Wax the deck without sliding off

Submitted by bildsm on Tue, 05/10/2016 - 17:36
Forums: 
Maintenance, Repairs, Changes, and Upgrades

I recently gave my newer Flying Scot a nice wax job - she looks great, but the deck is now pretty slick and I find myself sliding towards the stern when I try to hike out.  Fortunately I didn't wax the seats, but did wax the entire deck, including the sides.  What is the best way to remove or modify the wax job, so that it's not so slick in critical places?  Someone suggested using acetone to remove the wax - would that damage the fiberglass? The wax I used is Collinite no 885, which is great for the hull, but I probably shouldn't have used it on the deck.  Is there another product that would preserve the deck and make it look good without being so slick?  Thanks for any help you can provide.

Bernie Baker

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 15:08

Bummer.  Acetone is what I would use to remove wax

FS5257

Mon, 06/06/2016 - 19:25

You may want to look at this product, with no slippery deck
http://www.marine31.com/marine-31-non-skid-boat-wax.html?productid=marin...
Great stuff.
FS5636
 

fs97

Tue, 06/07/2016 - 16:38

I've had good luck with Aurora sure-step.  Spoke to the manufacturer and they assured me that it's designed to work well on smooth fiberglass decks even though it's  marketed for non-skid surfaces.  Just make sure to clean the old wax off completely before application.  Also make sure the sure-step wax hasn't separated in the container before use--this will happen if you leave the container in the sun and renders the product useless.  After application, the deck will be slightly more slick than without any wax, but it actually gets grippier when wet.  No idea why.  It can also be slick against bare skin, say a knee when you're kneeling on the deck, but boat shoes grip quite well.  
http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Sure-Step-Protectant-Boats/dp/B004JBIPGW?ie...