Slippery feet

My 6.0 did not come wth any kind of nonslip on the sides for traction while on the wire. Anyone have a favorite grip tape they want to reccomend. Not that shoes are out of the question, but when the weather is nice I like to go barefoot. On wet gelcoat, I might as well be wearing roller skates. Input appreciated before I go spend my money.

I replaced the carpet glued on the side of my 6.0 with a black no skid tape I picked up at west marine. It is 4 or 5" wide and very skid proof. The only downside is it will take off skin and wear your shorts out...but it beats swimming after the boat. The tape is waterproof and easy to apply.

wax is always good, wouldn't leave home without it

If you want tape, home depot hat a 3-M product that ia far superior to the crap Hobie and Murrays carries. It is gray and comes in varied widths.



E

Murrays sells a "sure foot EVA grip kit" that uses a neoprene textured surface strip that is contact cemented in place. I bought one of these kits and put it on my N5.2 and love it. Works great barefooted or with the boots (not abrasive at all like the 3M product). It has been on my boat for a year with no visible wear (except for mentioned below). Putting on the contact cement cleanly is a bit tricky but is doable. One word of advice though - be sure the material is a .25" below the corner of the deck - one side of mine was a little high and I shredded the top edge of it after continuously sliding my butt off the side when getting on the wire.



http://www.murrays.com/archive/43.pdf

Hi Paul, If your hulls are white, then you probably want the white non-skid tape that West Marine, Boat U.S., ACE Hardware, etc. sell. It comes in one and two inch widths. It goes on easy and stays on a clean hull well. I recommend rubbing on some acetone on the hull where you want the tape before putting on the tape just to be sure you get a good bond. Also, round off the corners so that they are less likely to come up. Finally, I recommend that you put one edge just above the side of the hull so that it wraps just onto the deck. That gives little resistance to shorts or harness but a good grip when getting on or staying on the trapeeze - and that is why 2 inch width tape is better! It is about a buck a foot unless you buy the big roll at Boat U.S. at wholesale; then the price is about 70 cents a foot but the amount paid is higher. SO find some others who need it and share the tape and the savings!



Mike Fahle Toledo (big tape user with all these new boats!)

Another 2 cents of advice.



Using a non-petroleum based product for the hull prep is a key to it staying put forever, until taken off deliberately that is.



Instead of acetone,(which works well mind you), get the generic rubbing alcohol, and clean the contact area well with it, it lasts longer, cleans with less residue than the petroleum product.



Some of the advice you have had, as they stated, are really abrasive to your skin. Especially, that black 3m stuff. A slide on a big wave, or bow stuff, and skins comes off!

I use windsurfing traction stuff.



Neoprene boom cover material is real thin yet is comfy and holds well. The Gorilla Grip textured neoprene is good but it's in small sizes, good for behind-the-rear-crossbar areas.



sea ya

tami

I concur with Jake. I just put the sure foot EVA grip kit on my Hobie 18, and it works great! My girlfriend and I were sailing in the Tropical Dreams regatta a few weeks back in 20 knot winds and two feet of chop. When doubling trapping, we stayed glued to the sides! It's also pretty thick which feels great on the feet. I got a little sloppy with the contact cement, but acetone cleaned it up nicely. Good luck!



Bob Blackington