How to Use Sand to Create Non-Slip Decks

I developed this "saturation" technique after experimenting with various techniques, tools and coats of paint. This technique is simple and I have been amazed at the result - but, please, judge for yourself.

The challenge in using sand is to 1) spread the sand evenly and not in blotches and 2) non-slid but not too abrasive.

I found with this saturation technique I can walk in barefeet and knees with bare knees without discomfort.

Deck:steel
Deck primer paint: 2 part epoxy primer - 2 coats (white)
Deck finish paint: 2 part polyurethane - 2 coats (white)
Non-slip areas: 2 part polyurethane (off-white) - first coat, apply sand, then second coat.

UPDATE: The paint on the deck of my boat "Oceans Five" is now more than three years old and still looking in perfect condition, despite the tropical sunshine and rain storms. Dirt in the cockpit has become embedded in places and no amount of scrubbing seems to remove it.

As expected, the non-slip has proved NOT to be too abrasive. On my my solo passage across the Indian Ocean in 2021, I was often on my knees (lower centre of gravity to be more stable) when doing deckwork and had no issues with raw knees!

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Books published:
– Marine Diesel Basics 1 – VISUAL guide to maintenance, winterizing and recommissioning
– Maintenance Logbooks – value-added logbook for single and twin engine Installations

– A Walk Along the Ganges – 3000 kms across India
– Amazon – big rivers, small canoe
– Savages, The Life and Killing of the Yanomami – documents their fight to survive the illegal invasion of their lands in the late 1980s
– Canadian Retreat Guide – 140 places for personal quiet and spiritual reflection

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Music: "Morning Mandolin" by Chris Haugen.