Deck paint additives

[Wandering1]

As liveaboard sailors we wear our boat out about 5 times faster than a weekend sailor.
We did our deck paint with Awlgrip paint and their Griptex additive in 2021. We have crossed the pond the The Caribbean, spent a couple of years cruising there then sailed back to Europe.
The deck paint is totally worn out in the high traffic areas. It's like ice.
What are the alternatives to Griptex that will work for liveaboard use? We like the look of the Awgrip product as it doesn't show the black dots you get with sand none slip additives as the paint wears. We cannot live with the extortionate cost of Awgrip paint and there ridiculously over priced none slip additives. We plan to paint the deck this time with Jotun paint but we are not sure what additive to go for. It needs to be self coloured and hard wearing. Does such an additive exist?

[more]

Originally Posted by Wandering1

As liveaboard sailors we wear our boat out about 5 times faster than a weekend sailor.
We did our deck paint with Awlgrip paint and their Griptex additive in 2021. We have crossed the pond the The Caribbean, spent a couple of years cruising there then sailed back to Europe.
The deck paint is totally worn out in the high traffic areas. It's like ice.
What are the alternatives to Griptex that will work for liveaboard use? We like the look of the Awgrip product as it doesn't show the black dots you get with sand none slip additives as the paint wears. We cannot live with the extortionate cost of Awgrip paint and there ridiculously over priced none slip additives. We plan to paint the deck this time with Jotun paint but we are not sure what additive to go for. It needs to be self coloured and hard wearing. Does such an additive exist?

https://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/products/anti-skid

[psk125]

Some people use sand. It's self colored and wears hard.

[Tupaia]

The best solution I have found is chlorinated rubber paint used for swimming pools, completely waterproof and durable, add to this Hempel anti slip pearls.

Comfortable but still effective non skid. Easy to repair and economical.

[thinwater]

I've always liked 3M Safety Walk grit tape for very high wear areas, like treads, weird deck transitions, and where you step down on a seat into the cockpit, for example. Yes, it's very rough, and that is what you need. It is also easy to replace, and that is important in high wear areas. Safety is more important to me than feel or aesthetics. But it's only for specific areas.

Most of the additives, IMO, don't wear worth a damn. The OP is right about that. Commercial boats and ferries seem to use sand. Not pretty or pants-friendly, but it lasts. I wouldn't use it on seats, but that's a minor issue, because I always us some sort of cushion, not too thick and well-secured at the back.

Gelcoat rolled on with a looped roller is very good and very durable. Factory on many boats. I've never tried it because it never wore out. But I would bet it would greatly out-wear all of the latex roll-ons. But you would need to sand off the paint ... I think. But maybe not, since you have a 2-part.

And many good suggestions above. But they are all maintenance coatings.


Good luck.

[smj]

Kiwi grip

[Bowdrie]

If you're using a one-part paint, it's of little to no value to use an additive that lasts longer than the paint.
This is where crushed walnut shines, it's dirt cheap and easily sanded for another paint coat.
Sand? long term it's a pox on wood or fiberglass, especially if you have to remove it.
Whatever your choice, check out businesses that deal in media blasting products, not an overpriced marine store.
I too use the 3M tape at various places, truly a decent product.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by smj

Kiwi grip

I am considering Kiwi Grip. What do you do with it when it wears out? Is it easy to remove?

[Wandering1]

Originally Posted by psk125

Some people use sand. It's self colored and wears hard.

It's not a great solution. We have cream deck paint. It's the right colour for us, cruising the Tropics. It doesn't get hot under bare feet.
If you use sand, as the deck paint wears out, the sand appears as black dots all across the deck. You cannot easily fix the problem as more paint cannot easily be made to adhere to the old paint. You can't rub it down as the sand is as aggressive as sand paper. You have no choice but to grind off the whole area and start again.
This is the reason why we then tried the Awlgrip system. It is probably the most expensive paint and none slip additive on the market. It doesn't work as liveaboards. It cannot take the punishment of daily use in bare feet, mostly. The self coloured, paint filled particles, simply wear out far faster than you would expect.
We are at the point where we will not use Awgrip paint and Griptex but will likely use Jotun paint and another none slip additive. If we are going to have to replace deck paint every 3 years, it may as well be a cheaper two pack system than Awgrip.
Our high traffic areas are the route from the stern boarding ladder to the cockpit and forward to the mast on the port side. The whole of this area is worn and slippy

[s/v Jedi]

There’s two products that stand above the rest afaik and those are Griptex and Softsand.

