Kiwigrip

[Ink]

Anyone with experience of using Kiwigrip on the cockpit sole care to share on how it lasted in normal use?

Thanks
Ink

 

[vic008]

Amazing! Have used it over my shot teak decks and seems to have stopped the leaks. Make sure to use their roller. Don't think you'llc regret. (N.Zealand here so biased)

 

[geem]

I think it depends on how you view aesthetics. I think it looks crap, doesn't last long either but that my view. The boat yard I am at the moment wont use it

 

[dankilb]

I always thought it looked ‘okay’ (if done averagely) and good if applied well. Never seen it apart from immediately after application though, so don’t know about wear or how well it stays clean/white...

It’s a shame if it isn’t as good as advertised, as @geem suggests. We’ve got acres of moulded non-skid on our 42’ AWB in poor condition, which would need ‘re-moulding’ of numerous gelcoat repairs to put right.

I was planning to cover it in Kiwi at some point. Not sure what else is available, apart from treadmaster? Or grinding, epoxy fairing, and paint?

 

[Keith-i]

I applied it to my cockpit sole a couple of years ago. It has picked up some marks and isn’t as durable as gelcoat but overall I’m quite impressed for what an easily applied water based product can achieve.

 

[geem]

I always thought it looked ‘okay’ (if done averagely) and good if applied well. Never seen it apart from immediately after application though, so don’t know about wear or how well it stays clean/white...

It’s a shame if it isn’t as good as advertised, as @geem suggests. We’ve got acres of moulded non-skid on our 42’ AWB in poor condition, which would need ‘re-moulding’ of numerous gelcoat repairs to put right.

I was planning to cover it in Kiwi at some point. Not sure what else is available, apart from treadmaster? Or grinding, epoxy fairing, and paint?

Have a look at ‘soft sand’. I havent used it but there are some utube vids showing application. We have just used Griptex to redo our deck. Its stupidly expensive and I am less than impressed with it. Next time I think we will use the Soft Sand. Half the price of Griptex with a better finish and seems to use less paint.

 

[rotrax]

Our steel Hartley 32 based in Wellington NZ had been finished on deck with sand sprinkled on wet paint, the loose sand swept when dry and then more paint. It sort of worked, looked pretty crap.

Five years ago I did the cockpit and surround with patches of grey Kiwigrip. That looked good and lasted very well, but the vessel does not get enough use in truth. Two years ago the whole deck - it is a large deck as it is flush decked, no coachroof - was painted and large patches of Kiwigrip placed where needed for safe footing. Looks really good.

It is essential to use good masking tape and use the proper roller. It needs heavy application to get a good long lasting finish.

It soon wears at the edges if applied too thinly.

Ask me how I know..................................

 

[LadyInBed]

I replaced all my well worn treadmaster with kiwigrip about three years ago. I tried a small area using their recommended roller but I didn't like the finish, it was too course / spikey so I used an ordenery foam roller which produced a good finish and are cheap and easy to wash out after finishing for the day.
The majority of the decks still look good but I have a couple or three patches / edges where it has come off after a pressure wash, which could be due to me not applying it thick enough or maybe the surface wasn't clean enough before application.
With hindsight, I chose the wrong colour (Cream). Bird shit, mainly Cormorant, leaves a dark stain. I would have liked Brown but for some reason they don't offer it. When I redo it I will try adding a brown pigment, so yes, I would will use it again.
If you search the forum, I put some pictures on a previous thread about kiwigrip.

 

[Blueboatman]

I got very excited about it after doing the usual research, testimonies , you tube stuff etc but wondered , once you kiwi grip are you committed to it in future ?
Two pack with anti slip remains my ‘ hard traffic area’ choice . Because it is fundamentally tough and scrubbable !
Born out in practise ?
Each to their own eh

 

[Ink]

Anyone with experience of using Kiwigrip on the cockpit sole care to share on how it lasted in normal use?

Thanks
Ink

Sounds a bit like Marmite, although if care taken with application should be good for a few years.

