Paint for inflatable dinghy floor boards

[jacrider]

All:  I am in the process of a 5 or 6 year maintenance phase on our Zodiac inflatable.  I had a new keel strip installed.  Big cleaning.  Now I am looking to repaint the floor boards.  Plywood and originally grey.  My Zodiac dealer was not helpful - "We don't know what paint that is."

Started a search, and Interlux's product "Interdeck" looks like a possible solution.  

Any feedback?  Any better suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Ishmael]

All:  I am in the process of a 5 or 6 year maintenance phase on our Zodiac inflatable.  I had a new keel strip installed.  Big cleaning.  Now I am looking to repaint the floor boards.  Plywood and originally grey.  My Zodiac dealer was not helpful - "We don't know what paint that is."

Started a search, and Interlux's product "Interdeck" looks like a possible solution.  

Any feedback?  Any better suggestions?

Thanks

I used Brightside on the grey transom and seat on ours, stuck just fine. You can mix in some grip agent if you want.

 

[SloopJonB]

I just used Interdeck for some touchup on my eck.

Very happy with it so far - grippy but not abrasive

 

[Irrational 14]

Herculiner - truck bed paint or similar brand. Cheap and good texture for grip in the wet and protection from abrasion. Coated my Zodiac floor boards with it and lasted a good 10 years before I sold it.

 

[Zonker]

I'd use a grey epoxy primer actually, with some non-skid particles added. 

I would avoid Brightsides - it is glossy and you need to add the flattening agent to knock down the gloss.

 

[Rain Man]

I'd use a grey epoxy primer actually, with some non-skid particles added. 

I would avoid Brightsides - it is glossy and you need to add the flattening agent to knock down the gloss.

This, and also, Brightsides gives nice looking results, but the paint is not very durable.  Bang it with something and you'll get a nasty ding.  It isn't really suitable for use on a dinghy.

 

[jacrider]

Thought I would report back on this.

I liked the idea of the truck bed liner, but I couldn't find it in anything but black, and that would be hot on the feet!

So, I ended ordering Interlux "Interdeck" and Interlux "Epoxy Primekote".

I sanded the top surfaces and edges to remove the previous paint finish.  Two of the floor boards have wooden battens to stiffen them that were attached with screws.  These have been a bit problematic, so I removed these and sanded them clean.

I then epoxied the battens back in position, with the screws basically acting as the clamps.  Once cured, the epoxy is the primary bond.

I then applied the Primekote that's a 2 part product and requires thinning by 25%.  Nice product to work with.  Long pot life and easy to get a nice coat.

Next day, very light sand.  At someone's suggestion, I might not want the abrasive paint near the edges where it could contact the tubes of the dinghy, so I had a small tin of white Brightside on hand and did a border around each floor board.  I also was a bit worried about the aluminum channels that join the panels together being too tight with the thicker Interdeck, so I used Brightside on all 4 sides.

After a day of curing, I taped a border around each panel and painted the Interdeck on panels.

Super happy with the outcome.  The gray Interdeck has a nice texture that will not be slippery, but won't be uncomfortable with bare wet feet.

No post is complete without a few pictures.

 

[jacrider]

One more photo.

 

[jamhass]

Nice set of ... socket chisels.

 

[silversailor]

Suggest Total Tread. It’s a non skid paint. Very easy to apply. A pint would probably be all you would need. Very easy on bare feet yet non skid.