Thread subject: Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos :: Repairing Whaler non-skid

Posted by kamie on 10/20/13 - 10:16 AM
#1

Here are the results of some testing I did on the techniques to repair whaler non-skid. Not sure this would work for large sections although it will work for smaller areas. The section of non-skid that I used came from my 1971 13 foot project boat.

The first things you need: rubber molding compound, mold release and a section of non-skid in good shape to use as your pattern. Clean the non-skid of grease and dirt. Regular boat soap should do fine. Then spray mold release lightly across the entire area you plan to mold. The molding rubber that I used was 60 shore hardness or slightly harder than a pencil eraser.

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1714

I did a couple light coats of mold release, just to make sure it didn't stick. Block off the area, i used pliable weatherstripping to build the dam. and then mix your molding rubber according to the directions.

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1715

Pour the rubber into the area and let it set. It is important to not have the rubber too thick or it won't bend and roll when you want to roll out the non-skid pattern. Mine actually ended up very thick, mainly because my section of deck was curved.

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1716

And here is the molded non-skid, ready to repair a deck section

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1717

To texture a deck section, i first mixed up and created a section of gelcoat. I used a plywood base and just smoothed the gelcoat out, allowed that to cure. Once cured, I sanded it down to remove the surface wax and wiped with acetone.

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1718

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1719

Once that was cured, sanded it was ready for non-skid texture. Mix up a batch of gelcoat and then tape one side of the mold down to the deck/plywood base. Apply mold release to your rubber mold and any sections of the deck you don't want the new gelcoat to stick too.

pour the gelcoat under the rubber so you can roll / squeegee the mold pushing the gelcoat out and filling all the mold sections.

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1720

Wait for that to cure

http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1721

Pull the mold off and now you have repaired non-skid.
http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1722

or in my case, a nice section of molded non-skid on a plywood base.

The real key is to make the mold thin enough to roll. It should be 1/8 of an inch at best as you want to pliable so that you can roll the gelcoat out ahead of it creating the nice crisp pattern.

Here is a video on how to use Gibco Flex-mold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f0X8a...f0X8as6thU

Edited by kamie on 10/20/13 - 10:18 AM