USCGC Eagle teak deck

[Coastie]

Here is what a teak deck looks like after 85 years.

 

[Uwek]

A good example to see how grey such a teak deck is getting, but I guess already after several years.
This will not need the 85 years life time of the ship.
BTW: the teak deck is wood on top of a steel deck, so I guess, that during her lifetime parts of the deck or the complete deck was already partly repaired or renewed.

Eagle, 1946

Eagle: Any of various large diurnal birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, including members of the genera Aquila and Haliaeetus, characterized by a powerful hooked bill, keen vision, long broad

www.history.uscg.mil

Here it is written, that the entire teakdeck was replaced in 1979 during a longer refitting period:

By 1979, the Coast Guard had developed plans for an extensive refit at the Coast Guard Yard facility. From 1979 to 1983, Eagle visited the yard all four winters between summer deployments. .........................
..........................
Finally, the entire teak deck was replaced, and the steel beneath it was found to be badly corroded and had to be repaired as well. For two summers, Eagle sailed without parts of her teak deck. It was discovered that the teak deck is one of the keys to 'stiffening' the longitudinal strength of the ship.

USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) - Wikiwand

USCGC Eagle (WIX-327), formerly Horst Wessel and also known as Barque Eagle, is a 295-foot (90 m) barque used as a training cutter for future officers of the Un...

www.wikiwand.com

This is a very interesting photo showing the deck after a rain - dark brown and the dry areas are grey

File:USCGC Eagle main deck during Festival of Sail 2008 SF 5.JPG - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[Coastie]

Uwe, Thanks for your research and update. I should have done that myself. I was relying on my memories as a UCGC Academy Cadet for 4 years and a Navigation Instructor at the USCG Academy for 5 years. I sailed on Eagle in one capacity or another, from "swab", as 1st year Academy Cadets are called, to Watch Officer.., for 9 summers. My recollection was that the deck was a grey color and the photo illustrated that. I wasn't aware of the replacement.

 

[Uwek]

Uwe, Thanks for your research and update. I should have done that myself. I was relying on my memories as a UCGC Academy Cadet for 4 years and a Navigation Instructor at the USCG Academy for 5 years. I sailed on Eagle in one capacity or another, from "swab", as 1st year Academy Cadets are called, to Watch Officer.., for 9 summers. My recollection was that the deck was a grey color and the photo illustrated that. I wasn't aware of the replacement.

And I wanted with my post only show, that it is going much faster that the wooden deck is changing the colour....... many thanks for starting this topic

 

[Kurt Konrath]

I have a kit of this fine ship in my collection to build down the road some day.

Nice to see photos of real ship and deck for reference.

 

[paul ron]

what a grand ship! she was at the nyc south street seaport last year open for tours. its a working ship, one of 2 commisioned sail ships in service... constitution and the uscg eagle. i got to talk to some of the crew. those kids are so lucky to have such an experiance sailing the oceans around the world.

some nice videos of the working ship and crew...

Tall Ship EAGLE: About EAGLE - United States Coast Guard Academy

About EAGLE Training on EAGLE The USCGC EAGLE is a 295-foot, three-masted barque used as a training vessel for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. Known as “America’s Tall Ship,” the majestic EAGLE is the largest tall ship flying the Stars and Stripes and the only active...

uscga.edu

 

[Weeb]

Here is what a teak deck looks like after 85 years.

Visited the Eagle in Victoria, Canada, summer 2025. Here are some photos. Decks looked perfect. According to some of the crew she rode out some rough weather north of San Francisco and damage was done to the figurehead. Crew went aloft to reef some sails. The galley crew were at work preparing noon rations!

 

[paul ron]

what a beautiful ship! i saw her at south street seaport ny a couple years ago. i didnt know she was in town till i got to wall street with my bike.

they take very good care of the deck. a cadet told me about their bibles on their hands n knees scrubbing away.

its amazing how similar rigging is to the models of old ships we build. nice to see a fully sea ready ship for a change too. its all there. i took pic n notes of everything.

 

[Weeb]

Here is what a teak deck looks like after 85 years.

what a beautiful ship! i saw her at south street seaport ny a couple years ago. i didnt know she was in town till i got to wall street with my bike.

they take very good care of the deck. a cadet told me about their bibles on their hands n knees scrubbing away.

its amazing how similar rigging is to the models of old ships we build. nice to see a fully sea ready ship for a change too. its all there. i took pic n notes of everything.

Mind boggling - looks like at least 20 halyards on a single mast, and 4 sheets per piece of square canvas, each run to gunwale belaying pin. I asked a cadet. They know each one. No labels. My upcoming Bluenose build has a lot of ropes but only a fraction of those on the likes of Eagle.

 

[paul ron]

imagin back in the day, you were a regular hand on clippers? you had to learn the ropes mighty fast. but ive noticed from building these models, the rigging order was very similar from ship to ship. any differences were easy enough to learn.

ok hunny, im off to work. see you in about 4 years.... keep a light on for me?