Deck Non-Skid Care

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amxr39

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2020
Messages
134
Location
United States
Vessel Name
Allegro
Vessel Make
Helmsman 38E Hull #61
I’ve read about people slipping and falling on the steps coming down from the flybridge. The leading one inch or so doesn’t have nonskid texture. I know I’ve slipped a few times and hyperextended my ankle both times, just from the morning dew making the surface slick. I’ve not waxed my nonskid yet.
My question is, what do other Helmsman owners use to wax the nonskid areas of their boat? Or do you avoid wax on the nonskid?
 
If you are going to wax use Woody Wax. It is surfboard wax and designed to be non slippery. Very easy to do. But for a more permanent nonslip surface get SeaDek on the steps. We put it all over our swim platform, cockpit and steps up to the walkthrough windshield. Works great and pretty easy to keep clean, just don’t let stains sit for extended periods.
 
I’ve read about people slipping and falling on the steps coming down from the flybridge. The leading one inch or so doesn’t have nonskid texture. I know I’ve slipped a few times and hyperextended my ankle both times, just from the morning dew making the surface slick. I’ve not waxed my nonskid yet.
My question is, what do other Helmsman owners use to wax the nonskid areas of their boat? Or do you avoid wax on the nonskid?
I applied starbrite non skid wax about a month ago. It definitely makes cleaning easier, still trying to decide in the traction. It beads water, so there is a lot more water standing on the deck after rain etc. With pair of topsiders the traction seems about the same, in bare feet it seems more slick.
 
The smooth outside edge of steps can be deadly when wet. I know mine were, and I added this tape to the edges:
Remove any wax from those areas before applying, and make sure everything is clean. I did this to our steps a couple of years ago and it is a huge improvement. It has stayed on well, and the stairs are way more secure and safer. Done neatly, it looks like it is supposed to be there.
 
Regarding the rest of the original question: I’m not a Helmsman owner, but I haven’t waxed the decks on this boat or any previously. Everything else on the boat gets wax, just nothing on the decks.
 
The smooth outside edge of steps can be deadly when wet. I know mine were, and I added this tape to the edges:
Remove any wax from those areas before applying, and make sure everything is clean. I did this to our steps a couple of years ago and it is a huge improvement. It has stayed on well, and the stairs are way more secure and safer. Done neatly, it looks like it is supposed to be there.
Nice, on order.
 
The smooth outside edge of steps can be deadly when wet. I know mine were, and I added this tape to the edges:
Remove any wax from those areas before applying, and make sure everything is clean. I did this to our steps a couple of years ago and it is a huge improvement. It has stayed on well, and the stairs are way more secure and safer. Done neatly, it looks like it is supposed to be there.
That looks like a nice solution.
 
The smooth outside edge of steps can be deadly when wet. I know mine were, and I added this tape to the edges:
Remove any wax from those areas before applying, and make sure everything is clean. I did this to our steps a couple of years ago and it is a huge improvement. It has stayed on well, and the stairs are way more secure and safer. Done neatly, it looks like it is supposed to be there.
I used the exact same tape on the stair edges and its big improvement. Some of the corners are lifting, even though I rounded them.
 
That is why we went with SeaDek, it hasn’t lifted anywhere. Our dog went overboard when his back feet slipped while jumping onto the dock. So we put the SeaDek everywhere.
 
That is why we went with SeaDek, it hasn’t lifted anywhere. Our dog went overboard when his back feet slipped while jumping onto the dock. So we put the SeaDek everywhere.
I talked to the guys that make Seadek at a boat show, I think in Charleston. They sent me a piece for my runabout I put on the little swim step. That was a few years ago and it has held up well. The Helmsman has a rough non skid surface on the step except for maybe an inch on the forward part of the step I don’t think Seadek would get a good seal on the rough surface.

Perhaps sanding the rough surface down, and re-gel coating would do it. But that non slip takes up a lot of the surface area around the boat. I don’t think I would want two different surfaces. And re-doing the entire surface area wouldn’t be cost or time effective.
 
I had them extend the SeaDek onto the smooth surface and it sticks bery well.
 
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