Nonskid for foredeck

silversailor · January 24

The foredeck on my 28’ racer/cruiser has a molded dimpled pattern that’s totally ineffective. I want to apply a nonskid product over the existing surface. Suggestions?

Crash · January 24

What’s the boat? Do you have some pics?

Are you sure the issue isn’t that someone “contaminated” the surface with something? Sun screen, or a cleaner/wax that’s made it slippery?

Zonker · January 24

No, I bet it's because the boat is 40 years old and the molded dimples are just worn off.

You can repaint with paint with grit added.

You can grind/sand off all the dimples first and then paint + grit

You can use textured paint like Kiwi grip

There is also the heavy and costly Treadmaster and it's copycats

You can roll on thickened gelcoat with a loop roller

silversailor · January 25

On 1/23/2021 at 8:03 PM, Crash said:

What’s the boat? Do you have some pics?

Are you sure the issue isn’t that someone “contaminated” the surface with something? Sun screen, or a cleaner/wax that’s made it slippery?

On 1/23/2021 at 10:33 PM, Zonker said:

No, I bet it's because the boat is 40 years old and the molded dimples are just worn off.

You are both wrong. I've wiped the non-skid down with acetone to remove any contaminates. No effect. And it's a 2010 (not a 1980 model).

Any other suggestions. Harken tells me that their new non-skid tape will go over that type of surface and adhere. We'll see.

Crash · January 25

So two guys try to help you (no pics or boat type yet I notice...) and you're gonna be snitty with them? I asked a question "Are you sure.." to which you could have said, "yes, I am, I wiped it down with acetone, so that's not it. Short of the fact that Zonker got the age wrong (and it's not like you said how old in your original post), he then went on to outline just about all of your possible solutions...the newer harken grip tape looks slick, but it does also falls into Zonker's "Treadmaster" bucket, non stick "pad" that you adhere over your existing deck...

SloopJonB · January 25

Lay a teak deck.

ghost37 · January 25

2 hours ago, SloopJonB said:

Lay a teak deck.

And screw from bottom like a Lafitte 44 so you don't have to worry about those pesky bungs.

But in all seriousness...Treadmaster is easy to put down and a huge bitch to take off if you ever need to. We did our decks with Kiwigrip and I'm not sure I'd fully recommend it. Difficult get an even texture, easy to miss a bubble disguised as a bump, and hard to clean if you do anything other than a light texture.

Zonker · January 25

Well I'm surprised a 10 year old boat has such ineffective non-skid. Have you owned it long?

I'd be curious about the make/model too.

Treadmaster is probably too heavy for a racing oriented boat.

Raptordeck might be worth looking into.

The Harken stuff is pretty expensive. $16-12 sq.ft depending on what you format you buy. I would not try to lay 32" wide on a curved foredeck without at least 1 helper. Maybe the 18" wide stuff.

Raz'r · January 25

Are you willing to sand, or looking for easy?

Sand? Go 2-part paint and compatible grit

no sand? Kiwi-grip. Clean it, paint it, go sailing. If you've used a roller on a wall you can lay down Kiwi. Give it a week for full cure - here's what they say for prep. Pretty minimal

Old Gel-Coat: Scrub old gel-coat with a stiff scotch pad or stainless wire brush and a good degreasing soap to remove oxidation, dirt and oil. A de-waxing agent is required if the surface has been waxed within 5 years.

toad · January 25

Non skid? Never been discussed before online, anyway what's the best antifoul...?

SloopJonB · January 25

10 minutes ago, toad said:

Non skid? Never been discussed before online, anyway what's the best antifoul...?

You misspelled "anchor"

toad · January 25

ok, ok what's the best anchor, antifoul and nonskid also whats the best paint

SloopJonB · January 25

28 minutes ago, toad said:

ok, ok what's the best anchor, antifoul and nonskid also whats the best paint colour

FTFY

toad · January 26

seriously we've had our fun, I did my non skid with a loop roller and gelcoat; here's the best guide I could find

Elegua · January 26

3 hours ago, ghost37 said:

And screw from bottom like a Lafitte 44 so you don't have to worry about those pesky bungs.

