Women with heels won't like that spacing. Just in case you entertain at all.

A half inch is a big gap for deck boards. I’ve been installing them for 40 years and I usually use a 16D nail for spacing. They shrink some after they’re installed.

In my experience if you use the 16d nail or tri-square method, the boards will swell-up in wet weather, closing the gap. Depends a lot on your climate and the condition of the wood when installed.

Around here it comes from the lumberyard pretty wet. Most manufacturers recommend a 30-day dry out period before painting or staining pressure-treated wood.

I’ve never experienced it swelling after installation, but I know it almost always shrinks a bit as it dries out.

Last deck I did I used the nail as a spacer, shrunk to a half inch gap....Yes, crown up, annoys me to see them installed wrong and cupping, even saw that with contractor jobs, some guys just don't care....

Deck boards that are wet need no gap, they will shrink plenty in a couple of months
Composite is affected by temperature change more than natural wood

I would also recommend a longer screw than was previously used because the new screws will be in approximately the same location.

we use a carpenters pencils as spacers 1/4 inch and they shrink to about 3/8 spacing that seems good

if you do 16 penny nail spacing here they seem to collect dirt in the cracks and won't dry well and it is a pain to get out

If you have DEEP pockets, go with composite decking. I re did my 5X 9 Poarch. It cost me $300.00. If I would have done It with composite decking it would have cost me over a $1.000.00.

The marina owner where I keep the boat has composite walkways around the basin, A lot of the boards are swayed and the nails work out....the span for some of the stringers are a little more than 16", but no more than about 18"... some cracked too.... It looked great when installed, now, not so much.

Composite material gets really hot is the sun, wood, not nearly so much.
Regarding swelling; I'm used to using dry western red cedar, it will swell.