Cockpit Deck | Non Slip Finish

This post comes with an up front warning - it's a long one!

It's either that or two or three posts covering the same ground, which would I think be even more tedious.

There is a lot to cover, and I don't want to miss anything out that might be of interest or importance on this topic.

Plus I will forget how I did all this in a few weeks time, and I need an accurate record for the photo diary.

So... let's get on with it, shall we?!

First came the port side of the cockpit deck, alongside the footwell.

Here I am using the laser level to mark up the non slip panel.

I am using the laser to make sure the inside edge of the panel is parallel to the footwell.

And in this pic I am again using the laser to mark up the rear edge of the panel, athwartships, to make sure it is parallel to the hatch lid.

3M 244 masking tape has been laid in place along the laser beam.

The curved outside edge required a different tactic. I used a thin, flexible wooden lath to strike a fair line along the seatback, held in place with three lumps of BlueTack. Like this. 

This is how the Blue Tack worked.

When I was satisfied that the lath was describing a fair curve, I marked it up with blue tape. like this.

I then removed the lath and taped in the outside edge of the panel with the 3M tape, as here.

I the then removed the blue tape, leaving the outside edge in place for the panel.

Here is the port non slip panel all taped up, including the corners.

This is the corner of the port panel, next to the mainsheet block.

Next I taped up the starboard panel in exactly the same way.

Here it is, all taped and ready to go.

Now it was time to prepare the panels for the non slip finish.

The first step was to wet sand them both with a P400 grit, like this.

A coat of white gloss followed, immediately covered by the Griptex non slip compound using the same broadcast technique as the cabin roof.

This is what they looked like.

I'm not sure if I have described the roller sleeve I used for the cabin roof, so here it is. It comes from Redtree and is lint free and low knap. I cut this one in half to get a 3 1/2" sleeve.

Here it is fitted to the birdcage roller frame.

This type of sleeve lays down a really thin and even layer of paint which I think is good for this application.

When dry the excess non slip compound was removed with the vacuum cleaner, and two sealing coats of paint were applied.

Here are both panels after the second coat, with masking tape pulled.

I think you can just make out the matt finish on both panels.

Finally came the forward panel, between the footwell and the rear cabin wall.

In this pic I am using the laser level to mark up and tape the forward edge of the panel, in parallel with the cabin wall.

That worked well, with the laser level fastened to the garage door overhead gantry, as in this pic.

The curved outer edges were marked up and taped using the wooden lath, BlueTack and blue tape. Like this.

And here the 3M tape has been added to make the outer edge.

At last the forward panel was all taped up, including the corners. Here it is.

Next came wet sanding with the P400 grit, in preparation for paint. See below.

And here we are applying paint with the Redtree birdcage roller.

The Griptex non slip compound was then generously applied to the wet paint. Like this.

Here is a corner, showing how I made sure the corners were well covered.

The roller sleeve now makes another appearance, to describe its lint free surface which is so well suited to this sort of use.

This is the forward panel after its second sealing coat of gloss, still taped.

And here is the mainsheet block after the masking tape has been pulled, showing its neat edging.

Lastly, here is the whole cockpit deck with non slip panels completed.

Looking good, and another task ticked off the list!

Cabin Roof | Applying Non Slip Finish

The time came to gird up my loins and apply the non slip finish to the cabin roof.

Everything was ready - the non slip panels had all been carefully masked off with tape, ready for application.

I started on the starboard side by covering up the surrounding areas with polythene sheeting, in case of mess. This is what it looked like.

Next step was to apply a coat of gloss to the panel and cover it with the non slip material.

This is what I am using.

It is Griptex 730 12 from AwlGrip and was recommended by my go-to paint supplier at BoatPaint UK.

I am using the Fine texture finish, again as recommended.

The material can be mixed with paint and sprayed, or applied by roller. Or it can be 'broadcast', which entails sprinkling plenty of compound onto a coat of fresh wet paint.

I chose the latter, which some YouTube experts say is the best.

In the pic you can see the sugar shaker which I am using to apply the compound, and a ladle and funnel which is the only sensible way to fill the shaker.

And so the first coat was applied. Here it is.

You need to apply a lot - and I mean a lot - of compound to ensure that the surface is properly covered, with no bald patches. This means that there is a lot of wastage, but I guess that is the price we pay for a good finish.

This is a close up of the applied compound.

The following day when everything was dry I vacuumed off the excess compound and applied a sealing coat of gloss to the non slip finish.

This was left to cure overnight and the tape pulled to reveal the nonslip cabin roof in all its glory.

This is what it looked like.

Not bad, but the sealing coat was a bit patchy. I shouldn't have been surprised - all other applications of gloss have required more than one coat.

So I taped up the starboard cabin roof yet again and applied a second coat. This is what it looked like when the tape was pulled.

That was much better. So two sealing coats would be required for the rest of the boat. Now we knew.

I then moved on to the port cabin roof, which was a lot quicker and easier with the learnings just gained.

This is the port cabin roof after its second sealing coat, with tape still in place.

That was looking good, so I pulled the tape and this was the final result.

I think that looks fit for purpose. It's neat and tidy with good colour and a nice matt finish, and the fine texture is perfect for this size and type of boat.

The next candidate for non slip finish is the cockpit deck. Hooray!

Finished Parts | Test Fit

I thought it would be a good idea to check that all was well with the finished parts that were now available, so I made a quick test fit.

This is the tabernacle, stood in position in the forward deck well.

That looks OK.

Next came the companionway slide and the acrylic drop boards.

Looking good!

Everything then went back inside, out of harms way.

Tillers | More Varnish & Finished

I mentioned in the last post about the tillers that I thought a couple more coats of varnish might be required, and that was indeed the case.

I wet sanded them with a P400 grit before applying the next coat. Here they are curing on the bench.

One final coat was needed but I used a fine nylon abrasive pad to prepare the surface rather than sand it again. That was all that was needed.

Here are the tillers with the pad.

And here are the finished articles.

Another job done, and ticked off the list.

The tillers then went back inside the house to await deployment.