Cheaper alternatives to Treadmaster

StephenSails

StephenSails

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Hi,

I am doing up my Hurley 22 and it has a nasty and failing vinyl wood effect on the hatches, I want to put something newer on like treadmaster but it is expensive stuff even at trade, has anyone found anything better?

Cheers

Stephen
 
Well Stephen don't be tempted as I was and buy the Treadmaster lookalike that a chap sells at all the boat jumbles. He was using a large white van at the time (5years ago), and although his stuff is half the price it is just rubbish. On the areas that get high wear it is starting to get very thin already and I think there is only another year left in it. Every time you scrub the deck you're left with a blue residue in the scuppers. Bite the bullet and buy the best, you won't regret it unless of course you just want to tart the boat up for resale.

Ted.
 
Proteckakote non slip paint (rubberized stuff) might be worth a look at. The white looks quite good but the texture might be too rough.
 
We bought some 4 inch wide antislip for our steps, and it sticks like sheeps ordure, but I cant remember what brand it is. Chandlers sell it on the roll by the metre. Lot cheaper than Treadmaster, less than half.
It is about 2mm thick, so should be good to go in the shallow depression for the Hurleys.

However, try these people:

http://www.antisliptape.co.uk/index.html

They do a marine range.

or

http://www.gripfast.co.uk/products.htm

Alternatively, on my mates Hurley 18, we are considering having some small Tek Dek panels made for these areas, which would be practical and good looking. HAvent had the price yet, but I'll bet its eye watering.
 
To do the hatches on my small 22 foot boat with treadmaster is going to cost over £150 + , that seems like a lot to me. I will just paint them if there is not a cheaper product on the market, they are not high wear areas either.
 
I had the same problem on the same boat and after considering various options went for the smooth Treadmaster and have not regretted it. WIthout doubt the single best cosmetic improvement I have made so far.

I'm surprised at the cost you quote since I got the forehatch, hatch garage, cockpit seats and locker lids and lazarette hatch out of two sheets.

The only thing not covered was the hatch itself since I thought the extra thickness there would foul the garage. I still mean to get around to painting it with Sandtex or equivalent some day soon but since I only stand on it twice a year and it's virtually never visible while I'm aboard it's not a high priority!
 
I did exactly the same when I had my Hurley 22. It took some effort to get all the old wood effect material off the foredeck and stern locker hatches but it was well worth it.

It only cost about half what you are quoting. I think I used two sheets. If you are doing the main hatch as well I guess that could use up twice as much.
 
I did think of that as well. The problem you will find (assuming your boat is the same as mine was - an early model) is that when you strip the wood effect stuff off, you will find it doesn't really have an 'edge'. The epoxy coating just continues round the edge of the hatch. I had to score it deeply with a Stanley knife around the edges to give me something to work up to. I then thought that using Treadmaster would cover up the exposed edge whereas paint might not have done so well.
 
I bought some technix treadmaster look alike from a boat jumble (van from technix) and initially was very impressed as it seemed more rubbery/flexible than treadmaster and was about half the price. In the event fittted several sheets to the boat and it stood up to wear very well with excellent grip BUT the dye was not fast and it continuously leached out, staining shoes, clothes, the dog etc. I then painted it with deck paint which stopped most of the dye coming out. This stuff was a deep navy/purple colour and had an identical dimond pattern to Treadmaster.
 
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