Cockpit Floor Matting

[Slipsinker]

Are any of you guys using floor matting in your cockpit area? Myboat is going to be pulling double duty this summer - fishing and crabbing and I can just see the mess that's going to be made with the wire traps. Anyone have any experience in this area. Thanks for any input.

[Neighbor Dave]

Last year I put Light Gray Durabak on my deck. Overall I am happy with it so far. I have a 20' walkaroung and one gallon did the trick.

If you use this product make sure you prepair the deck properly. There was another guy on this board who used this and had a peeling problem.

https://www.nonslipcoating.com/order.htm

ND

[JOHN LORD]

HEY SLIPSINKER, I HAVE USE LIGHT GRAY INDOOR OUT DOOR CARPET FROM HOME DEPOT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.. I USE 3M SPRAY GLUE AND IT HOLDS JUST FINE, WASHES OFF GOOD, AND WHEN ITS TIME TO REPLACE IT, THE CARPET PULLED RIGHT UP AND THE GLUE WAS DRY AND SCRAPED RIGHT OFF EASY, PUT SOME MORE GLUE DOWN AND CARPET RIGHT BACK ON. IT'S EASY ON THE FEET ALSO.. HOPE THIS HELPS[smile]

[BigWillJ]

Being a boat owner myself who wants to protect my investment, I never really understood my own goal of thinking I wanted to cover (and protect?) the cockpit area, when whatever I would cover the deck with needed to be washed and maintained also. And yet the deck underneath would still need maintenance. Just a thought.

That said, we would put down anything which was readily available to keep metal traps and galvanized tubs from marking (not dirtying) our (white) fiberglass cockpit flooring, something like carpet remnants, etc. Even cardboard, which was simply discarded after each trip. But one needs to be a pack rat to have enough scraps of material laying around. After a while, we realized those traps and tubs, and the mess they created, weren't really marking up things all that much, and we stopped trying to protect the flooring. It still looks decent after many years of use.

[Burchbeer]

I personally dont want to have to pull up matting to clean under it and such.
In the CSkiff, I have an open non skip cockpit. I primarily use plastic or wood containers and have little wear marks/rust stains.
I am sure the feel of ID/OD carpeting would be good as stated above. Not knocking anyones preference at all. I just like the way I can take everything out, hose it all down and have it dry in minutes and put everything back.
I have considered that jig saw puzzle like matting that is 1/2" think or so in some places on the deck. Not bought any to date.
Good Subject though!

[Slipsinker]

Thanks for the help guys. I think I migh go with the 3M Safety-Walk 3200 Wet Area Mating.http://floormat.com/wetmat.html It lists @ $10.00 sq' but I'm sure I can get it wholesale. It looks like the perfect deck mat. Thanks again.

[seaprotodd]

Hey Slipsinker!
I use the 4'X4' (or 3'X3' can't remember) back rubber restaurant mats sold at Home Depot for $20. each and trim 'em and they lock together.
They wash out really well and are not slippery at all. I use my boat for everything! Crabbing, Fishing, just for outings and I also put a duck blind on it during fall and winter and hunt out of it!! The mats work great!
Todd

[freeflow_23]

The rubber matting used in restaurants and bars would be ideal.
It's fairly light weight and has holes big enough that you can spray into with a hose or even take a brush to.

[Slipsinker]

Freeflow, that's exactly what I had in mine for the start but I can't find it in any colors but black. I prefer white but blue and green will work.

[castnblast]

Those rubber kitchen mats are NOT light! They work great for a duckboat and keep the dog's feet off the cold metal but if weight is a consideration, don't go that route. My bassboat is carpeted and I have a terrible time keeping it clean when crabbing or croaker fishing. I'd prefer a bare glass boat that could be sprayed out for these types of outings.