Non Slip?

[JB9]

I have received a request from my JB crew for their area of the deck to be a little less slippy, especially when wet. But, I rather like the look of the long varnished decks whilst I understand that going out on the trapeze can be a bit tricky. Any solutions come to mind?

[Nessa]

You can re varnish, throwing some sugar over the wet varnish to provide a gritty surface when the varnish dries. I will soon face a similar dilemma when it comes to varnishing the side decks of the 14. i want it to look nice, but as a trapeze crew myself, I also know how infuriating it is to be slipping all the time.

In a similar vein, is there a recommended way to remove sandpaper that has been varnished over to provide non-slip? It is on the floor of a Heron.

[ACB]

Here are a list of ideas, based on a lifetime of cruising yachts and trying to translate that into dinghies:

1. Non-slip deck paint. This is (usually) chlorinated rubber paint to which fine grit is added. Used on boat decks. Would look awful on a dinghy I think, but the paint does show you where to put your hoofs in order to get a grip. Point is, the grit is sold separately - it's fine silver sand. See (2) for application technique.

2. Varnish with non-slip paint grit added to the varnish. The trick is to mask the areas you don't want "gritty", put a coat on the bits that you do want gritty, put some of the grit in a pepper pot and shake it over the wet varnish. Allow to dry, brush off the loose stuff, and then give another coat. This works very well indeed if you are using a two pot polyurethane - some I put on 18 years ago is still good.

3. Ditto but with sugar - gives a less abrasive surface, which will have to be re-done quite soon.

4. Use "Treadmaster", which is a gritty rubber sheet with a diamond pattern moulded into it. Comes in several colours. This is what RNLI Lifeboats and some "very serious" yachts have on their decks. Expensive, but you can but it in small patches intended for stair treads. You can cut it with a Stanley knife. Stick it on with contact adhesive like Bostik. This does look neat, and is the most "non-slip" of the lot, so long as the surface that you are applying it to is flat because the stuff won't take a sharp curve. I had an ex-RNLI boarding boat which had this on the thwarts and it was brilliant.

5. Pro-Grip. Tends to offer a choice of black, black or black, but does work well.

Removing varnished-on sandpaper - nasty! Try a hot air gun and sliding a wallpaper stripping knife under the edge of it.

[Nessa]

I used interdeck paint on my phantom and it did the job well, but agreed, paint looks horrible on a varnished dinghy. I have also used the little granule type things that you add to the paint/varnish. They didn't work that brilliantly with the paint, but I haven't tried them on varnish.

With the 14 I am tempted to try roping the gunwhales, because it looks sort of authentic, but I may also go for black pro grip, because I know it works - my contender is covered in it on the up sides!

[Brookesy]

On the FD I have a combination, the floor area is painted with 'Interdeck' and the varnished gunnels in the areas where the crew stands when trapping was varnished with one pack poly and sugar sprinkled (Silver Spoon Granulated) before being varnished again to seal it on. The gunnels were then drilled and roped with 3mm polyester multi.
So far no problems, very durable with grip and no ripped kit, and easy to touch up/rerope and I feel it looks right. .
I also like progrip but it can be too grippy sometimes.

[Ancient Geek]

Whilst losing weight and waiting for wind.

Two solutions
One the less violent solution is to Varnish a piece of net curtain (Patern to choice we ude plain squares!) into the dech or area. Transparent when varnished.

Two more violent and hence rather more non-slip indeed non movement is to varnish area to be treated scatter very liberally -ie cover- with sawdust and chippings - let it dry - hoover off that not stuck (most of it) - varnish over.

Both use stuff to hand and are both the best at non slip and esthetics.

You can of course use paint if its a painted surface!

[Ed]

Sex Wax or I suppose any other good surfboard wax will work well and is easy to take off...but does get a bit dirty if you sail anywhere muddy.

I normally use the Blakes anti-slip, but just on the gunwhale, not on the decks

cheers

eib

[Obscured by clouds]

We used to use epsom salt sprinkled on gelcoat for our custom sailboards. Ide was that it would wear off a bit more slowly than sugar.

[JB9]

I had some sugar so have sprinkled it on. Thanks for advice.

I will also buy kangaroo poo too as my preferred brand!