Regardless of which one is used, you do need a 2-part polyurethane to paint it as it multiplies the longevity of the paint job (before the grip wears off the paint must wear off). Awlgrip original topcoat is the best because of its excellent UV and chemical resistance. Other good choices are the two part polyurethanes from Epifanes and AlexSeal.

[Wandering1]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

There’s two products that stand above the rest afaik and those are Griptex and Softsand.

Regardless of which one is used, you do need a 2-part polyurethane to paint it as it multiplies the longevity of the paint job (before the grip wears off the paint must wear off). Awlgrip original topcoat is the best because of its excellent UV and chemical resistance. Other good choices are the two part polyurethanes from Epifanes and AlexSeal.

We tried Awgrip and Griptex and we are less than impressed. It is the original version of Awlgrip. If that's the best in the market, we have a problem. 3 years life is not acceptable to us

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Wandering1

We tried Awgrip and Griptex and we are less than impressed. It is the original version of Awlgrip. If that's the best in the market, we have a problem. 3 years life is not acceptable to us

Us too lasted a little longer than tree years but being two pack it was very difficult to repair the worn patches. Stupidly expensive.

[Wandering1]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Us too lasted a little longer than tree years but being two pack it was very difficult to repair the worn patches. Stupidly expensive.

We spent £1000 just on the griptex without the cost of the Awgrip primer and topcoat. The cost of the Awgrip system is extortionate. Now we realise it is not durable. When I asked the Awgrip rep he says that the racing guys do 30,000nm and don't have a problem. We'll we are only two people doing an Atlantic circuit and it wore out so who is telling the truth.
10,000nm and living aboard must be more wear than ocean sailing

[Benz]

There's two parts to this Griptex/Awlgrip issue. One is the product, over which the user has no control. The other is the application, which is 90% of the battle. I haven't seen anything better, ever, than Awlgrip with Griptex properly applied. I've applied tons of it, and can only say that getting everything right is really hard: prep, mix, application, grit and amount of Griptex ratio; sprinkle or pre-mix; there's a lot of variables, and I've had projects come out super-durable where others where I thought I was doing everything the same came out "meh." That's why professional paint jobs are so blisteringly expensive. Those guys HAVE to get it right, and usually know how.
You can add Griptex to other paints than Awlgrip--I do it all the time, and I prefer the super-coarse. It's the cheapest part of the whole system. But I think I'll still suck it up and use Awlgrip for my next deck paint in ten years.

[Wandering1]

Originally Posted by Benz

There's two parts to this Griptex/Awlgrip issue. One is the product, over which the user has no control. The other is the application, which is 90% of the battle. I haven't seen anything better, ever, than Awlgrip with Griptex properly applied. I've applied tons of it, and can only say that getting everything right is really hard: prep, mix, application, grit and amount of Griptex ratio; sprinkle or pre-mix; there's a lot of variables, and I've had projects come out super-durable where others where I thought I was doing everything the same came out "meh." That's why professional paint jobs are so blisteringly expensive. Those guys HAVE to get it right, and usually know how.
You can add Griptex to other paints than Awlgrip--I do it all the time, and I prefer the super-coarse. It's the cheapest part of the whole system. But I think I'll still suck it up and use Awlgrip for my next deck paint in ten years.

Are you living about 24/7 365? We did for 3 years. Compared to a weekend sailor we do at least 5 times the wear, annually. Our deck paint was professionally applied under temperature controlled conditions in a spray booth. I am guessing that you dont liveaboard you boat full-time