Boat Repair Finale! Awlgrip Nonskid Over Fiberglass Repairs 

I have seen a lot of your videos and you do an awesome job explaining each step, clear, concise and confident. Thanks for your videos!

Thanks for this series. I watched all the videos with great interest. Don't know how you had the patience to video it all, but I'm grateful.

The most informative boatbuilding video I've ever seen. You put boatbuilding in that lovely relaxed vibe it should be. Our 50' catamaran Fantasia has for the first 10 years of its life had pretty average to poor decktread. Sharing fine skills like this helps lift the quality of all our lives. Love your work! (P.S Oh yes, am using my daughters login, who also grew up with a boatbuilding father and learnt so much.)

I just stumbled upon your channel and I'm very impressed! I'm reconditioning my 1973 Luhrs T360 (originally my grandfather's) and fixing the stress cracks is one of many cosmetic and structural items I'll be tackling. Your simple and straightforward instructions, cautions and demonstrations are very informative and I will refer to them many times over the next couple seasons as I get the ol' girl modernized and ready to go back in the water. Thank you!

Man, you are awesome at making these videos. I don't know why you are not on TV. If I lived up where you do, I would volunteer to help you for free. You have a lot of knowledge when it comes to boat repair. I would be interested in hearing how you learn to do this stuff. All the best to you from Panama City Beach FL.

awesome video man! you should keep doing this, one day you will be in national TV helping thousands of people, new generation of SHipShape TV. thumbs up !

Hi again, thx for your previous advice, you are a great help since I am doing all that for the first time. (had the yacht previously painted 2 times since 2002. Trusted the painters but found that the jobs havent been so good. I am more into the details which the painters didnt do.) So here is my workflow: Primer 545 white ...2 coats-done Sand primer with 220 grit- done Fix problems as dents, sand throughs etc (re-prime)- pending Sand problem areas again roll and tip first coat (awlgrip off white with awlcat#3 and reducer) let dry for 2-3 days sand with 320 grit and clean mark and mask non-skid areas paint non skid area and sprinkle (awlgrip off white with awlcat#3 and reducer) clean off dust and masking tape paint entire deck using roll and tip (roll only over non skid area) Sailing yacht has a mix of non skid and high gloss area (65%/35%) Pls comment on anything you think I should do or I have forgotten Again a big THANK YOU for your videos Andre

You are fantastic and very informative and entertaining...love your delivery style!!!

Awesome, the non-skid looks factory. I always wondered if that was possible to redo, thanks for showing this!

Exactly the topic I needed to see before painting my sailboat deck...liked and subscribed!

awesome info thru the entire series. i'm needing to replace the core in the deck over the forward berth and in the perimeter of the rear cockpit on my 11 m trojan. your videos really gave me some insight i couldn't find anywhere else, especially cutting the reliefs to let the panel flex! now i just have to figure out how to do it upside down....

Thanx Andy. Great instruction. Love your choice of music as well!

Loved looking at the finish in 360p lol, no criticism, 11 years old video damn

Agreed.. When possible I prefer spraying all the coats (rather than rolling) just for the reasons of getting glossy spots, uniformity and speed. I can get away with it in the Summer when I can run the exhaust fans, but in the Winter with other boats in the shop I typically just roll. Less prep :-) I try to structure the process in the vids using equipment and materials that the average DIY'er has available. One of my goals with the vids is to keep the repair process as accessible as possible :-)

You do amazing work brother. You're an inspiration to us all! 😎👍

Great Info and another wonderful video. Thank you for sharing and teaching.

Always learning something from your videos. Thanks for sharing

Dude, why dont you have a show already? Love your vids. Very detailed yet laid back. Much props. Keep up the good work!

I've never allowed any space between structural members. Glass the stringers right to the hull :-) Fillet the transitions of the stringers to the hull so you are able to get the glass the make the bend and repeat this layup 2x: csm, 1708 with laminating poly resin and finishing with csm. topcoat with some gel and done! Hope this helps!

