The exterior of a steel hull is painted with a primer and topcoat. These are referred to as paint systems when used together as a complete system, providing chemically cured finishes resistant to abrasion, chalking, corrosion and chemical attack.

The primer is an epoxy primer to provide superior corrosion protection of the bare steel. The topcoat, applied above the waterline only, is a high solids polyester urethane. The topcoat is applied to a high gloss finish.

The deck covering is largely a matter of individual taste. Traditionally, decks are wood covered, usually in teak. But wood is high maintenance. Any wood decks, trim or interior panels should be finished with several coats of epoxy sealer and several more coats of a marine varnish that has UVUltraviolet inhibitors. The epoxy will keep the varnish from cracking and peeling, as wood swells and shrinks with moisture, and the varnish will keep the epoxy safe from UV damage.

AAmpere (amp), SI unit of electrical current wooden teak deck grating on stand-offs will make your boat somewhat cooler and more comfortable in the summer. It is a little bit like a tent fly, or the attic in a house. It will keep the interior remarkably comfortable even on the hottest days. On the down side, such a deck grating will ice up or trap snow in bad weather. And teak doesn’t reflect radiant energy very well.

Low-maintenance decks have a non-skid coating such as Awlgrip®,^[1] GripTex,^[2] Tek-Dek^[3] or Tread-master.^[4]

Non-skid coverings, applied by spraying, rolling, or troweling, are really ‘low slip’. Nothing can prevent you 100%percent from skidding. Non-skid coverings are topcoats with an abrasive material added to the base paint. Additives range from polymeric compounds, walnut shells, and grit (very fine sand) to others. (A polymer is a natural or synthetic compound having a high molecular weight. It consists of millions of repeated linked units, made of simple molecules.)

Non-skid coverings are patterned. They are not applied to the whole deck. Areas around cleats and ventilators are masked off during application.

Perhaps the answer is a synthetic imitation teak decking like Plasteak.^[5] This doesn’t require maintenance like teak. Another, simpler, solution is to mount an awning over the foredeck and the boat deck.

References

1. ↑ Akzo Nobel, http://www.awlgrip.com/
2. ↑ Dash Multi-Corp, http://www.dashmulticorp.com/textiles/texnspgtex.asp
3. ↑ Tek-Dek, http://www.tek-dek.co.uk/
4. ↑ Plastimo, http://www.plastimousa.com/treadmaster.htm
5. ↑ PlasTEAK, http://www.plasteak.com/