But in all seriousness...Treadmaster is easy to put down and a huge bitch to take off if you ever need to. We did our decks with Kiwigrip and I'm not sure I'd fully recommend it. Difficult get an even texture, easy to miss a bubble disguised as a bump, and hard to clean if you do anything other than a light texture.

The fun part having the screws in the teak deck from the bottom is periodically grinding them back after you've sliced open a foot or torn the ass of your shorts. Blood ruins the patina. My cockpit seats slats were done that way.

I've been pretty happy with the Kiwigrip. I have the light grey color over alwgrip. 7 years so far. I haven't had the cleaning issues people talked about...A section or two might need a touch up in a couple of years.

silversailor · January 28

On 1/25/2021 at 4:23 PM, Zonker said:

Well I'm surprised a 10 year old boat has such ineffective non-skid. Have you owned it long?

I'd be curious about the make/model too.

Treadmaster is probably too heavy for a racing oriented boat.

Raptordeck might be worth looking into.

The Harken stuff is pretty expensive. $16-12 sq.ft depending on what you format you buy. I would not try to lay 32" wide on a curved foredeck without at least 1 helper. Maybe the 18" wide stuff.

Never intended my earlier response to be "snitty." Sorry guys.

In response to Zonker, she's an Andrews 28, only 4 built, that sat on a lift, outside, in Annapolis for nearly 10 years with no real care given to the deck and only a boom tent.

I had some sheets of SeaDec which I used in the cockpit. Great improvement. I was trying to find a solution less expensive than SeaDec. I'll check the price of Raptor.

I agree that Treadmaster is too heavy.

I was thinking that if I used the Harken tape that I would lay it in strips and not cover the entire non-skid area.

Crash · January 28

No worries! Andrews 28s are neat boats. All nonskid solutions are compromises. I redid the foredeck and cabin top of my S2 9.1 with Kiwigrip. There is a learning curve to applying it, to get the texture you are after, but there was no issue with grip (there was almost too much :unsure: ) once it was down. I'd use it again, esp. having learned what I did the first time I put it on. Feel free to pm me if you want a more detailed account of what I did/what I'd do different...

PaulK · January 28

We repainted our deck ('81 J/36 btw) with nonskid particles mixed into the Awlgrip this past summer. Came out evenly and works well to provide sure footing. Read too many stories about Kiwigrip always looking dirty. Nonskid tape and faux teak were too pricey for the coverage we needed.

Crash · January 28

51 minutes ago, PaulK said:

Read too many stories about Kiwigrip always looking dirty.

That's one of the big knocks on Kiwigrip. That said, I never thought mine looked dirty. Maybe it was just me Maybe the rest of my 9.1 wasn't that new or clean looking so the newer Kiwigriped section looked clean. Maybe it rained a lot in Norfolk VA and keep it clean. But it was not one of the complaints I personally had. YMMV.

WCB · January 28

On 1/25/2021 at 5:15 PM, toad said:

seriously we've had our fun, I did my non skid with a loop roller and gelcoat; here's the best guide I could find

Is that the SA version of Rick Rolling?

toad · January 29

its the SA anthem

Grande Mastere Dreade · January 29

6 hours ago, Crash said:

No worries! Andrews 28s are neat boats. All nonskid solutions are compromises. I redid the foredeck and cabin top of my S2 9.1 with Kiwigrip. There is a learning curve to applying it, to get the texture you are after, but there was no issue with grip (there was almost too much ) once it was down. I'd use it again, esp. having learned what I did the first time I put it on. Feel free to pm me if you want a more detailed account of what I did/what I'd do different...

dang i remember the hoopla on SA when it was first built and then shipped east, shame they let it sit for so long...

ryley · January 29

I used Interdeck on my Freedom 40. goes down pretty well, feels rubbery underfoot, holds up pretty well too. Less fussy than sand / gelcoat, lighter than raptor.

DrewR · January 29

3 hours ago, ryley said:

I used Interdeck on my Freedom 40. goes down pretty well, feels rubbery underfoot, holds up pretty well too. Less fussy than sand / gelcoat, lighter than raptor.

How many quarts did you use? Just trying to get an idea if I do my decks.