Really the best video I have seen on this subject. Thank you very much for your time and effort. I am about ready to do the gunwales on boat this way with Alexseal. I was unsure about using a flattening agent but you answered my questions. Thanks again.

wow thanks for sharing all your experience with this i learned a lot i did automotive body work for a long time when i was younger but never did boats so i learned a lot thanks. i feel that i can take on my boat now.. big held thanks

Hey Thanks!! I like the way you think :-) After today I really needed to hear something positive :-O

Yes, it would be just fine for seating areas as well. Only thing I might suggest would be to use a less coarse grit (a mixture of the fine and coarse granules 50/50) for everything rather than strictly the coarse like I used in the vids :-)

Most two part paints (Awlgrip included) smell VERY strong! Except for the times when I need to talk for the video I have my respirator on until I leave the building. Usually I time it so that painting is the last thing I do for the day and just leave when I'm finished :-) In an enclosed area with no ventilation a forced air mask would be a good idea, but if your able to paint outdoors or have good cross ventilation (which I do) a quality cartridge respirator and new filters will be fine.

great stuff !! happy that all is explained so well. Miles above any other boat gel coat/non skid vids.Andy thanks and please post more. Bob K.

Excellent video Andy

Hey, sorry to comment on one of your old videos, but, I have been to emergency TWICE because of crap in my eyes. I did not learn the FIRST time, I now have 2 pair of safety glasses hooked to ALL of my power tools and respirator. Maybe a segment on safety, also, a segment on actual boating safety would be good also, Thanks, BTW, I love your shop.

You do beautiful professional Craftsmanship, lm restoring a 1989 buddy Davis 47 foot I'm going to do your water drain edge around all the teakwood on bow I was too days torching the paint off the teak some fool painted, that edge will really set it off,, Thanks

Great channel man and great great info. A pleasure to watch you work. Subscribed!

It probably would have been a better option than what I had. Even better, use a higher quality mohair roller :-) One that doesn't shed lint!! I used what I had on hand only because it was for a non-skid application. If I were doing this for a smooth, high gloss finish (like on a hull) I would have used a different roller entirely!!

I believe it was the coarse, but the most common is a 50/50 mix of the fine and coarse :-) Sure, you can use gelcoat for repairs; it all depends on if you're trying to blend into paint or gelcoat as a surrounding area. Gelcoat will never blend 100% into a painted hull (and vice-versa).. Hope this helps!

You only need to add the wax / surfacing agent to the final coat of the surface that you'll need to sand. I'll add to the final layer of glass, sand that smooth then layup gelcoat adding additional wax to the final coat of gel.. Hope this helps :-)

Thanks! Keeping my fingers crossed :-)

The ratio's change a bit when using the flattening agent (these 1:1:1:1 ratios are spec'd out on the flattening agent instructions). Normally, you're right on the 2:1 but that's when doing a straight paint (high gloss) application. Good catch :-)

@yknotsail @Fishland TackleTV Thank you!!! Your comments really mean a lot!

Yup :-) I've had it for 8 years and have worked the he** out of it. They aren't cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for; VERY strong sander. One catch is that you'll also need to get one of their Fein vac's as well. Depending on what you have to do for your project, this sander may or may not be the best thing to use. When you have a chance post a couple of pics as a comment for this video on my website. I'd post a direct link, but youtube doesn't allow that :-( Thanks!

Thank You so much. great Video!

That looks really good right on man

Great series! Thanks.

Always love your videos. I'm just prepping my deck for non-skid and had to stop by and get advice from the master. Anyway, I saw you sprinkling the sand over panel I had an idea. I was wondering if a sugar sifter with the crank handle on the side would work for making a nice uniform 8" path of sand. Just a thought though. Thanks again... BTW The tests you performed on Gel Coat over Epoxy gave some really promising results. I plan on using the two a bit myself on a small skiff to see long term results in different locations of the boat.

Truly enjoy your videos, would you happen to have anything on how seal aluminum winshield fame or window top stop leakage.

As long as the surface is prepped correctly there is very little 'real world' difference between bonding strengths of poly /vinyl. Vinyl is generally considered a superior resin due to epoxy solids put into the mixture = more chemical and water resistant. Does have a higher bonding strength? Technically Yes...On most repairs does it make a difference? No. Vinyl is typically used for below the waterline due to benefits against blistering, but topsides almost every yard in the world uses poly :-)

Awesome video n lots of info👍

Hey reeceagodwin, sorry, none yet :-( Haven't had one of those jobs come in the door since I started these videos.. When I do, I will be sure to go through the process (unfortunately that doesn't help right now)....

