Need long term review of SeaDek vs carpet

[Bill D]

The SeaDek currently in my boat has been installed since June 2011. It is still in good shape. You can tell that it has been worn down in the main areas when comparing to lesser used areas like at the front of the bow under the little seats. There are also a few spots where you can see something has been dropped and left a little mark. I have the mocha/black teak and it can get hot when sitting in the direct sun, but it's not as hot as the seats.

Overall, I am very impressed with the condition after 5 years. I also clean mine with a medium deck brush and a very small amount of boat wash after each outing. I bought a complete set through the group buy last year with the intent to replace it this season, but I thought I could get one more year out of the current set. There are a couple different products out there now that are similar to SeaDek. I haven't seen any others up close, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are just as easy to live with.

 

[McMark]

Keep your carpet in case you need to have service. Then throw it over your seadek before you take your boat in.

I actually prefer the bare fiberglass floor but then again I've never set foot on seadek.

 

[0627Devildog]

Keep your carpet in case you need to have service. Then throw it over your seadek before you take your boat in.

I actually prefer the bare fiberglass floor but then again I've never set foot on seadek.

Once you Dek, you never go back. . . .

 

[bthessel]

So I was already considering this, after reading reviews when is the next group buy?

 

[2nazt]

September @bthessel

 

[LyonsAR210]

@bthessel the group buy is usually towards the end of the season, around September I think. @JetBoatPilot will have more information and it will be on the front page of the forum page. From the people who have shown interest on here and Facebook, it sure looks like the threshold for a 30% discount is a good possibility!

 

[Evil Sports]

I could be in for the group buy

 

[jawsf16]

I have been considering adding it to my cockpit. The platform has been excellent for the last couple of seasons. Plus the cockpit will be way easier to install.

 

[SoFla David]

How about 7 years?

I believe I was the second person to install seadek on a Yamaha when they first started making the kits (the first was another member here in Miami who's boat they used to make the template)

After 7 years of use in Florida sun and saltwater, it still looks brand new except for three minor blemishes:

1) the area in the bow between the seats has lost its texture. This was apparently an issue with the first kits. It was supposedly caused by the Suns reflection off the curved seat platforms that somehow acted like a magnifying glass and slowly melted the material. Doesn't look bad and hasn't come apart, but if you look closely, you can definitely tell the texture is gone in that little area.

2) there is a "blister" just in front of the ski locker where apparently the adhesive has come loose from the floor. It is still firmly attached all the way around it, but there is a noticeable blister about size of a coffee can in the middle. Not sure if it is related to the sun damage mentioned above, or if there was a spot on the floor that wasn't clean when I installed it and the adhesive didn't stick like it should have. Everywhere else on the boat, the adhesive is still good. No peeling edges or anything like that.

3) the swim deck has a couple of small tears from climbing in and out with shoes, and from loading and unloading gear through the swim deck. This is normal,wear and tear and I don't blame the seadek in any way. On the contrary, it has held up much better than I expected.

I have the slate grey color in the cockpit and bow and the teak in the swim platform. You can see the teak in my profile pic.

 

[Bennie]

How would you guys compare the heat to the bare OEM fiberglass floor? (I would be purchasing the mocha color)

As I boat in the far south that's my only real hold back on this mod. We have it on our swim deck but it's constantly wet and hence not a true comparison. Thanks!

 

[2nazt]

@Bennie Im in South Florida and mine is Gray and it does get hot. Once a little water is on though it is okay. Even outlet floor would get hot but can't compare to the bare floor for the summer months though.

 

[Bill D]

@Bennie I have the mocha color on mine. If it's sitting in the direct sun, it'll get hot. Not asphalt hot, or as hot as the seats can get, but hotter than is comfortable to stand on. However, once it gets a little water on it, it is very comfortable.

I don't have any bare fiberglass spots to compare to, but I feel that it would be a little hotter than the bare glass.

 

[Speedling]

Everyone seems to be mentioning the heat on it. The carpet doesn't seem to get hot. Perhaps because it breathes?
The snaps do though!
Is it due to the color you are choosing or more from it not being able to breathe through the product?

 

[Bennie]

@2nazt @Bill D - thank you guys. I think I'll keep with my bare floor for now.

 

[0627Devildog]

Everyone seems to be mentioning the heat on it. The carpet doesn't seem to get hot. Perhaps because it breathes?
The snaps do though!
Is it due to the color you are choosing or more from it not being able to breathe through the product?

I have the light grey faux teak. . . .and it can get uncomfortably warm (not hot) after sitting in direct sunlight for a while. As I said earlier though, easily remedied with minimal spritz of water or wet feet.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Maybe our feet get used to it down here..... it gets warm but not so much that you can walk on it.

 

[Bill D]

This question gets asked a lot, and I wasn't really satisfied with my "hot but not too hot..." answer. I remembered I ordered samples of a bunch of different colors from SeaDek a log time ago, so I figured I would get a little more scientific.

I laid all the samples in the driveway in direct sunlight for three hours.


The details... It's 91* with a "feels like" of 97*.
Concrete - 122*
Asphalt - 140*

White fiberglass - 102*
Mocha Teak - 142*
Storm Gray Teak - 143*
White - 107*
Black - 149*
Snow Camo - 124*
Aqua Camo - 127*
Bimini Blue - 130*
Storm Gray - 141*
Cool Gray - 123*
Caribbean - 109*
Bahama Blue -123*

Edit: All measurements were taken with el cheapo IR thermometer purchased from Amazon, so please allow for margin of error.

 

[swatski]

@Bill D thank you, great write up! Very informative.

 

[ncnmra]

I installed it this year. 100x better than the carpet for maintenance, although it does require a bit of elbow grease to clean. I'm still in the babying phase, and I feel that it is less durable than I had hoped. Ie: I already see a scratch (maybe from a moving bag or something?), there is a small nick (toenail, or something dropped?), and the anti-pooling poles WILL leave dents (although mine came up after I realized this).

The look and feel is incredible though. This should be a factory option.

A few questions for other owners:
1) When you clean with Simple Green, are you using it full strength? Are you rinsing it out after?
2) How do you fix scuffs or tears? A dab of super glue maybe? I have a very small (about 1/8" nick where a the piece is still attached).

 

[haknslash]

I'm in for the next group buy I believe. I didn't take my carpet out of the bag when I bought my new boat and I use the bare fiberglass with snaps exposed (for now).

I'll gladly put up with the heat of the SeaDek than the pain of a snap! OUCH is all I can say! Snaps leave a nice round bruise on your knee as I found out yesterday