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!