Hey Tiff, Primer? NOPE :-) If you did your repairs using poly resin (not epoxy) then all you need to do is sand, clean with acetone and coat with gel.. If you used epoxy for the repairs, then you may run into some adhesion problems but either way no need for any kind of primer!! Hope this helps!

Boatworks Today: nice series. I paint at a large refit yard, and usually spray apply (awlgrip)non-skid. Couple tricks ive learned: thin foam rollers don't leave lint, use flattener both coats so thin spots in 2nd coat don't shine through. For larger areas, consider spraying the sand(no paint) onto the tackcoat through a gravity feed(1.4 tip or larger for griptex course) at a gun distance of 3'. Quick and easy, looks like a sprayed job. Although I sprinkle sand on small spot jobs too.

Thanks, I enjoyed that.

thanks for sharing your knowledge really apreciated

Very well presented.

Have you ever used the Interlux brand of paint or non-skid? Thanks for your very informative videos. Back in the 70's, I built two boats, a 24 foot cabin boat and a 20 foot center console using fiberglass over plywood. Getting a good finish was very difficult because we did not have the great products that are available today.

great work!!

What if you used a shop vacuum to get the loose fuzz off the roller prior to dipping the roller? Thanks Chuck

Sorry, never have. If you end up using it, please let me know how it goes! You can post pics to my facebook page :-)

I am building a 19ft boat and have had great success with foam rollers and awl grip paint. I was curious if there was a reason that you chose to use a regular roller instead of a foam roller? I have not experienced any lint issues using these rollers... so I thought using a foam roller may solve your lint issue and save a step with removing the lint with a roller. Thoughts? Great channel! Lots of good realistic info! Thanks for putting these up!

I'm repairing a small sailboat with molded in nonskid texture that's got extensive gel coat cracking and I'm thinking of completely removing the nonskid and replacing it with something else. The problem is most of the area is walking/seating. Is the Awlgrip comfortable for sitting? Great videos too, they help a lot for amateurs like me!

but great video and fantastic work

Would it not be faster with a better edge if u taped the edge paint and texture with one coat remove the tape and coat the entire piece. Sealing both at the same time and saving u 4 days drying time and one less coat

Sorry if you have already answered this. I need to repaint and re service my non skid deck. I have watched your videos and think I have a all I need to get this done. One question do I need to sand the old none skid smooth before I start ?

I'm curious whether you have to pull your masking tape after each application to prevent the paint from bonding to the tape or if you can leave it from prior to finish cost?

When doing engine covers this way do you need to put a top coat on the underside or can it just stay primed? Love your show!

Hi Andy ! thank you for your videos, very detail instructions. I have a robalo with none skid diamond floor , so it has a smooth gel coat on top, now I want to paint it with another coat so it can seal all the hairlines cracked, can you give me some advice which paint to use and should i spray or roll it on, thank you vey much for your time.

I'm curious about your technique for producing a radius with your masking tape at the rounded "corners" of the panels.

Dude , what about round access plannels, cut in over top thxs Scott

Hi Andy. Do you or have you ever used the small diameter rollers? Are foam rollers any good for painting or resin coating? What type of brushes do you use for tipping? Thank you for all the information!

Is that a Fein DA you use in most of the videos? I need to sand out some surface cracking from my dash and the dustless sander is probably going to be a must.

oops, ok, so i watched video, awesome BTW. I have ordered neutral clearcoat from uscomposites, ugh didnt realise awlgrid you were using. anyway getting ready to paint our 1985 Arima boat. I think i am pretty much metally ready except the skit on the top of the boat. Can i use the same product of neutral gelcoat and add something to it. Dont reallly want to go thru another expense but obviously will to do this right. Never thought about the skid thank god for this video.

Nice video. You said you used equal parts base coat, catalyst, flattening agent, and reducer. I thought the cat 3 brush/roll catalyst was a 2:1 mix? Am I missing something?

Would this same process work on the hull of a bass boat? I have a 78 Ranger that has some areas needing repairs. I'm not looking to make it look new but get back a uniform color after I take on the fiberglass issues. Love your channel.

