In this post I wanted to share more information about the non skid prep work and the choice I made to use KiwiGrip.
The previous KiwiGrip on GreatKetch was the blue color and I had already made the decision to go with a white color. I wanted white to give the appearance of a more clean uniform look to the boat, and because a boat with a white deck is much more easily seen than one with that matches the color of water, (I am thinking of safety on this point.)
-- Note that the work area is under a white tarp, which provides sunlight through the tarp and also some radiant heat. The deck has some material removed already and a shop vac is a must to keep the dust down.
I also used a chisel to remove the material from the edge near the old gel coat before so that when using a machine sander I am not going to go into the gel coat area.
I removed the old non skid so I could better inspect the surface underneath for voids as well as have a smooth even surface for the new KiwiGrip. Removing the KiwiGrip was pure effort, muscle and machinery. I used a rotary pad with 40 grit sandpaper to remove the largest portion of the material from the deck, then moved to 60 grit paper, and then an orbital sander with 80 grit. In some cases I was able to use a chisel to get underneath the KiwiGrip and chip the material off. The effort took several days and was slow going, I performed this task during the winter when there is not much to do with a boat during this time in Central New York with a boat.
-- The picture to the left show more of the KiwiGrip material has been removed completely, which required work using the rotary disk sander. Areas close to the hardware required a 40 grit sandpaper and different size blocks.
The pictures displayed in this post show how ugly the deck looked after the KiwiGrip was removed and new KiwiGrip was applied. In some cases one can note the difference in areas at different stages.
Before
and
After
KiwiGrip applied on the port side of the foredeck and the starboard side is next. Very crucial to ensure the surface is clean and void of contaminants.
Comparing the first picture in this post to the last picture here demonstrates a huge improvement to the deck of the boat. The time and effort has paid off. The new Gel Coat and new KiwiGrip was worth it. Can't wait for the sailing season. Nothing like sailing on a boat that looks clean and new.
