Anti slip decks

[jonny]

The boat was built 1998 by GT boat builders with the front deck, and roof being done with some kind of anti slip finish, with the roof staying perfect the front deck has being showing signs of blistering for 2 or 3 years now.

 

So the decision was made to strip it off (no mean task!) had to use a blow torch and scraper nothing else seemed to work, now it’s off, rubbed down and all the pitting treated with rust killer and a single coat of red oxide, what next?

 

I would like some form of anti slip with safety in mind, as were both not quite as agile as we used to be, I know the deck needs more coats but I don’t want to put then on only to find somebody say’s take them off! But this red oxide looks to have quite a matt finish and I wondered how hard wearing it is, any advise on anti slip paints by anyone who’s used them or knows any other way would be most helpful.

[Ally]

Red oxide will not protect your steel, as it is porous.

We go the undercoat/top coats/sand/top coats route rather than anti-slip paints or granules. Much more effective anti-slip to my mind.

[Higgs]

Red oxide will not protect your steel, as it is porous.

We go the undercoat/top coats/sand/top coats route rather than anti-slip paints or granules. Much more effective anti-slip to my mind.

 

I'd have to agree with the sand option for the vital non-slip areas of the boat. The gunwales are the narrowest and muddy wet feet need the positive grip that sand offers. Stepping onto the boat at the front and back need sure footing areas and sand helps there too. It isn't so necessary on the roof and non-slip paint should do.

 

Some just done like the sand. Having coated many a roof with sand and stripped many, I now prefer a simple floor paint on the roof.

[Athy]

Some just done like the sand. Having coated many a roof with sand and stripped many, I now prefer a simple floor paint on the roof.

Exactly what I have just used to paint the roof of my Springer. It's sometimes sold as "garage paint" I think. Mine came from B&Q but it's not their own brand, and it's on the boat at present so I can't have a look; Crown perhaps.

[jonny]

Red oxide will not protect your steel, as it is porous.

We go the undercoat/top coats/sand/top coats route rather than anti-slip paints or granules. Much more effective anti-slip to my mind.

 

 

Yes I'm sure sanding is realy good but I'm worried about the area and keeping a wet edge is hard to do and if you dont do this you end up creating a ridge and then it looks as though an ammature has done it

[Pentargon]

The boat was built 1998 by GT boat builders with the front deck, and roof being done with some kind of anti slip finish, with the roof staying perfect the front deck has being showing signs of blistering for 2 or 3 years now.So the decision was made to strip it off (no mean task!) had to use a blow torch and scraper nothing else seemed to work, now it’s off, rubbed down and all the pitting treated with rust killer and a single coat of red oxide, what next? I would like some form of anti slip with safety in mind, as were both not quite as agile as we used to be, I know the deck needs more coats but I don’t want to put then on only to find somebody say’s take them off! But this red oxide looks to have quite a matt finish and I wondered how hard wearing it is, any advise on anti slip paints by anyone who’s used them or knows any other way would be most helpful.

 

A bit of lateral thinking would not go awry here. Non-slip footwear and a smoothish cleanable surface is MY preference. I also have a fitted carpet ready to go. Picked up the raw material on a roadside dump, flytipped.

[matty40s]

I have just completed a Braidbar boats front deck which was badly rusting through, even though the whole rest of the paint job looks great. I stripped it down to metal and could see where a cup ring and hand print were. Ground out the rust, treated and filled. Two coats of red-ox, two undercoats and three top-coats, I may put another coat on later in the week if the weather perks up.

Sand works best for non slip areas, make sure it is thoroughly baked dry before using and do not use until top coats are ready to go on.

Edited September 10, 2012 by matty40s

[Ally]

A bit of lateral thinking would not go awry here. Non-slip footwear and a smoothish cleanable surface is MY preference. I also have a fitted carpet ready to go. Picked up the raw material on a roadside dump, flytipped.

BS EN ISO 15085:2003, minimising risk for protection from falling overboard etc.

The well and counter decks, ie the bow and stern decks, are considered as working decks and should be coated in an anti-slip finish. The gunwales and roof are not considered so..........but I think it adviseable, gunwales especially.

Choose your time carefully, they are usually relatively small areas on the deck and gunwales, so can be painted in one then sand applied (do it quite heavily)...or have a second person follow you with the sand a little way behind. For roofs, these can be taped into manageable sections that can also be done in one hit.