Polyester resin? the fiberglass guy i was speaking to recently said not to use polyester it would be no good and to use vinylester resin for a strong bond to the existing glass. thanks for the reply on the "glassing stringers hard to the floor" i thought the 4mm foam cushioning sounded a bit weird might have been some huge vibration going on there

Hey I loved the video...but I have read the awlgrip site about how bad this stuff is for you. You use a respirator to roll on and tip off but take it off right after (?). Are the voc's really not that bad i.e. do they overrate it? I mean they say you need a forced air respirator and special "room" to put this stuff on...true or not? Thanks again...never would have thought about the lint from the roller...until it was too late of course!!!!

hey thanks was just asking because some say glass stringers to the hull with at least 4mm cushioning in between to prevent hard spots against the glass and causing cracking, while others have said glass them straight to the hull so there is no flex points between the stringer and hull that would cause cracking so im not sure what to do when glassing in stringers to my V19 haines hunter, i think these V19 were developed by aussies using a bertram mold

Hi there, I also have a boat that has molded nonskid with extensive cracking and chipping as well. I was wondering how your repairs went, how far down you sanded off your molded nonskid and if you have noticed any of the cracking reappearing through your repairs.

Well done. How abrasive is this? I want to use it on a sailboat deck. People will be sitting on the rail and kneeling on it. I have been looking at deck pads versus Awl Grip with additive.

shouldn't you be using a fine line tape or just fpr top coats?

Andy, does it make any sense to sprinkle non-skid over a product like Kiwi Grip for added non skid functionality or is that way overkill? Thanks.

What paint are you using before adding the awlgrip particles? Also what are you using to seal over the particles after sprinkling? Thanks

could the awlgrio primer and paint be used to cover the outside of the boat (over gelcoat)? it what would you suggest painting over gelcoat? I'm talking about a 20 year old boat, that's been well used. gelcoat has had repairs, and it doesn't look new - even though the gelcoat is in good shape (different shades of white). I'm wanting to paint it with a flat tan color. suggestions??

I am starting a painting project on my boat starting with the back deck . My question is do i need to sand off the old non skid down to smooth before I can apply the new non skid ?

Hey for the AWL grip. did you use fine, coarse, or extra coarse? and this is just so you don't slip on your boat right? because i have been trying to find a material so that way people do not slip. Also is it ok to just gelcoat the spots that i had repaired on my boat?

So just one coat on the smooth areas?

So I roll n tipped my boat same exact way just as you did except different / smaller rollers.. I did it by myself, rolling approx 5 sq ft then tipping. I ended up with "flat" areas where I went back and overlapped from the next area. Any ideas to prevent this? I ended up buying the same rollers as you mentioned and am in the process of wet sanding the whole boat, waiting on the rollers. Thanks!

Why would you bother to tip off the main portion after taping if you'll be non-skidding... lot of extra work... Non-skid would hide any stipple left by the roller... BTW... Great video for the novice...

have you ever worked with kiwigrip and if so what is your opinion of it?

Hi, do you have any videos on restringing a fiberglass hull thanks

great videos...can i repair my fiberglass tub using these methods?

please tell me i dont need to put primer on before i gelcoat my boat.... I did use bondo in some spots

Could you use Awegrip directly over plywood? I have a floor in my 32ft Trojan main salon and its in need of a re-coat.

LEGEND 🖒🖒🖒🖒🖒

indeed a really good video! However i have a question...i bet you've heard about KiwiGrip (at least i hope you did hihi). I talked with several people whether the fiberglass needs a primer (epoxy) before i apply KG to the surface and everybody is telling me a different thing! :( the whole thing is getting a bit confusing grrrr...since structure of the KG is very hard i am affraid it might crack after lets say a lof of people walking on the deck etc. meaning that if there is no epoxy under water might start to work on the fiberglass...Do you have an advise please???

I am going to paint the floor of my Wellcraft V20 with non-skid paint. I have hairline cracks in the floor. Should I do anything with them for can I paint over them with the non-skid?

Why don't u use gel coat

I though Awlgrip is none roll able?

Hello,

lmao @ brain fart great vids by the way