Irrational 14 · January 29

19 hours ago, Crash said:

That's one of the big knocks on Kiwigrip. That said, I never thought mine looked dirty. Maybe it was just me Maybe the rest of my 9.1 wasn't that new or clean looking so the newer Kiwigriped section looked clean. Maybe it rained a lot in Norfolk VA and keep it clean. But it was not one of the complaints I personally had. YMMV.

The Kiwi Grip system will look like absolute dog shit if not prepped and rolled properly. If done correctly, it's even, stays clean, its awesome.

Not for a first timer doing a whole boat though.

ryley · January 29

18 minutes ago, DrewR said:

How many quarts did you use? Just trying to get an idea if I do my decks.

I think I got about a coat per quart on what amounted to about 32' of very open deck.

Crash · January 29

Interlux site says Interdeck covers about 400 sqft/gal and you need 1 to 2 coats. So if you go with 2 coats, thats 1 gal for 200 sqft, or 50 sqft per quart. Freedom 40 deck likely approaches 400 sq ft, so 2 gals or 8 qts?

Crash · January 29

4 minutes ago, Irrational 14 said:

The Kiwi Grip system will look like absolute dog shit if not prepped and rolled properly. If done correctly, it's even, stays clean, its awesome.

Not for a first timer doing a whole boat though.

Maybe I got mostly lucky, though I certainly made doubly sure I understood and followed the prep and application directions. I also had 2 other folks helping me, as it can dry quickly/make you pressed for time to pull tape, etc. The biggest issue I faced was I did it in the morning (summer/Norfolk VA) and if I was to do again, I would have rigged tarps to keep sun off paint. I ended up with pretty aggressive texture and think the shade would have allowed for slower drying and less texture. But no one ever lost traction on the foredeck either. Only real complaint came from a guy who like to go barefoot... :rolleyes:

PaulK · January 29

59 minutes ago, DrewR said:

How many quarts did you use? Just trying to get an idea if I do my decks.

We tried Interdeck before having to sand it all off and re-do with Awlgrip. It seems to hold up OK for about a season, then starts to look...tired. Since the prep is essentially the same for both types of paint, 2-part polys, which last much longer (our first painting, with Interlux 2-part, was 15 years ago) makes more sense. When the Interlux 2-part (precursor to Perfection - Interthane Plus IIRC) started wearing off after about 12 years, we started looking around for replacement coverings: nonskid tape panels (USCG uses 3M product, Treadmaster, faux teak etc.), easy-to-apply paints, Kiwigrip, etc. We gave the Interdeck a shot on the side decks and around the cockpit. After 2 years it wasn't holding up well enough to want to do any more with it.

ODSailor · January 29

One warning about KiwiGrip, the application is highly dependent on the temperature when you apply it. I applied it on a hot day and it flash dried so quickly that peaks didn't have time to settle and they were like a deck full of tiny razors. I've also read that if you apply it when too cool the non-skid texture will offer little grip. I ultimately sanded all the KiwiGrip off and re-painted the deck with Quantum-99 two part polyurethane and Soft Sand grit. It turned out great. If you do a search here from a couple years back you should be able to find the entire thread.

Trovão · January 29

i am going with coarse griptex added to the paint on my 28' trimaran...

DrewR · January 31

On 1/29/2021 at 12:35 PM, ryley said:

I think I got about a coat per quart on what amounted to about 32' of very open deck.

Any of you geniuses have an idea of the size of a J35 deck? Non skid area.

ryley · January 31

40 minutes ago, DrewR said:

Any of you geniuses have an idea of the size of a J35 deck? Non skid area.

well.. 35' long by 12' wide would make 420 sf of area if the boat were a rectangle, which is also about the coverage per gallon of interdeck. clearly your area will be less than that. I would guess you're closer to 120 sf, so about a quart per coat.

Kenny Dumas · February 1

The right texture on a removable plastic film might work. I’m thinking about trying some samples. As a thought experiment, imagine a PVA film cast from a new boat, roll gelcoat on deck, lay down film, vacuum bag or sand/water bag. What could possibly go wrong?

Raz'r · February 1

23 minutes ago, Kenny Dumas said:

The right texture on a removable plastic film might work. I’m thinking about trying some samples. As a thought experiment, imagine a PVA film cast from a new boat, roll gelcoat on deck, lay down film, vacuum bag or sand/water bag. What could possibly go wrong?