[Higgs]

Yes I'm sure sanding is realy good but I'm worried about the area and keeping a wet edge is hard to do and if you dont do this you end up creating a ridge and then it looks as though an ammature has done it

 

 

You can paint the whole of the gunwale length. Have sand ready to sprinkle from a jar. Use a jar, and drill holes in the lid. Larger areas can be split up, taped into managable ones. An area should be completely painted before sprinkling the sand. Kiln dried block paving sand.

 

A reasonably sized front deck can be painted then sprinkled. No point doing under bench overhangs. Paint a glossed area, as a border, in the deck well. When well dried, a couple of days, use this dried border and tape an area for sand deck. At the end of the job, you will have a nice gloss border and sand deck non-slip area.

 

You can tape in patterns to make the effect more attractive. Provided you have already planned it and have a finished paint coat below the tape. So, you could have already painted the deck in brick red floor paint. Then do a green sand coat, with patterns. If you colour the sand with red floor paint, it will create a nice relief pattern. The non-sanded areas will also provide drainage from sand.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Higgs

[GoodGurl]

Yes I'm sure sanding is realy good but I'm worried about the area and keeping a wet edge is hard to do and if you dont do this you end up creating a ridge and then it looks as though an ammature has done it

what i have done is paint only the area that needs the sand, when dry sweep off and continue painting the WHOLE area, this way you wont get the dreaded ridge.

[Biggles]

This is how I did my non slip surfaces

 

Linky 1

 

Linky 2

 

[bizzard]

A bit of lateral thinking would not go awry here. Non-slip footwear and a smoothish cleanable surface is MY preference. I also have a fitted carpet ready to go. Picked up the raw material on a roadside dump, flytipped.

I tend to er on your side here Pentagon. A gloss paint finish kept washed down and clean is not particularly slippery when wet if correct footwear is used, if you wish to wear hard slippery soled footwear anti-slip surfaces will not be very anti-slip anyway, wet or dry and will damage paintwork. I really do think all this anti-slip stuff plastered all over a boat looks orrible, is difficult to keep clean, and awful to get off. No real need for it all over the roofs, of narrowboats at any rate as there's not much reason to act about up there as there are ladders in locks nowadays.

Up until a few years ago anti-slip surfaces wasn't really ever bothered with and was fairly rare.

I think its also an excuse and opportunity for boat brush painters to speed up a job as a lovely carefully applied gloss finish is not required.

Just my opinion of the orrible stuff folks.

[Higgs]

I think its also an excuse and opportunity for boat brush painters to speed up a job as a lovely carefully applied gloss finish is not required.

 

NOOooooo, not true. I liked nothing better than not applying lots of sand. Especially not on the roof. If it wasn't requested, they didn't get it. It was very common on the gunwales, though.

[bizzard]

NOOooooo, not true. I liked nothing better than not applying lots of sand. Especially not on the roof. If it wasn't requested, they didn't get it. It was very common on the gunwales, though.

Good on ya!.

[ditchcrawler]

I tend to er on your side here Pentagon. A gloss paint finish kept washed down and clean is not particularly slippery when wet if correct footwear is used, if you wish to wear hard slippery soled footwear anti-slip surfaces will not be very anti-slip anyway, wet or dry and will damage paintwork. I really do think all this anti-slip stuff plastered all over a boat looks orrible, is difficult to keep clean, and awful to get off. No real need for it all over the roofs, of narrowboats at any rate as there's not much reason to act about up there as there are ladders in locks nowadays.

Up until a few years ago anti-slip surfaces wasn't really ever bothered with and was fairly rare.

I think its also an excuse and opportunity for boat brush painters to speed up a job as a lovely carefully applied gloss finish is not required.

Just my opinion of the orrible stuff folks.

I'm with you on this one. I hate the bird cage look.

Ps. I have used all my greenies as I accidentally gave one to myself. Maybe you can give you one for me?

 

BS EN ISO 15085:2003, minimising risk for protection from falling overboard etc.

 

4 foot handrail with gates should do it.

[bizzard]

I'm with you on this one. I hate the bird cage look.

Ps. I have used all my greenies as I accidentally gave one to myself. Maybe you can give you one for me?

 

 

4 foot handrail with gates should do it.

Very kind of you dc but i'm saving mine up for anything extra special.

[blackrose]

I like International Interdeck.

 

http://marinestore.co.uk/International_Interdeck___Slip_Resistant_Deck_Paint_750ml.html

[bizzard]

I'm with you on this one. I hate the bird cage look.

Ps. I have used all my greenies as I accidentally gave one to myself. Maybe you can give you one for me?

 

 

4 foot handrail with gates should do it.

Bulwarks.

