Why Leave The Borders Between Deck Grip Paint

[charliehows]

i've been gradually painting the deck grip out to the edges on my boat, sick of slipping on the bloody borders - apart from the cosmetics, why do people block out deck grip paint with borders of slippery paint in between just big enough to flip you out when you need it least?

[model 10]

It's a boat. Water drainage.

[daddle]

They are called waterways. Looks better. Tough to caulk sometimes if it runs right up to a board. Make them narrower, maybe, to retain the look. It whatever suits you.

[BriRich]

They are called 'waterways" and allow bits of water to drain off the deck more quickly and also allow easier cleaning of edges and corners where dirt accumulates. Make them skinnier if you don't want to slip on them.

[David_Old_Jersey]

The reason for not painting to the deck (and saloon) edges is that makes repainting easier (and easier to clean). I think those that have gaps along the decks are just cosmetic, albeit makes it easier to recoat higher wear areas without having to do the whole deck.

Never heard that drainage reason before. In regard to slippyness I would suggest that the non-slip needs to cover areas that are a problem.....maybe the original builder went for a pattern / layout based on cosmetics? (or a WAG?!).

[charliehows]

ok, thats good - the drainage thing - bs - i dont hear any reason apart from cosmetics, just wondered if there was some esoteric little bit of cleverness in the design, but no, it just looks pretty even if it breaks yer bloody neck. thanks.

[Blue Stocking]

I think it started in early fiberglass boat days when teak decks stopped one plank in from toerail, to avoid gunwale leak problems.

[BriRich]

Originally Posted by charliehows

ok, thats good - the drainage thing - bs - i dont hear any reason apart from cosmetics, just wondered if there was some esoteric little bit of cleverness in the design, but no, it just looks pretty even if it breaks yer bloody neck. thanks.

I wonder why they are called waterways?

[AnchorageGuy]

We re-coated all of our decks with Tuffcoat and did away with all of the border areas. As a matter of fact, on the lower decks we lapped the coating up the gunnels about an inch. Everything drains just fine and we get lots of comments on how good it looks. Chuck

[charliehows]

Originally Posted by Waterwayguy

We re-coated all of our decks with Tuffcoat and did away with all of the border areas. As a matter of fact, on the lower decks we lapped the coating up the gunnels about an inch. Everything drains just fine and we get lots of comments on how good it looks. Chuck

+1, thanks, thats what i thought...

[model 10]

Originally Posted by charliehows

ok, thats good - the drainage thing - bs - i dont hear any reason apart from cosmetics, just wondered if there was some esoteric little bit of cleverness in the design, but no, it just looks pretty even if it breaks yer bloody neck. thanks.

Boatbuilders spend how many hundred hours putting non skid and waterway patterns in their deck molds because it's BS and it' just for looks? I guess it's easy to know more than they do. Especially builders like Hinckley, losers.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Guy

Boatbuilders spend how many hundred hours putting non skid and waterway patterns in their deck molds because it's BS and it' just for looks? I guess it's easy to know more than they do. Especially builders like Hinckley, losers.

OP was talking about deck paint.

But my suspicion is that the "waterways" are less to do with drainage and more to do with less moulding being required (or deck paint!/ treadmaster etc) for lower cost reasons and cosmetics. To be fair, unless the gaps are too large and / or badly placed I can't see them being any issue - certainly never been for me. With boats I have been on in the past having the entire deck painted in non-slip does not prevent the water draining. Cleaning a bit harder in the corners though .....and repainting would be a pig!

[Mystic38]

this.

I would not second guess the designers based upon "economy" reasons as it would cost more to create the edge of a molding or mask off a pattern than it would to simply paint to the edge.

Originally Posted by BriRich

They are called 'waterways" and allow bits of water to drain off the deck more quickly and also allow easier cleaning of edges and corners where dirt accumulates. Make them skinnier if you don't want to slip on them.

[charliehows]

yup.yah. uh huh. nope, still bs.

[AiniA]

My early 80s Bristol has no-skid right out to the toe rails. Think it is original. Either way is fine.