Thuh sea bee a meean mistressss misssterh... ye bee main-taining the slick steeel yee wood bee... so thar!...
Most ships were built with certain wood decks for the stability of being able to walk on it, ease of replacement, and actually, ease of maintenance. Dad used to be on all sorts of ships during WWII in the Philippines, and he said they were painting something anytime they weren't at battlestations, and not just for busy work. All they had to do with the wood deck was wash it, whereas they were painting the steel portions, and the bulkheads and gunwales, since the saltwater ate at it so strongly. A subs wood deck is spaced slats for the water to flow through, of course.