[Erie Canal]

My link[

 

Can I ask a newbie question? Why don't you use strips like this the gunnels?

[matty40s]

My link[

 

Can I ask a newbie question? Why don't you use strips like this the gunnels?

because the linky doesn't work

also because most people want their gunnels painted to match the rest of the boat and like a complete paint job. Strips may look good in the short term, but tend to wear away at the edges and can lift if not applied properly.

Edited September 10, 2012 by matty40s

[Phil Ambrose]

I also do not like the Birdcage look, our previous boat, a Broads cruiser had decks to sides as well as fore and aft and we painted in gloss with non-slip granules added. However on our present NB we used International non-slip garage floor paint on the roof and for the gunnels I used self adhesive non-slip strip from Screwfix painted over to match the gloss. Looks great and overpainting does not effect the non-slip.

 

Phil

[bizzard]

It works for me Erie canal and my pluggins not working at the mo. Coopers used to be Maslens in Stortford and was a hive of old and interesting wares, like lamp wicks, grate polish and allsorts of old stuff, not cheap though.

[Biggles]

My link[

 

Can I ask a newbie question? Why don't you use strips like this the gunnels?

 

Massively expensive and really not necessary. I did the whole of my gunwales for about £20 and I used expensive coarse carborundum grit.

[Ally]

I tend to er on your side here Pentagon. A gloss paint finish kept washed down and clean is not particularly slippery when wet if correct footwear is used, if you wish to wear hard slippery soled footwear anti-slip surfaces will not be very anti-slip anyway, wet or dry and will damage paintwork. I really do think all this anti-slip stuff plastered all over a boat looks orrible, is difficult to keep clean, and awful to get off. No real need for it all over the roofs, of narrowboats at any rate as there's not much reason to act about up there as there are ladders in locks nowadays.

Up until a few years ago anti-slip surfaces wasn't really ever bothered with and was fairly rare.

I think its also an excuse and opportunity for boat brush painters to speed up a job as a lovely carefully applied gloss finish is not required.

Just my opinion of the orrible stuff folks.

Anti slip surfaces are now required for the RCD on working decks, as part of the means to avoid persons overboard...see my previous post, so all new boats should have anti slip of some kind on the working decks...after that it is a matter of personal preference. A shiny stern deck may be fine with good footwear, but when it has that lovely february ice layer on it, it will be lethal. Our tug deck is sanded in 'plank' rows, and even in the worst ice we never slipped. On a purely personal basis, I will be sanding my roof shortly now it is nearly re-painted, firstly to remove the glare of shiny paint (other flat paints would do the same of course) but also as it is quite frequently walked on, for locks, and other times...I'd prefer to know it is as safe as it can be.

Incidentally, having had many a boat and roof painted, I think it can actually take longer to paint, and is certainly more fiddly, than a simple and plain gloss finish.

 

 

Oh, and DIY....kiln dried sand £4.35 trade.........bargain...enough to do all decks, gunwale and roof!

Edited September 10, 2012 by Ally

[Pentargon]

Anti slip surfaces are now required for the RCD on working decks, as part of the means to avoid persons overboard...see my previous post, so all new boats should have anti slip of some kind on the working decks...after that it is a matter of personal preference. A shiny stern deck may be fine with good footwear, but when it has that lovely february ice layer on it, it will be lethal. Our tug deck is sanded in 'plank' rows, and even in the worst ice we never slipped. On a purely personal basis, I will be sanding my roof shortly now it is nearly re-painted, firstly to remove the glare of shiny paint (other flat paints would do the same of course) but also as it is quite frequently walked on, for locks, and other times...I'd prefer to know it is as safe as it can be. Incidentally, having had many a boat and roof painted, I think it can actually take longer to paint, and is certainly more fiddly, than a simple and plain gloss finish.Oh, and DIY....kiln dried sand £4.35 trade.........bargain...enough to do all decks, gunwale and roof!

 

I've never slipped on any surface on Pentargon but I have slipped on a wet ladder rung in a lock because I was not wearing my anti-slip footwear. One reason I don't have a new boat is so as to avoid completely over-the-top elf'n'safery much or all of which is load of [expensive] cobblers. Ally! whatever lights your fire good buddy, but don't you DARE quote mumbers at me. I know ALL the numbers and I'll know when my own is up.

 

EDIT: Hey Ditchcrawler I like the idea of a 4' rail with gate. I do have a self inflating lifejacket in case I fall in and am unable to stand up. and I have a safety harness from my offshore days too. I only use it when I'm cleaning the outsides of the windows once a year.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Pentargon