I'm installing toerails on my Weekender. Since I don't imagine much need to hike over the forepeak while under way, I'm wondering how much non-skid deck area is really necessary? Anybody with opinions please respond. Thanks.
Dave
I think you may want some around the deck areas. It's true you will not be walking on the deck very often while the boat is floating, but I walk on the deck quite a bit while the boat is on the trailer while raising/lowering the mast, and when boarding the boat from the dock, I step on the deck beside the splash coaming and then onto the seat, or just forward of the cockpit while holding onto the shrouds. Imagine your feet slipping out from under you at this point, or while putting up the mast while on a trailer, it would be a disaster.
You don't have to make the non-skid out of spikey walnut shells or clumpy sand. I used a non-skid paint from Sikken's and it's really just like a very Matte-finished paint. I think there is some granular matter in it but it's a very fine texture, like that sanding film that model builders use. You can sit on it without scratching your legs.
I painted the stuff from fore to aft down both decks, and also the tops of the seats.
What about strips of the non-skid tape you can get at a lot of industrial supply shops?
They work great for a few years, then they dog ear and eventually peel up.
Where can you usually find the crushed stuff to use in the non-skid locally???
Our local Home Depot sells non-skid sand for mixing with paint.
If you want to use ground walnut shells. Any gun shop will have them. Lots of Auto repair supply companies sell them in various grades for air blasting things clean. Some Pet shops sell it for pet use as grit.
Advantage over sand, can be sanded down and not so hard on skin when you drag your leg across it.
You can also find finely ground up rubber which is easy on feet legs etc. But some paint dealers have non skid additives to mix with paint that would be better than sand.