Being veneer I think the ply has to be sealed - on all eight sides.
Unsealed, the wood will stain and walking will cause wear tracks.
Not knowing what the inside veneers are: they might start to delam or rot.
One way is to seal with thinned epoxy and varnish using a fine product like Epifanes.
But I have had great results using LE TONKINOIS - Vernis #1.
American Rope & Tar - www.tarsmell.com/
It is a tung and linseed oil varnish that goes on like any regular varnish
yet has NO volitile solvents, no petro-chems. While there's an old time linseed odor, it's not going to irritate eyes, nose, throat or lungs.
It doesn't need stirring. Never needs thinning (no solvents to leave & thicken the brew). If it skins, remove, and start coating.
Seal the ply on all sides with Le Tonk. The first coat soaks in the top veneer and the secondary veneers on the cut edges.
It's just as shiney as Epi...... I cannot see the difference between the two...... after 8 coats.
It will stick to anything except wax. (Sticks to froufrou Epifanes.)
If you must have matt or satin mix with Gelomat.
But boat shoes will not slip on gloss LeTonkinois like modern varishes, even when it's wet. I have not tested this ! !
That would also go for some of those modern skinny matts with mini suction cup bottoms.
If you barefoot around the cabin.
Recoating can be done by the usual sanding with 180
but put on enough first coats so you don't sand through.
It is going to look like a grand piano
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This is a guess: System 3's clear WRLPU (water reducible) urethane might work as a sealer (altho it's formulated for non-porus surfaces)
and also might not darken the teak like the amber tone of oil varnishes. Coats don't build up fast - and the stuff gets very hard. Might have to de-oil the teak with acetone? Call their tech line. But then, when refreshening time comes, nothing will stick to that coating except more LPU.
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emailed Tech help at System 3, he says, First use their ClearCoat no blush epoxy to seal all sides of teak ply sole....then go with WRLPU clear.
Says it's the best protection a teak and holly cabin sole can have. Don't know about skidding. But Babe Lamerdine once told me he mixed a
little pumice into his varnish when it called for anti-slip.
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