A couple of years ago we detailed and then hand waxed the deck. It looked good and stayed cleaner for a longer but wow was it slippery! Does anyone have any suggestions on what to use to protect the gelcoat and help keep it clean?
Slip n slide!
- Thread starter Project_Mayhem
- Start date
The only sailboats I ever waxed the deck on was daysailer dinghies. That was only the foredeck were you obviously dont walk.
Keelboats=wash the deck with water and a brush. Rinse with freshwater. Occasional bio friendly soap. I've never known anyone to wax them.
Waxing a deck seems like a horrible idea on a sailboat.
You could avoid waxing the non skid areas.
If the gelcoat was dull enough that I cared about it, I would repaint or wet sand/polish like normal with any dull chalky gelcoat.
Keelboats=wash the deck with water and a brush. Rinse with freshwater. Occasional bio friendly soap. I've never known anyone to wax them.
Waxing a deck seems like a horrible idea on a sailboat.
You could avoid waxing the non skid areas.
If the gelcoat was dull enough that I cared about it, I would repaint or wet sand/polish like normal with any dull chalky gelcoat.
I would try a few products and see what works. On a tangentially related note... I regularly wax my hardwood floors with mop and glow... one day I ran out about half way through the job and finished with pledge furniture wax... THAT WAS A MISTAKE. Every time we hit that spot in our socks, we slipped.
Point is, the formulation does matter.
I have used Woody Wax in the past and it worked well.
Much less slippery and also makes cleaning the deck easier.
I’ve been using StarBrite Non Skid Deck Cleaner w/PTEF for years with good results. It’s for both painted and gelcoat non skid decks. Mine is painted actually. I wash the deck with it about every other week and just do a good rinse on alternating weeks.
I've been using Woody Wax for years. Easy to apply with a broom. Looks great. Cleans great. And not slick.
+1 for Woody Wax. It is slippery during the application process but after that you can’t tell the difference between it and a normal clean deck, it just stays clean longer.
I agree with the Starbright nonskid deck cleaner for cleaning nonskid. For some reason it works better than other types of soaps. I have always know to NEVER wax a nonskid area because it makes it dangerously slippery. I think McGuiars has a nonskid deck cleaner as well. Years ago I know of folks who used Penetrol (as Sikkens product) to brighten up nonskid surfaces without making them slippery.
Have used Woody wax in past. Yes, it is expensive. Must clean deck thoroughly before application with a soft deck brush. Super slippery while applying; however, once dried it is no longer slippery, even when wet with water. Woody's lasts approximately 6 weeks before reapplication is necessary. It is the best product that I have used for "sealing" non skid; that translates to easier cleaning & enhances appearance.
The stuff is pricey but a little goes a long ways. For my 33’ boat I use between 14-17 squirts. A bottle lasts well over 5 years. Of course it depends on many things including washing but I re-coat about once every 2 months.
Great thread!
Just now ordered woody wax and will try it out.
That sounds like a slogan for a drug company!Better living through Chemistry. Most of the time.
For sure ... but I've never washed my deck that frequently! This product cleans, protects against stains from bird poop and spider poop, and provides grip. I've been happy with it.
YeahThat sounds like a slogan for a drug company!
Dow Chemicals
When I was in college studying Chemistry we had a Department open house. So we silk screened t-shirts that said "Better Loving Through Chemistry". It had the chemical structure for Mestranol, the active ingredient in birth control pills.