in the US it would be fully planted and harvested as needed. That is why there are more trees in the US now than at any time in history So all you crazies out there that say there is something wrong or immoral about teak, just get off you idiot horse. Go plant it. It can grow just about anywhere that is hot – probably could grow it in Florida if the market was worth it (it is not, of course, worth it). In fact, it is not even native to Burma. Much like Rubber trees, they were transplanted to that country.