Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

Well . . . We are ready.  Almost.

 

After starting my Skerry build April 16th, I was hoping to have launched around the first of July.  Regardless,  I am launching this week.   The interior of my Skerry is finished bright and I have attained a glass-like finish after four coats of Schooner with 400 grit wet sanding in between coats.  HERE' MY QUESTION - Do you recommend anti-skid tape on the floor to prevent doing a Fred Flintstone when a bit of water is on the floor. I assume this is going to happen - the water splashing into the boat while sailing.

THANKS!

ps. I thought I seen a thread previously posted on this forum but could not locate it.


8 replies:

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RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

SeaDek. Not only is it non-skid, it's resilient. Much more pleasant to sit on than a piece of polished wood.

And yes, a polished finish is a deathtrap when wet.

Be safe,

Laszlo

 

 

RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

40+ years back a generous friend of mine volunteered to help with the maiden voyage of a 14' strip-planked inland scow I'd just finished. His takeaway - besides a comment about how fine a job I'd done - was a nearly dislocated kneecap after he slipped on the glass-smooth deck & landed knee-first on the coaming....

We remained friends after that though never sailed together again.

MY takeaway was that glass-smooth finishes - bright or otherwise - belong on furniture or maybe artworks, not al all well suited to working surfaces.

Besides that SeaDek material (needs to be secured somehow?) other ways to reduce slippery-when-wet are Petit's EZ Deck paint, Chemsol's line of anti-skid finishes (some water-based), or something like Homax's anti-skid additive for the varnish you used if you prefer to keep that hard-won bright finish but reduce its risk.

 

 

 

RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

   I just finished my Peeler skiff with an all bright interior (Epifanes).  I used a product called Versa Traction for my decks.  They are clear traction pads that I had custom cut from patterns to fit around my console and the curves of the chine.  I did them in four pieces for ease of installation, seam down the center line.   It is basically a peel and stick material and comes out pretty clear and has great traction even when wet.   I have used it on a Kaholo SUP and now in my Peeler.  Great traction, does not stain and the wood grain and color shows through.  Probably about the same cost as SeaDek, not as squishy as SeaDek though, I might get a helm pad from them for when I run my boat in bare feet.  As for the look of Versa Traction, people ask me how I got the texture in my finish on the decks!  I left my seats bright with no traction pads.  I try not to stand on the seats.  Let me know if you want my contact at the company, I'm sure they will send a sample of the product if you are interested.

RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

http://versaworld.com/

 

These folks? Yep, seems like a worthwhile option!

Figures that with the vast popularity of watersport activities needing good traction when wet there'd be products like these being made available where before one had to be creative....

One trick I'd heard of long ago but haven't had an opportunity to try was to sprinkle sugar into wet varnish. Idea is the crystals create irregularities when the varnish gets drawn to them then hardens. Once the sugar is washed away the roughened varnish is less slip-prone than otherwise. Whether coarser 'unrefined' sugar would work better than white table sugar I have to wonder.

 

 

 

 

 

RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

  yes, that is the product.  Check out the SUP's, the colored graphics really show through the material.  Its a little muted with the Okoume but still nicer than SeaDek if you want the wood to show.  They will do custom pieces if you send them the patterns.  It is also really easy to trim with good scissors.  I was tempted to try the sugar in the varnish trick but I figured the Versa Traction will also protect the wood when I have Stripers and Bluefish flopping around on deck with metal lures thrashing about!  Hopefully anyway!

RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

���Agree on SeaDek. Check out their website and see all the uses people have applied it. I bought the custom cut kit from CLC...good way to go because their cuts are real accurate...just peel and stick.. Not coming up and real durable.

RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

   Just wanted to say thanks formal the very helpful suggestions.

Has anyone ever tried anti-fatigue mats?

Thanks again

RE: Bright Finish - Slippery when Wet!

SeaDek is also peel & stick. It's very easy to accurately cut with a razor blade. I used a long straight-edge for the straight cuts and various cans and buckets for the rounded areas to guide the razor. It's a bit cheaper to buy a sheet and cut it oneself.

Laszlo

 

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