Those of you with older models (mine is an '88) know how difficult it is to clean the decks with the aggressive Tiara non-skid. Once the shine is off the gelcoat only a pressure washer will take off the dirt and grime.
I recently decided to Awlgrip my decks, just the non-skid parts, to make cleaning easier.
I purchased one quart of Awlgrip Oyster White, the hardener and the thinner. 2 to 1 paint to hardener and 25% thinner. About $200.
Then without masking I used a 3" roller and 2" brush to roll and tip the entire boats non-skid area, bow to stern.
The results are nothing short of spectacular. Although it is not as slip proof as before, I can clean the decks with just garden hose pressure.
The color match is near perfect and I did it in sections over a weeks time.
Being a rough surface to start with there was no worry about brush marks, laps etc.
I also did the round inspection covers.
Already mixed paint and brushes were stored in the freezer and kept for days.
Clean-up was with lacquer thinner.
I'm ready to start another project.
Capt. George
The following 1 user Likes Uhehner's post:1 user Likes Uhehner's post YOLO (08-01-2015)
What did you use as a preparation process on this. I'm getting tempted, our 94 4000 express is in great shape, but the non skid is tough to keep looking the way we like. This approach is very intriguing to say the least, and I think it is relatively easy owner project.
10-14-2015, 06:51 AM (This post was last modified: 10-14-2015, 06:53 AM by Uhehner.)
I washed the decks with "Super Clean" and a scrub brush to remove any wax and dirt. Next I looked over the entire surface and removed any stuck on material with a pick. Then a pressure wash with an 1800 PSI electric unit and let it dry for 3 days. The rest was just hands and knees work and it went very smoothly. It still looks perfect, even close up. Note that I did not paint the smooth sections of the deck, just the non-skid so brush marks and laps were not a problem. Now I'm painting the aluminum window frames with grey Alwgrip but here I'm masking and brushing and tipping with a small flat paint pad for a perfectly smooth finish. Looks like factory new. Give it a try, it's not as difficult as they would leave you to believe.
Capt. George
Capt George, That is something I have thought about for a long time but haven't really looked into doing it, great job. When you get a chance I would love to see some photos. Thanks for the information.
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