Dri-dek question

[paphman]

I am looking at a product called Dri-dek. They are interlocking 1 foot tiles that we will use in the cockpit. Has anyone used this product and how do you like it? How does it feel on your feet, etc ? It looks like a nice item, and it has a non slip surface. Looking forward to all answers.

Dale

 

[HukilauMike]

The prior owner of my boat had put some in the cockpit. I have kept it there, although I am ambivalent about it. On the plus side, it looks good; you don't have to scrub the cockpit deck. The dri-deck hides all of the dirt and crap that you would normally have to hose/scrub off during a season. On the minus side, it is very uncomfortable to kneel on. If you are like me, you do wind up kneeling down in the cockpit, and with dri-deck, you absolutely have to put down a cushion. The worst thing I can say about dri-deck in the cockpit is that it slips. Your foot stays in one place, but the dri-deck will slip along the surface of the cockpit and "bunch up" against the cockpit seats or the bridgedeck. Maybe its a function of the age of my dri-deck (the "tiles" aren't stiff anymore), or maybe its just the way it is, but any significant sideways torque will cause my dri-deck to slip. It got annoying enough that I took the stuff out a couple of times. However, the cosmetic factor always led me to put it back "temporarily", pending my scrubbing of the sole. Of course, I wound up just leaving it in. I guess that tells you that in my mind, the pluses outweigh the minuses.

 

[MacMikey]

http://www.dri-dek.com/

Dri Dek is made here in Naples, Fl.

It is sold through most marine vendors such as West Marine.

It comes in different colors.

It can be a little tender on bare feet but you get use to it.

It isn't cheap by any means.

Check the link above and they will send you small square samples or you can go to yours nearest West Marine and put a few squares togeather and give it a footesy test.

I have used it on lots of boats and like it. As to the slip factor the previous poster mentioned, I have found that if you don't take it to the edge of the intended area it will slip. Some folks I know that couldn't take the product to the edge placed that thin indoor outdoor carpet under it and that would keep it from slipping. I myself have never had a big enough fish online to give me reason to put that much side preasure on the dri-dek to make it slip.

 

[sailingdog]

I'd prefer a teak grate instead. I think it would look better and work as well. Might even be less expensive than DriDek is.

 

[Roger (Ninette Manitoba)]

I have dri deck on the cabin sole, and cover it with an indoor/outdoor carpet. Dito to what others have said; it is uncomfortable on bare feet, knees, and slips. With carpet on top at least it is comfortable on the feet and knees, but it still slips. My cabin sole is also my bilge, (bottom of the boat) so that is where water collects, and why I have it in place. I have thought of building up the cabin sole a bit so that there is a true bilge, but my first priority it to get control of all topside leaks into the boat before I make this decision. At $20 for 10 square feet, (one package) I thought it was affordable enough for my boat. It comes in grey, white, and black, but my supplier only had it in grey, so that is what I have. You can also buy edge trim for it, and it cuts like butter with a sabre saw so can easy be cut to fit your cockpit exactly.

 

[aboard whatever]

Dri-dek

We don't have a sailboat but a motoryacht and we tried the dri dek on the sides bcause the non skid was pretty worn. We had it in the blue and if in direct sun, it gets hotter than heck, so hot that you can't walk on it barefoot. Good lucK!

 

[Richard Westlake]

I found a similar material called "BigFoot" garage tile, at a garage-supply web site with their brick-and-mortar store in Indiana (if I remember correctly). It cost less than 1/3 as much as Dri-Dek: $2 a tile and they're a bit more than 13"x13" (1/3 meter, square).

They are much more knee-kindly than Dri-Dek, but no less prone to slipping around on the deck surface below.

My main concern was to get some air-space below my quarter-berth cushions, and they do that perfectly well. I also used them to replace the ratty carpet in the sole of my Mac 19, and they're fine as long as you don't skid around fore-to-aft ... that's when they slip, and come un-snapped at the edges of the tiles.

 

[SoSound]

Slipping

We have Dri-Dek or something similar on the sole of our cockpit, ditto all the previous comments on discomfort.

When sailing with the PO on what is now our boat, at a significant heal, I moved quickly to make an adjustment to a sheet or get ready for a quick maneuver of some sort and the entire thing slid into a big pile and I really don't know how I managed to stay vertical. It was an incredibly awkward and uncomfortable position to be in (lower back doesn't like drastic corrections to maintain balance), but nothing worse. If you choose to use it, be aware of the possible consequences for crew members who are inexperienced or new to your boat... I'm not sure how long we'll keep it.

Dave

 

[dale17781]

Thanks for all the answers. The slipping issue is one that I will have to ponder. I do like the way it looks, and I think the non slip top would be nice. It is a long winter, so I will have time to decide. Thanks again as always

Dale

 

[Dave from Mi.]

cockpit use

Hi Dale;

I have it in the cockpit of my Catalina 30. I cut it for an exact fit all the way aft to under the rear helm seat. I stopped just short of the swim platform. By having it tight against all the edges, I have had no slip problems in the last 4 years. All the other comments are correct in my observations, except my poor old knees don't see much difference between hard non-skid cockpit and Dri-Deck tiles, I need a cushion on both;-)

It really helps keep the cockpit looking clean, I remove it 3-4 times a season to remove the crap that collects underneath.

Fair winds
Dave

 

[Pops]

Re: cockpit use

I sent for their free sample. I comes with a complete info package and two 4x4 samples that really gave me a good idea of how it looks and works. The samples separate into 2 coffee coasters. I'll be ordering it first for the bottom of my anchor locker (probably should get it in red so the blood doesn't show).