Slippery pontoon when icy.

[rustydiver]

Over the weekend the wife slipped over as she was getting off the boat at the bow end. One foot stayed on the boat the other went sliding across the pontoon. Lucky there was another boat moored the ther side otherwise it would have been spadoooosh.

I was a good boy I didn't laugh.

 

Now the question is, what can you put down on the few planks to by the boat to help.

Can I sprinkle a few bits off rock salt on the planks. Or does it affect the wood.

Edited January 18, 2016 by rustydiver

[sueb]

Wire netting stapled down helps

[tree monkey]

Short term cold ash from the fire, long term chicken wire as already suggested?

[blackrose]

Those modern pontoons can be lethal. Despite being treated, a thin layer of algae forms on the wood when it's damp which is very slippery indeed, and the smooth aluminum edging is just a silly material/finish to use along either side of a pontoon. I've slipped on both and even if you don't fall over you can pull muscles in your legs or back. Not nice.

 

Assuming the marina operator won't allow you to nail chicken wire down, then I wonder if some sort of algaecide brushed onto the wood every few weeks might help?

[YamYam]

I'm lucky at my mooring, they put rock salt and ordinary salt down quite regularly with no problems to the wood

[Guest]

Wire netting stapled down helps

That ^^

Worked on ours, nicely proved by the fact that i recently went base over apex on the little bit I haven't "netted" yet

Those modern pontoons can be lethal. Despite being treated, a thin layer of algae forms on the wood when it's damp which is very slippery indeed, and the smooth aluminum edging is just a silly material/finish to use along either side of a pontoon. I've slipped on both and even if you don't fall over you can pull muscles in your legs or back. Not nice.

 

Assuming the marina operator won't allow you to nail chicken wire down, then I wonder if some sort of algaecide brushed onto the wood every few weeks might help?

Too true. Slippery as hell on ours before chicken-wiring it.

[bizzard]

If the marina won't allow chicken wire nailed to the jetty. Small hole chicken wire is easily molded to shape. So chewze a pair of old shoes for the anti-slip treatment. Mold the chicken wire around the shoes, leaving holes to poke your feet into them, twist bits of wire to secure the chicken wire around the shoes to retain permanency, Voila, They should be good on mud too, but a bit clickety click on ice free surfaces like pavements.

[Arthur Brown]

Some places (inc Lidl ) sell "over shoe" like things with studs on. wear them on ice, pocket them on polished floors!

[Bewildered]

If the marina won't allow chicken wire nailed to the jetty. Small hole chicken wire is easily molded to shape. So chewze a pair of old shoes for the anti-slip treatment. Mold the chicken wire around the shoes, leaving holes to poke your feet into them, twist bits of wire to secure the chicken wire around the shoes to retain permanency, Voila, They should be good on mud too, but a bit clickety click on ice free surfaces like pavements.

This forum should have a pinned section for Bizzard Inventions so that the uninitiated can easily find such wisdom and knowledge

[DHutch]

If the issue is very slippy timber scrubbing or pressure washing helps a lot, you can also get the likes of 'patio magic' although try to avoid chemicals, use very sparingly, and would not be sure about using it on decking over water.

 

Other options are grp/ali grip panels such as these;

http://www.porcher.co.uk/CMS/upload/Decking%20on%20wood%203.jpg

http://www.resifloor.co.uk/images/med/Bolt%20Down%20Plate%203.JPG

 

You can also get timber with it pre-applied, such as this;

http://www.dinogrip.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/4/image/610x450/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/r/e/redwood-softwood-slip-resistant.jpg

 

However ultimately, if it actually covered in melting ice, it doesnt really matter what it is its going to be as slippy as a slippy thing with a form of lubricant on the top!

 

Running spikes?

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTY3WDg0Nw==/z/XBcAAOxylk1RfZv8/$T2eC16d,!zEE9s3!Y8ZTBRfZv73nP!~~60_12.JPG?set_id=880000500F

 

Daniel

[Jerra]

would not be sure about using it on decking over water.

Patio Magic clearly says do not allow run off to contaminate ponds etc so I would suggest it is a No No for over water.

[DHutch]

Patio Magic clearly says do not allow run off to contaminate ponds etc so I would suggest it is a No No for over water.

Happy days then thats right out!

