Antiskid on aluminium Deck

Hi Guys ,

I have designed some Aluminium Sport Fishing Boats but anyone have some experience about CNC engraved panel for the deck to improve antiskid ?
The client don't like Teak or syntethic mats so we need a nice patter of aluminium 5083 tread plate to use and anyway we don't like the welding that discontinue the design.

Thanks for support for some ideas

 

Fairly simple, if you can find someone with a large enough gantry CNC router so that the individual deck plates don't have to be size of a dinner plate.

There is also chemical etching too. Which would allow you to put the pattern all at once on the completed deck.

 

Hi James thanks for reply . Ok I understand but i have necessary perform some slot welding on deck to fix with underneath stiffeners and waste the Cnc engraved design.

Chemical Etching can engrave enough material to have a good antiskid ?

 

It depends on what your definition of "good antiskid" is.

 

Most local aluminum fish boats just buff up the aluminum with a course grit (# 16) grinder. Technique has worked well for the past 60 years
We have also done it on some small passenger boats but put non-skid strips on stair & door landings etc. for extra security. Essentially: No shine = no slip.

Most tread plate is essentially useless since any oily stuff (potato chips, butter, fish oil, salad oil etc) makes the raised pattern 'bumps' behave like ball bearings.
I would guess that engraving the plate may look nice but is still ineffective 'smooth' plate (slippery) and could lead to premature cracking as well as a real challenge for cleaning.

 

What's wrong with paint with non-skid additives ? Sanding with coarse grit sandpaper would create a surface hard to clean, sounds like a grime trap, but obviously on a commercial fishing boat, hardly an issue.

 

Agreed
Nothing wrong with good non skid and it's the best, especially if you have non boaters aboard - like a passenger/tour boat.
The buffed deck is cheapest option and has never been a problem keeping reasonably clean: fisheries and health departments have never had a problem with it.

 

Hi Guys, Thanks for reply .So your suggestion is to use non-skid additivies for the cockpit area ? I am looking for a new great solution taking in consideraiton that is a ''Sport'' Fishing - Center Console Boat and not a rough Fishing Boat the chemical etching is interesting

 

The boat in my avatar is my design, and she is built in aluminium - her decks are simply painted in a two pack cream colour with non skid additive (seived sand) and they look quite reasonable, and are very effective re their non skid properties.

 

They make a rubber particle non slip to mix with paint. Much cleaner(no dust), lasts longer, and is a bit cooler and much easier on bare feat.

 

Thanks for reply .I am interested about acid etching . Is there any boat that have used this process ?

 

Treadplate works. I've been fishing/diving/hunting out of a treadplate decked boat for >30 years. Never had a slip.

Plenty of aquaculture boats are built with treadplate. Long hours and slippery conditions but slips and falls are rare. Why? Correct footware.

 

agreed
Some tread plate is good, some is not. I have used the PAM test: Get a sample sheet (buffed, paint, tread plate, etc) added with a light touch of cooking oil (PAM spray, etc.) . Tilt about 10 degrees and then stand on it to test the 'grip'.

 

I put a couple of foot sized, non-skid, adhesive backed, "stickers" essentially, directly on the aluminum where I fell.
They've lasted years now.
And, I haven't fallen again there.

 

I've seen the product KiwiGrip used on aluminum boats. It seems to adhere well when the surface is prepared properly and you can make it as aggressive or "barefoot friendly" as you want by selecting different roller covers. Depending on your location, you can go with lighter colors to reduce heat absorption or stick with the standard black.