Prepping Diamond Tread for Refinish Gelcoat

[76SeaRay]

On top of the gunwales along the sides of the hardtop cabin is a very, very narrow place to walk up to the bow (just the width of a person's foot). Along this section and where the railing runs is diamond tread that was molded into the deck when the boat was built (see pic, I shot the rail stanchion mounting point to let the dirt emphasize the pattern). Since sanding will remove some of the diamond tread and not get down into the grooves, how do you go about prepping this area to spray new gelcoat? Thanks...

 

[76SeaRay]

Bump, anyone have any ideas on how to prep this?

Thanks...

 

[GA_Boater]

Bump, anyone have any ideas on how to prep this?

Thanks...

Maybe if you asked in your resto thread?

 

[PC on the Bayou]

Do you want to keep the non-skid pattern or eliminate it?

 

[76SeaRay]

I am planning on keeping it since the width is so narrow and it is the easiest way to get up on the bow to drop anchor.

Thanks..

 

[PC on the Bayou]

Reason I was asking is that there is a company that makes texture molds (Gibco Flex Mold) that has a lot of patterns. One of theirs probably matches your boat which would make it really easy to do a small area repair like you are looking at.

Not sure of the vendors or cost specifically. I looked at it briefly, but it would be expensive for doing a large area all at once; a small piece (e.g., 1 sq. ft.) wasn't too bad.

I believe that if you went that route, you would only have to clean-up your existing area to remove wax, etc. and then just do a molded pattern coat using their instructions.

 

[76SeaRay]

Thanks, I will look into that..

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would sand it down and do your own non-skid.

I used fumed silica to thicken the gel, rolled it on thick, then used a bed liner roller to make the texture.

1988 Rogue 2420

Sanding yesterday i apparently burned out the compressor motor......phudge That's good and bad, good you can get a bigger compressor, bad you have to buy one

forums.iboats.com

 

[PC on the Bayou]

I would sand it down and do your own non-skid.

I used fumed silica to thicken the gel, rolled it on thick, then used a bed liner roller to make the texture.

Just curious (because I'm doing my own texture in my rebuild), how long after you rolled on the gelcoat did you add texture with the bed liner roller?

I'm debating doing something like this or adding a non-skid additive such as sand, plastic non-skid additive, or pumice.

 

[Scott Danforth]

it was in the 80's for temp. so after I globbed it on the tapped off area, I used a notched trowel to mush it around, then climbed off the boat, put the notched trowel in the bucket of acetone, went back on the boat, and used the roller to make the pattern. the roller flattened and pulled peaks all about the same time. I let it cure for the time it took me to pull the tape (you have about 25 minutes to to that), then I sprayed two layers of gel over everything to tie it all in.

the non-skid on the swim platform and the upper bow area is 10x more aggressive than I did in the cockpit.

In the cockpit, I simply did a heavy nap roller with two quick layers, then came back and rolled with the bed liner roller. it pulled peaks, just not anywhere as pointy and sharp as the bow area. then I sprayed a single layer (should have went two)

I have fallen off the bow tossing the anchor twice with the old non-skid. I wanted something on the bow and swim platform that would prevent my feet from slipping at all.

If I slip now, I will leave skin behind.

the pic in the link above was black gel that I had used as accents, so I had extra. hence the test board I did. I must have tested 5 or 6 variations of techniques