 

I always do mine on a dry day, just enough to wet it, mixed up to the weakest mix.

 

In many ways I would rather not, but having acquired a huge expanse block paving laid seemly directly onto the soil, pressure washing it often enough to keep it reasonable without a little help is proving hard. Silly town nonsense!

 

 

Daniel

[GoodGurl]

cold ash as treemonkey suggested but be careful if it rains then freezes as that can be just as slippy as the decking untreated.

[Drayke]

You could try making cross cuts to the decking.

[Texasboater]

Glue down some sheets of coarse grit Wet n Dry,

[ditchcrawler]

Do you own the pontoon?

[rustydiver]

No i don't own the pontoon, it's the marinas, some good suggestions but in not sure the marina would be so impressed.

I think now she has done it once I think she will go extra careful, mind you she did when she fell.

On the main pontoons they have them black raised anti slip bars as you walk along, which asre just as bad when icy, when you go down the pontoons fingers to get to the boat they stop after about 10ft and they run across the wood as they do on the main bits, surely it would be better to run in the same direction as the boat down the finger so going across several bits off wood so when you do slip getting out off the boat you stand a chance off gripping it as you slide over it.

[Jerra]

Surely the problem with ice on pontoons is that whatever anti slip surface you use it isn't working because there is a thin layer of ice over it. As a result the answer has to be in footwear or attachments to footwear.

[Dekazer]

We have wooden pontoons with wire nailed down. I don't find it to be all that helpful, as the wire itself is pretty slippery. Perhaps it's the type of wire? If I were able to start again, I'd be thinking about something a little spikier, perhaps something more like short astroturf? Might that work?

 

The problem with wire is that it makes putting down grit next to useless, and a nightmare to clean up afterwards!

[WarringtonWhite]

Ive just bought some cheap Astro-Turf and fixed a thin strip along the mooring.

I cut it down to strips of about 12" and used a staple gun to fix. It works a treat - no ice and not slippy when wet.

 

 

[rustydiver]

Walking across one off the footbridges the have got honeycombed plastic stuff for the walkway instead off wood the water drains through it and when it wears down it gets rough so was not slippery. Was very grippy on the icy morning when I walked across it.

[cuthound]

No i don't own the pontoon, it's the marinas, some good suggestions but in not sure the marina would be so impressed.

The marina has a duty of care to make it reasonably safe.

 

I would write to them (keeping a copy) pointing out that the current anti-slip measures are unsatisfactory, and explaining that your wife slipped, but luckily wasn't hurt.

 

They can ignore it, and leave themselves open to being sued when someone slips and does get hurt, or hopefully address the issue by putting in wire netting or similar.

[b0atman]

The marina has a duty of care to make it reasonably safe.

 

I would write to them (keeping a copy) pointing out that the current anti-slip measures are unsatisfactory, and explaining that your wife slipped, but luckily wasn't hurt.

 

They can ignore it, and leave themselves open to being sued when someone slips and does get hurt, or hopefully address the issue by putting in wire netting or similar.

Or they say don't like it then off you go I have a list of people wanting moorings I have been in this type of marina.

[cuthound]

Or they say don't like it then off you go I have a list of people wanting moorings I have been in this type of marina.

All very well until someone gets hurt and it is proven they knew they had an issue and ignored it. Duty of care is a well established point in law.

[DHutch]

We have wooden pontoons with wire nailed down. I don't find it to be all that helpful, as the wire itself is pretty slippery.

I find the same to be honest.

...when you go down the pontoons fingers to get to the boat they stop after about 10ft and they run across the wood as they do on the main bits, surely it would be better to run in the same direction as the boat down the finger so going across several bits off wood so when you do slip getting out off the boat you stand a chance off gripping it as you slide over it.

But then you would have less grip in the direction of travel, and have to arrange a way of supporting the timber.

The marina has a duty of care to make it reasonably safe.

 

I would write to them (keeping a copy) pointing out that the current anti-slip measures are unsatisfactory, and explaining that your wife slipped, but luckily wasn't hurt.

 

They can ignore it, and leave themselves open to being sued when someone slips and does get hurt, or hopefully address the issue by putting in wire netting or similar.

Please don't go down this tack. If they are a rotten mess, fair enough, if they are in good shape but just covered in ice, why make it worse for everyone.

 

Daniel