I did something similar for a repair on a cross-hatch molded nonskid. I used casting rubber to take a mold off a good section, troweled on colored/catalyze gel coat on the mold so as to get it in the valleys, flipped it and pressed it onto the repaired/faired section. Worked fine but pretty labor intensive.

ryley · February 1

10 hours ago, Raz'r said:

I did something similar for a repair on a cross-hatch molded nonskid. I used casting rubber to take a mold off a good section, troweled on colored/catalyze gel coat on the mold so as to get it in the valleys, flipped it and pressed it onto the repaired/faired section. Worked fine but pretty labor intensive.

https://gibcoflexmold.com/patterns/

still labor intensive but at least eliminates having to make your own mold.

Steam Flyer · February 1

On 1/25/2021 at 6:10 PM, toad said:

ok, ok what's the best anchor, antifoul and nonskid also whats the best paint

When should I consider getting new sails? I'm up to two rolls of duct tape

FB- Doug

Crash · February 1

1 hour ago, Steam Flyer said:

When should I consider getting new sails? I'm up to two rolls of duct tape

FB- Doug

What's the best solar panels if I want to pull out my old diesel and put in an electric motor?

Steam Flyer · February 1

Just now, Crash said:

1 hour ago, Steam Flyer said:

When should I consider getting new sails? I'm up to two rolls of duct tape

What's the best solar panels if I want to pull out my old diesel and put in an electric motor?

Look here buster, are you just trying to cause trouble!?!?

FB- Doug

Grande Mastere Dreade · February 1

1 hour ago, Crash said:

What's the best solar panels if I want to pull out my old diesel and put in an electric motor?

i need a new watch and shoes...

toad · February 1

serious question whats the best boat over 40 feet but less than 6k that me and my girlfriend can buy to sail around the world, we plan to do a youtube channel. Were gonna convert it to electric and stuff

toad · February 1

On 1/30/2021 at 8:56 AM, Trovão said:

i am going with coarse griptex added to the paint on my 28' trimaran...

sprayed griptex in 2 pot is the best for a yacht, practice the technique first if you've never done it before and want a mint finish or start at the foredeck. For rolling theres two methods, mix in paint or paint then total coverage/brush off excess/paint over.

sierrawhiskeygolf · February 2

9 hours ago, toad said:

serious question whats the best boat over 40 feet but less than 6k that me and my girlfriend can buy to sail around the world, we plan to do a youtube channel. Were gonna convert it to electric and stuff

Pics of the GF

cje · February 2

1 hour ago, sierrawhiskeygolf said:

Pics of the GF

This is complicated so lets do the math;

SQ (BB)=>40<6K+(m+gf+rtw+-yt+V-+stuff)

Crash · February 2

9 hours ago, cje said:

This is complicated so lets do the math;

SQ (BB)=>40<6K+(m+gf+rtw+-yt+V-+stuff)

I think you failed to distribute a negative when you simplified your expression...

James Walker IOM · February 2

Kiwi grip all the way. Its a fantastic product

Steam Flyer · February 2

51 minutes ago, James Walker IOM said:

Kiwi grip all the way. Its a fantastic product

Seconded.

FB- Doug

IanA. · February 3

Kiwi grip is awesome, thin with water as needed to slow the cure time in high heat environments and to give the peaks enough time to soften. Was probably the easiest part of my refit..

Kenny Dumas · February 3

https://gibcoflexmold.com/repair-resources/step-by-step-guide/

Good instructions but not for the timid

toad · February 3

On 2/3/2021 at 5:48 AM, James Walker IOM said:

Kiwi grip all the way. Its a fantastic product

This is actually a very interesting topic, some people love it and others dislike it both opinions based on looks, application and performance. Its a fact that it does wear our and once on you’re in the kiwi grip painting cycle, and its a total fucking bitch to remove without the grinder. I personally like paint and griptex type solutions but its horses for courses

MiddayGun · February 12

I feel like Kiwi-Grip works if you're in nice clean sea water and a marina.
I sail on a muddy estuary for most of the time & I found Kiwi-Grip almost impossible to keep clean.

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Nonskid for foredeck

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