Thanks for the responses.
Ink

 

[lustyd]

Good for a few years is the issue. If you have bare GRP keep it that way. If you paint anything at all on it will definitely need doing again in a couple of years and next time your post will be about cleaning the old stuff off, which is hard and rarely goes well. Then it’ll need doing a year after that and again and again. You’ll curse yourself every year until you sell the boat for starting a maintenance nightmare and when you do sell the next owner will curse you AND your children. Dirty grp looks scruffy but is maintenance free. Painted grp looks scruffy except when just painted and needs doing often.

 

[geem]

Good for a few years is the issue. If you have bare GRP keep it that way. If you paint anything at all on it will definitely need doing again in a couple of years and next time your post will be about cleaning the old stuff off, which is hard and rarely goes well. Then it’ll need doing a year after that and again and again. You’ll curse yourself every year until you sell the boat for starting a maintenance nightmare and when you do sell the next owner will curse you AND your children. Dirty grp looks scruffy but is maintenance free. Painted grp looks scruffy except when just painted and needs doing often.

The post is about grip. Dirty grp might look better than worn out none skid but neither stop you from falling over the side.

 

[lustyd]

No, but shoes do otherwise we'd all slide off the deck if we stepped in the wrong place!

 

[geem]

No, but shoes do otherwise we'd all slide off the deck if we stepped in the wrong place!

That isnt true. Worn none skid is dangerous regardless of shoes.

 

[lustyd]

That isnt true. Worn none skid is dangerous regardless of shoes in my opinion.

fixed that for you

 

[Ink]

Good for a few years is the issue. If you have bare GRP keep it that way. If you paint anything at all on it will definitely need doing again in a couple of years and next time your post will be about cleaning the old stuff off, which is hard and rarely goes well. Then it’ll need doing a year after that and again and again. You’ll curse yourself every year until you sell the boat for starting a maintenance nightmare and when you do sell the next owner will curse you AND your children. Dirty grp looks scruffy but is maintenance free. Painted grp looks scruffy except when just painted and needs doing often.

Take on board what you are saying.

Does anyone have any comment to make using a tinted flowcoat? To be clear the cockpit sole was damaged at the edges and filled with what looks like araldite that has gone a lovely shade of brown which doesn't look good against the light grey. I don't have issues with the tread, but getting a (near) match and longevity would be great.

Ink

 

[lustyd]

Repairing with any kind of GRP "stuff" would be fine, my point was all about paint type coatings. If done professionally then 2 pack is generally fine too. Having been through the nightmare of maintenance before though I'm now firmly of the belief that if it's not falling apart or dangerous then you're better off living with the scruffy look. If there's something dodgy on there already then the likely outcome is small sheets of the coating peeling away in 3-5 years, leaving other small sheets permanently stuck. Kiwi will cover this and look fine, but you will certainly be in for maintenance. If you enjoy scraping the bottom every year and painting then you'd get double the fun

 

[geem]

Repairing with any kind of GRP "stuff" would be fine, my point was all about paint type coatings. If done professionally then 2 pack is generally fine too. Having been through the nightmare of maintenance before though I'm now firmly of the belief that if it's not falling apart or dangerous then you're better off living with the scruffy look. If there's something dodgy on there already then the likely outcome is small sheets of the coating peeling away in 3-5 years, leaving other small sheets permanently stuck. Kiwi will cover this and look fine, but you will certainly be in for maintenance. If you enjoy scraping the bottom every year and painting then you'd get double the fun

So all of a sudden you change your tune? Its now ok if you use two pack paint? And why does it need to be done professionally?
Having just done my deck with Awgrip and griptex I have a keen interest in the subject. The grip by the way is fantastic.

 

[lustyd]

No I’ve not changed my tune. Professionals will generally prepare the surface properly and know how to apply a product. Two pack paint is similar to resin products but has the massive downside that if everything is not 100% perfect then it comes away in sheets leaving an uneven surface that is almost impossible to put right. Having owned a boat that had been painted on the side decks and deck and in every locker by a previous owner I’d never buy one in that state again it’s simply too much work to maintain and detracts from the sailing.