Slip Precautions

Lotte on s/v Lunde finds that a little sand, grabbed from a beach, is the perfect answer to providing non-skid properties to her foredeck.  This is the same process which Downeast used on Eolian when she was manufactured, except that Eolian's sand is considerably finer: 150 grit (ascertained by comparing the non-skid with various grits of sandpaper).

(Apologies for my dubious corrections to Google's translation)

When we duly installed the new windlass, the initial steps involved in particular grinding the old deck paint off the part of the bow, where the game should be. Since then there have been painted by - almost - all rules of art.  Just a small detail was missing.  Slip resistance.  For when that part of the deck gets wet, it becomes as smooth as a smarmy pomadeindsmurt eel.  And it is simply too dangerous.  So it was time to get the slip-resistant deck.

You can buy fine (and expensive) anti-slip compound in most well stocked chandlers - but at the Aero, there is a stretch of beach where the sand is just the right size to be used for the same purpose.  In summer 2006 we sailed a trip to my native region - as well as updating, we took a trip to the beach in question with a colander. After having screened and sifted the sand, it was fresh and dried. And has consequently just been waiting to be used ever since.

The procedure is extremely simple:  Spread the paint, sprinkle sand over.  Let the paint dry.  Paint again.  And again.  And possibly once more.

And then you can put another X on the TODO list.

I can attest that this process produces a very effective non-skid surface - considerably better than the "molded-in" non-skid on many production boats. And it is easy to renew when necessary, unlike molded-in non-skid.