Varnish for high traffic area in cockpit

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Gunfleet

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Part of the cockpit of my Nicholson 26, like all other Nic 26s, is wood (think 'locker lid') and it is very difficult indeed to stop people stepping on it as they get on or off the boat. And leaving a carpet, or anything else there has the tendency to trap a little bit of rainwater under itself.

So, does anyone have a suggestion for a way of varnishing these locker lids so that they can resist this kind of foot traffic? I ask as I'm making new ones from the world's most expensive plywood so I have the opportunity to start from scratch. Thanks in advance for suggestions
 
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replying to myself now

And by the way, in case any real expert painters read this, which paint for the 'engine room' on the same vessel? Bilge paint is too soft and doesn't resist spills well. It's okay for lockers but that's it!
 
Two pack varnish, with clear non slip stirred into last two coats, masked off around the sides, to make it pretty, or coelans.
For my bilges, I used standard gloss paint, over a good epoxy undercoat, works fine for me and easy to re-paint if ness.
 
Gunfleet said:
So, does anyone have a suggestion for a way of varnishing these locker lids so that they can resist this kind of foot traffic? I ask as I'm making new ones from the world's most expensive plywood so I have the opportunity to start from scratch. Thanks in advance for suggestions
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why not stick some nonslip tape over the varnish where they foot fall, theyre going to step theyre going to step there anyway, so it wont scuff and they won't slip?

You can get a 10m roll of black 2" wide from www.CPC.co.uk for a few quid
 
Why not laminate strips of 2.5mm teak onto the plywood. leave seams which you can caulk with Sikaflex, which is also the adhesive. Non slip, lasts well and looks good. If you do want a gloss finish ccscott's suggestion is good.
 
2 pack is too hard for flexible wood. Just done a full cockpit rebuild and we used epifanes one pack varnish. 6 coats so far, 4 more to go next time weather permits.
 
Ronseal Floor Varnish.

Stripped and varnished companionway steps and cabin sole boat on previous boat, which was still good 5 years later when we sold her. Therefore, we overcoated the existing (sound) original coating for protection on the current boat. Still good after 7 years.
 
varnish

Hi There
On our shipman 28 we tried Sadoline clear coat and a few layers on well preped cockpit combing seems to be holding well after 2 years. International whatevers and Deks Olje are very soft and weather away. 2 pack international perfection is grand on our tiller but I would agree it is too brittle for jumping and running on.
I like the idea of the teak patch though if you are in a marina berth and people are stepping on the one patch all the time. Sounds like you have a nice boat:)
cheers
 
That's interesting. I had considered Sadolin. I've used the Sadolin Classic woodstain recently and thought it gave a nice finish, but I thought it would get knackered quickly with people stepping on it. Apart from the long keel the Shipman and the Nicholson have a lot in common, certainly in terms of looks.
 
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