Painting 70s Blue Rubber Nonskid

[Roger McManus]

My 1976 28 has the blue rubber nonskid. I don't mind keeping the nonskid but would like to change the color. Others I know have sanded/removed the rubber, and painted with newer nonskid paints, but what has been the experience in just repainting the original? What paints and application techniques work best?

[Jim Davis]

I've done it by sanding with scouring powder and then using a small wire brush to roughen the groves. Don't over do it or you may have to really sand and use grit. Once it has been "sanded" wipe the surface with lacquer thinner or alcohol to remove any trace of oil from your hands. Then paint with Britesides or your paint of choice. It wil be a bit slicker at first and should last about four years. I've found it can be done twice before it is time to use grit.

[Ron M.]

You have rubber non skid ? it must have been added at some point. if so, it should have been glued down with a mastic type product. Rubber, or more likely a vinyl composite, won't hold paint that well. Tedious to clean and prepare the the low parts of gelcoat non skid, let alone vinyl or rubber. If it's applied you can pull it off and replace, Defender carries such a product, it's name escapes me.
If you do have gel coat ns, again, laborious to prepare properly, and how much of the anti slip properties will remain after primer and topcoats ? that's why it's usually ground away, primed, painted with non skid particles mixed in or applied to the tocoats.
The work is in the masking, but it's not that bad. I like the salt shaker method to apply the particles...........check the archives.
________
R1200GS

[Roger McManus]

Based on previous posts and how it looks, I think this is an original factory addition.

[Russell]

Based on previous posts and how it looks, I think this is an original factory addition.

Its not rubber then, its gelcoat. As already said, for best results, your best option is to grind it off and paint new nonskid. There are other options, KiwiGrip I think is an interesting alternative. There is actual rubber nonskid that comes in panels that you glue down, but it never looks very good. Personally I would opt to stick with paint and nonskid additive.

[Roger McManus]

Well, I intended "rubber" as a generic discription. I agree it is undoubtedly a synthetic, but it is knobby and some what soft and it is so neatly installed I don't this is was added by a PO. Moreover, I seem to recall that others have indicated this arrangement on older CDs. it is definitely not gelcoat with non-skid additives or molding.