Cockpit Grating - Plastic ?

[Bergamot]

I plan to add a grating to the cockpit floor of my Trident 24. I wish to make it maintenance free so I am considering using some form of UV resistant plastic grating. Does any one have experience of adding such a grating and if so what type did you use and how well does it perform?

 

[Travelling Westerly]

I plan to add a grating to the cockpit floor of my Trident 24. I wish to make it maintenance free so I am considering using some form of UV resistant plastic grating. Does any one have experience of adding such a grating and if so what type did you use and how well does it perform?

Yes, we had some spare grp floor grating left over from a project on an oil rig. Was probably a bit too thick but did the job. If anything it felt a bit too industrial and the grip textured finish was a bit harsh on bare feet. However doubt it would ever need replacing and possibly outlast me!

 

[penfold]

I've looked at it a few times but was always outvoted by the co-owners in favour of teak; the best option I could find was this stuff, described as marina mesh as the tread surface mesh is finer than normal grating and probably easier on bare feet.

 

[Quandary]

It will have the skin of your knees within two minutes, enough grip to skin a hippo.

 

[Hydrozoan]

No experience of it, but I wonder - if you do not mind doing some carpentry - if this might be a possibility; colours other than 'wood-like' are available if the latter look too much like artificial wood for your taste.
Recycled Plastic Wood | 38 x 22mm | Batten/Gate Stop (kedel.co.uk)

 

[cherod]

and it is heavy

 

[Moodysailor]

Go with teak. You'll be glad for it in the long run, and it's less plastic in the environment.

 

[Hydrozoan]

and it is heavy

Density about 50% greater than (for example) iroko - I think.

 

[penfold]

It will have the skin of your knees within two minutes, enough grip to skin a hippo.

I suspect you may be correct, but given the advantages of low maintenance and durability I could be tempted to try and draw the fangs of the grit by giving it a coat of thickened epoxy.

 

[Wing Mark]

Our sailing club changing rooms have mats of plastic mesh which look ideal.
Dunno about UV resistance.

 

[Aeolus]

If I was going plastic (which I'm not - very happy with the Iroko boards I've got in the cockpit), I would look for something intended for swimming pools.

 

[ithet]

Some ideas - not done myself but thought about:

Ringmat Octomat

Wet area non slip mat EXCLUSIV, full roll, 1000x10000 mm, grey

Coba Flexi Deck Floor Tiles

etc.

 

[Laminar Flow]

I made mine from ipe, a South American hard wood and commonly used for outside decking. It was cheap, looks right in the traditional sense and is apparently inedible to any known organism. I've had them for over ten years and have never done a thing to them in way of maintenance and they still look great.
As far as I can tell, they are remarkably resistant to red wine stains, which I presume would count for blood as well should they be required for a flogging around the fleet.
They do not float which is a bonus should you catch a wave that foods the cockpit, but renders the time honoured practice of throwing a grating to a person fallen overboard counterproductive.

 

[MOBY2]

I made mine from ipe, a South American hard wood and commonly used for outside decking. It was cheap, looks right in the traditional sense and is apparently inedible to any known organism. I've had them for over ten years and have never done a thing to them in way of maintenance and they still look great.
As far as I can tell, they are remarkably resistant to red wine stains, which I presume would count for blood as well should they be required for a flogging around the fleet.
They do not float which is a bonus should you catch a wave that foods the cockpit, but renders the time honoured practice of throwing a grating to a person fallen overboard counterproductive.

I plan to add a grating to the cockpit floor of my Trident 24. I wish to make it maintenance free so I am considering using some form of UV resistant plastic grating. Does any one have experience of adding such a grating and if so what type did you use and how well does it perform?

I did my Trident a few years back with hardwood but quite a bit of work. This winter I'm putting keel bands on my tender but am going to get some plastic stripping from Kedel who do recycled plastic stuff so might be worth a look there .... good luck with it and keep us posted.

 

[Daverw]

I've looked at it a few times but was always outvoted by the co-owners in favour of teak; the best option I could find was this stuff, described as marina mesh as the tread surface mesh is finer than normal grating and probably easier on bare feet.

We have been fitting this on our club pontoons over the last year, very hard and will take your skin off, you cannot kneel on it without putting a mat down, would never use it on boat. Also very heavy, takes four people to lift a single sheet

 

[thinwater]

My PDQ came with Dri-Dek. Durable, but miserable on bare feet and knees. I got rid of it quick.

A comfortable, inexpensive solution, is to screw red cedar strips (rip down from from inexpensive fence boards) to a backing (brass flat head screws) made from PVC lattice. Varnish with 3-4 coats of something good before attaching the backing. Light, inexpensive, very rot resistant, not too thick, easy to fabricate, and easy to lift up to clean. About 10 years at this point, revarnished once. I would do it the same way again, but my current boat (F-24) does not want a grating (open transom--the rain washes it out).

 

[Stemar]

Something like this?

Hollow Rubber Entrance Matting

 

[oldgit]

When both the Teak gratings on the swim platform of my motorboat disintegrated , cast around for a economic 21st century replacement.
First stop was of course a replacement in Teak or whatever the cost effective wood substitute would have been.
The quotes were eyewatering and would probably have doubled the value of the boat and of course there would have been all that tedious varnishing etc at some point in the future.
The final replacement was in fact a couple of lightweight composite fine mesh grid off cuts bought from ebay. The depth of the rebate in the swim platform dictating the thickness of the composite offcut.
Even came in the right shade to compliment the gelcoat of the hull.
Simply laid the old Teak grating over the new composite, marked round with marker pen and whizzed round with grinder, took half an hour from start to finish. Held in place by original stainless fixings.
No more slippy wood and varnishing.
The swim platfrom has been in use this summer by folks of all ages from 8 to ??? with bare feet .......and believe it or not...not a single grazed toe or knee or complaint, just a excellent non slip surface.
We must be made of tough stuff down here on the Medway.


Aesthetics.
The chap moored behind me in boat far more posh than mine has just ripped off my idea in a tastefull hue of pale creamy yellow.

 

[Arcady]

Some ideas - not done myself but thought about:

Wet area non slip mat EXCLUSIV, full roll, 1000x10000 mm, grey

etc.

I have some of this in the cockpit of our Liberty 22. In my opinion it is an excellent alternative to conventional gratings. It drains well. It is comfortable underfoot, and so far, it seems very durable.

 

[Daydream believer]

I will not say who, in case it upsets the mods. But there are certain types who might just roll up at the local marina & cut a lump out of the pontoon one night. Make a lovely cockpit grating.
Then Dawn French, Vicar of Dibley types could do the " jump in a puddle" trick whilst carrying all their gear home after a weekend away.
Well it would amuse the locals for a while