Embedded nonslip fiberglass patterns

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by BajaMike, Mar 31, 2009.

  1. BajaMike
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Monterey Bay, CA

    BajaMike New Member

    Hello all
    I'm redoing some deck sections (on the bow) of my boat and want to replicate (as close as I can) the nonslip patterns in the gel goat of newer boats. I've done some research here and it seems that a fellow named FastFred has a good system using cotton insect screen. I looked all over the web for:?: this material with no luck and Fred doesn't take PM's. Trying not to use the paint/sand type of non slips. Any help out there?
    Thanks
    Mike
     
  2. Landlubber
    Joined: Jun 2007
    Posts: 2,640
    Likes: 125, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 1802
    Location: Brisbane

    Landlubber Senior Member

    Vinyl material is usually used to make the moulds for non skid decks. It is sold as non skid flooring, all sorts of patterns are available.

    It is cut to shape to suit the pattern required, the mould is taken from that and all boats after that are the same of course.

    You can replicate this technique quite easily, make the sections that you require from gelcoat and glass and epoxy glue then down. Use a router to do the cutouts to suit, sort of like marquetry to insert them nicely, but it really is not difficult, just takes a fair bit of time.

    A little gelcoat (flowcoat) repair around the seam and it becomes invisible
     
  3. pescaloco
    Joined: Feb 2006
    Posts: 301
    Likes: 10, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 81
    Location: so. california

    pescaloco Senior Member

    Mike I can't think of the name but there is a company that makes pre molded latex sheets that are exactly what you need to make your own molded non skid. I'm sure some one here will give you the name
     
  4. San Juan Sailor
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posts: 6
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: San Juan Island, WA.

    San Juan Sailor Junior Member

  5. BajaMike
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Monterey Bay, CA

    BajaMike New Member

    Thanks San Juan...Talked with Fiberglass Supply and the samples are exactly what I am looking for. Gibco out of Texas makes the material to match the actual non skid patterns of about 10 popular boat mfg's. It's actually a mold that you cut to shape and then and then apply into tacky gel coat. After it goes off you peel back the mold and wolah! Instant non skid.
    Thanks
    Mike
    Santa Cruz
     
  6. Kaptin-Jer
    Joined: Mar 2004
    Posts: 570
    Likes: 18, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 206
    Location: South Florida

    Kaptin-Jer Semi-Pro

  7. BajaMike
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Monterey Bay, CA

    BajaMike New Member

    Thanks Capt. Jer

    Just joined this site and found to be really nice people and very helpful!

    Mike
     
  8. Kaptin-Jer
    Joined: Mar 2004
    Posts: 570
    Likes: 18, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 206
    Location: South Florida

    Kaptin-Jer Semi-Pro

    Nice--Don't push!! :p We try. Welcome aboard.
     
  9. AroMarine
    Joined: Jul 2005
    Posts: 45
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Atlantic City NJ

    AroMarine Junior Member

    Gibcoflexmold.com Sorry I dont know how to hyper link the url. They are a good company with a good tutorial flier on nonskid repair and installation.
     
  10. ryanpratt
    Joined: Jan 2010
    Posts: 20
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: South Carolina

    ryanpratt Ryan

  11. Itchy&Scratchy
    Joined: Jul 2008
    Posts: 140
    Likes: 3, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 117
    Location: Oxford & South Africa

    Itchy&Scratchy Senior Member

    Buy yourself some rtv moulding silicone.

    take another piece of clean deck area and build a wall out of plasticine, remember silicone will find its way through any little hole, so make sure you bed the plasticine down well. You can apply a bthin bit of vaseline as a release agent, but rtv silicone doeant stick to anything so it'll come off quite easily anyway.
    mix your silicone thoroughly, ideally you want it to gel quite quickly, most rtv's advocate 2% with an overnight curing time, but its quite resilient and can take loads of hardener, you can get it to go in about an hour. You can also get thickening liquid which is a clear additive to thicken up into a paste.
    Anyway, pour into your mould and let harden, take a template off your deck area that you want to regrip and cut your silicone moulded sheet to the shape required. tape off around the marked out deck area and make sure you key the area up with about 80 grit.
    Paint gelcoat mixed with cat obviously, onto your moulded sheet making sure that you get it into all the little pockets, dont make it too thick so it spills out everywher or too shallow if you know what I mean.
    also paint a thin layer of gel onto the surface of the deck, flip your mould onto the area and posiion correctly.
    now leave it and go and do something else, if in doubt as to weather it has cured sufficiently or not, LEAVE IT, preferably overnight.
    Pull it off the next day and it should look ok.
    Ive done a fair bit of this over the years and it can come out really well.
    This sort of thing is ideal for smaller areas of deck, otherwise its just too costly for the silicone. If you pull it off too early it can ruin the whole thing and you'll have to sand back and start again.
    Its also not briliant to try and 'add on' to and existing deckgrip, you will end up with mixed results, rather if you can do an entire area. You can also use your normal marine silicone out of a gun for a small area mould but its got a thixotropic in it to thicken it and you might end up with voids in your moulded pattern.
    have fun
    Itchy
     

  12. Herman
    Joined: Oct 2004
    Posts: 1,618
    Likes: 94, Points: 48, Legacy Rep: 1240
    Location: The Netherlands

    Herman Senior Member

    I do the Gibco material, and it works wonders. They have a wide range of different profiles. Ask them for a sample pack!
     
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.