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Non-Skid

NAFLASH

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Is there an easy way to re-do non skid? I was tossing around the idea of getting line-x applied where the old non skid was sanded off, however I wasn't sure how it would hold up. Anyone have any idea's other then re-gel. At around 7k to re-gel the boat with the original lines and 2 colors I just can't justify spending that much. So I'm having the boat painted. I was able to color sand the wood grain and the only problem area was on the front of the deck where the gel is splitting. So does anyone abject to a durable paint or roll on coating like line-x or similar?
 

Maw

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Are the splits in the gel coat due to sun exposure or is there something of a structural nature causing this from below?

Putting a non-skid surface back is simple. There are abrasive additives available from paint suppliers made for just this purpose. Roll on a coat of high build epoxy primer in the desired area then immediately sprinkle the abrasive on in an even pattern. Allow the first coat of primer to set, then recoat with 1-2 more coats of primer. Now finish with your top color of choice, sprayed or rolled.

I suspect you could perform the same procedure with gel on the deck surface (assuming you're just redoing the deck). Roll on a layer of reduced gell coat and sprinkle. Don't spray with PVA so the surface stays tacky. Now roll on your finish coat of gel and spray with a PVA sealer. Allow to cure in a cool area then wash the PVA off with soap and water. One quart of white gel coat ($25.00?) is more than enough to cover the deck area. Use a foam roller for application. Try this on a piece of scrap plywood first.

Cheers, Mark
 

miklos

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I'm almost positive back in those days they used ground up walnut shells on the plugs.
 

RiverDave

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Naflash I can probably get you a better deal then 7k. Sal at oc boat repair quoted me 5k for a spectra awhile back. With times being what they are I would think between 4-5 would be realistic fromsome other shops.

RD
 

NAFLASH

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The whole boat is sanded. The Non skid is completely gone. Sal quoted me 5k if he didnt need to repair any cracks, and there are cracks that need repair.
 

Flat Broke

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The whole boat is sanded. The Non skid is completely gone. Sal quoted me 5k if he didnt need to repair any cracks, and there are cracks that need repair.

And that's just it, painting over those cracks isn't going to make em go away. Speaking from first-hand experience, if you were to strip the gel in the areas of those cracks, you'd see hairline factures in the glass underneath. Honestly, if you have it sanded down to where you think it is smooth enough to get a good finish, you'd have no problem repairing the cracks yourself. Grind out the affected area, and build it back up with glass again. If you don't mind the work, have a good air compressor, air sanders/files you could try shooting the gel yourself. It's not hard per say, but it is definitely time consuming. I don't have my receipt handy for the gel I bought to re-do my Spectra, but I think it was around $500 for 5 gals of white(about the same price as 4 individual gallons) 2 gals of Simtec clear (used as an air-drying additive for final coats of gel), a quart of orange, more than enough MEKP, mixing tubs etc. I've been using a cheap Harbor Freight HVLP gun with an upgraded 2.2 tip and it flows the gel quite well. If you're curious about shooting the gel yourself, I highly recomend you contact Doug at Sher Fab Unlimited

If you're not down with the Gelcoat, you should contact MAW on here. When I met him a few years ago to sell him a Spectra 20 windscreen, he was telling me about an crosslinked polymer or something paint that he used. I believe the name was Awlgrip ( I know they sell that brand at West Marine). Anyhow, if I recall, he applied the stuff with a roller and by the time it dried, it shrunk enough that it had a smooth finish. I know there is an Awlgrip non-skid additive so you could probably use that in conjunction with a second coat to do your non-skid I'd shoot him a PM and see if he can give you specifics. He was going to post pics of his boat with the paint on it, but I don't think he ever got around to it.

Hope that helps,
Chris
 

NAFLASH

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This is the whole reason im asking if a Line-X type material will work. When i say cracks, I mean like the entire bow has cracks everywhere.
 

DragDad

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This is the whole reason im asking if a Line-X type material will work. When i say cracks, I mean like the entire bow has cracks everywhere.

Did you ever re-shoot the boat? I dont think rhino liner is the right choice to shoot gel over. Gelcoat is a polyester-based resin that dries very rigid, almost brittle. Rhino Liner is polyurethane and flexible. It also expands and contracts at a different rate than the gelcoat, thus causing a worse cracking issues. The cracks you have in the bow are due to gel-checking, meaning the continual curing of old polyester resin eventually will crack with use. If your gelcoat has seen a lot of sun, it's likely you will start to see cracks elsewhere.. the bow will always crack first. You could sand it good, shoot it with a base gelcoat using epoxy resins, and re-sand it (as if you were primering a car for paint). Im interested in how else to fix stress cracks, without taking the boat all the way to the glass. Good luck.
 
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