They would seem to be succeeding too, because Flexiteek was one of a number of winners in the DAME awards at the METS international trade show in Amsterdam in November, and an European dealer network that Golden Arrow Marine has set up is thriving - dealers have now been appointed in Spain, Italy, Germany and elsewhere.

"The Italian market has gone crazy for Flexiteek", claimed Golden Arrow Marine's Managing Director. "We are getting 4-5 e-mails from Italy alone every day, and have had more than 350 enquiries about the product since the beginning of the year".

Teak alternative Bizzell says Flexiteek is becoming widely accepted as a genuine high quality, low maintenance, non slip alternative to teak decking, although he points out that Golden Arrow Marine doesn't sell the product as a "cheap" alternative to real teak.

"A lot of teak decking is really just teak ply, and we don't necessarily come in any less expensive than that, but compared with solid teak we are less expensive, probably 15-20 per cent less. We market the product as a modern, high tech, UV-resistant, non-slip, stain resistant alternative to teak, " he explained.

"It has been chosen by Sealine International for the deck covering of the bathing platform on their innovative S48, and in a recent boat test by Motor Boat and Yachting it received a lot of praise, Bizzell explained.

Motor Boat & Yachting 's boat test paid testimony to the non-slip properties of Flexiteek. "It's grippy enough when dry, but when covered in water its nonslip properties become even more outstanding. I'd sacrifice all my grey, weathered teak for this amazing stuff any day, " claimed an effusive review.

Bizzell told Boating Business that other users of Flexiteek now include Aquastar, Fairline/Peters Plc, Luhrs Marine (on the Legend 290), Ballistic Marine RIBS, Three C's Marine on their RIBs, Pristine Marine, John Sharpe Associates, Caledonian Marine, and a number of others.

Said Bizzell: "We have even completed non marine projects with Flexiteek, in the form of a 20 square metre patio area for house that was being converted on the Isle of Wight. This proves the versatility of the product and that it definitely has uses outside of boating".

The product was to be found on the Golden Arrow Marine stand at recent boat shows, and was particularly well received at Southampton last September.

"More and more boatbuilders are listing the product as a factory fit option", explained Bizzell, "and we are being asked to quote for more and more refits and 'one offs'", he explained.

Fitting service Bizzell says Golden Arrow Marine's product is backed up by a comprehensive service. "We don't just ship boxes of Flexiteek, we will actually go to the yard, measure up, produce a template and then supply and fit, if required".

Apart from the advantages for boatowners, Golden Arrow claims that using the product also has a number of other advantages for boatbuilders - the main one being that it is easy and quick to fit.

Bizzell says that most of the Flexiteek that the company supplies is a 'new teak' colour that comes with two choices of caulking - black or ivory - and says most boatowners prefer a 'new' look rather than something that looks more 'weathered'.

Like its principal competitor, Flexiteek is a convincing and practical alternative to teak decking, and most of the boatyards that have used it are quick to highlight its nonslip qualities.

To the eye and touch, Flexiteek and Tek-Dek are both very similar to real wood. Both are extruded PVC products too, Flexiteek being produced entirely from synthetic 'O' class material, and thus being flexible, extremely stain resistant and, importantly, fire resistant. The yards that Boating Business spoke to confirm that it continues to clean easily and come up looking like a newly laid teak deck.

Another major advantage of using it is that because there is no veneer involved with the production of Flexiteek it is 'solid colour' throughout its thickness, and can therefore be sanded in the same way as wood, resulting in its natural look and feel.

Installing Flexiteek is fairly straightforward too. As Bizzell explained to Boating Business , planks can produced in almost limitless lengths and the product's integral caulking strip acts as a locking device to the next plank - rather like fitting a wooden floor at home. No drilling or screwing to the deck is required, and the planks are simply clipped together edge to edge and glued down with epoxy or polyurethane adhesives. The planking can be curved by slightly heating, on cooling it takes up its new shape.

Tek-Dek rolled out in Europe Andrew Oates, one of three Directors at Southern Ocean Marine Equipment in Upper Froyle, Hampshire, says he feels that non-traditional decking will grow in popularity as boatowners and boatbuilders make use of more and more advanced materials, such as carbon fibre and GRP, which are used to provide structural strength, and materials such as Kevlar are used to provide a higher breaking strain.

European network Like Flexiteek, Tek-Dek is now available in Europe too, and a dealer network is being established in countries such as Italy, the Netherlands, France, the US and Canada.

Unlike Flexiteek, Tek-Dek is manufactured here in the UK, however.

Oates says it's important to highlight the fact that Tek-Dek can be applied to almost any surface, including GRP, steel and timber. He also highlights the fact that its flexible, composite structure makes it non-slip, even when the deck is running in salt water.

"Although it is almost indistinguishable from its traditional timber forerunner, this product features the kind of benefits that sophisticated production technology can provide", he told Boating Business . "It is fully UV stabilised and, since it is coloured throughout its thickness, will retain its classic appearance for many years".

"Everyone who sees Tek-Dek agrees that it is truly colour-fast and the in-built graining is totally convincing, and because each strip includes its own dark caulking edge the end result looks like something laid by a traditional craftsman. Unlike wood, however, it does not require oiling, varnishing, sanding or scraping, and cleaning is simple using proprietary materials".

Southern Ocean Marine Equipment sells Tek-Dek to yards and direct to the public. It is available in easily managed 25m x 50mm rolls that are 5mm thick. A craft knife and adhesive spreader are the only other tools required.

Like Flexiteek, the average 'handyman' or boatowner using Tek-Dek will immediately recognise the tongue and groove system, which 'clips' each length to its neighbour.

"The process is simple", said Oates. "Dry trim and lay in place, spread the two part epoxy adhesive, as if you were tiling, with a notched spreader, lay the pre-cut decking back down, clipping the edges together as you go, and finish edges with matching caulking."

He highlighted a recent job on a Bavaria, carried out on behalf of an owner who had kept his boat in the Caribbean for nine years. "The decking was actually teak-faced plywood, and was shot to pieces", he explained. The job was carried out by Bare Marine, who describe the product as "lovely to use", and say they appreciate how easy it is to cleanup after working on it.

Oates says that Tek-Dek is available at £66.00 per square metre. The adhesive costs £12.50 per square metre, and the caulking is £12.50 per 310mm tube (which fits a standard mastic gun). All prices are ex-VAT.

Prices for Flexiteek were not available at press time.