F35 Ketch (UK) - Paint for floor panels.

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arrancomrades
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:11 am

F35 Ketch (UK) - Paint for floor panels.

Post by arrancomrades »

Hello,
Between the wooden floorboards and the joinery, there's a fawn-coloured 'composition' type material about 1/8" thick glued to the hull. After 30 years it's none too pretty. Some very expensive Treadmaster cleaner has improved it a bit, but it really needs to be painted. (Or replaced - ugh!)

I've seen photos of boats for sale on which these panels have clearly been painted. What works? What is the mystery material anyway? Does the painted finish out-live the sales period?

(Treadmaster paint is available at £55 per litre plus delivery - it's quite hard to find a single malt whisky that costs so much - but maybe the material isn't Treadmaster anyway.)

Thanks, Mike.
Mike Johnston

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Castaway
Posts: 286
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: Lerwick, Shetland Isles

Re: F35 Ketch (UK) - Paint for floor panels.

Post by Castaway »

Mike,

The 'mystery material' is actually another type of Treadmaster, as far as I can tell. The suppliers, Tiflex, based in Cornwall, have it on their website when last I looked. It's also available in small self adhesive patches for steps, etc. We replaced all the deck Treadmaster, a terrible job getting it off as it was glued with epoxy. This left us with no appetite (or time) to have a go at the interior, but we did find that it could be perked up quite a lot with 80 grit sandpaper in a small power sander, lightly applied. It does, however, pick up dirt quite easily, and perhaps might have been improved with a matt floor varnish applied after. I know nothing about Treadmaster paint, but the original deck cover lasted almost thirty years, so the product quality may be good.

Have fun!

Kind regards,

Gerald
Gerald Freshwater,
s/y 'Castaway', (UK F35 cat ketch, centreboard, 1987)
Lerwick Boating Club
Shetland Isles, Scotland

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