Northwest Fishing Reports

I've been kicking around the thought of pulling all the carpet on my Bass-Boat and laying down Rhino Lining or some type of Non-Skid application,..FlippinFool mentioned it on an outing recently and I've been looking around the Net 2 see what I can find,..on a Bass-Boat 2 me, carpet is a fast application,..cheapest and decent looking enough material for the Manufacturers 2 apply for the consumer,..just isn't very functional/practical,..stays wet,..holds odors,..gets dirty very fast,..hooks catch on the fibers! What about spray on/paint on material,..any thoughts on this?

BB

Just picked up a gallon of Kiwigrip, a non-skid coating made by Pachena over near Seattle. GREAT product that is used around the world because its not a polyester like the bedliner type applications.

Having built a boat from scratch, I can't recommend enough to forego carpet and use hard surfaces in your boat. Something like Kiwigrip is made for marine applications, can be made as smooth or as grippy as you want using their included roller, and cleans up much more easily than the more porous bedliner materials.

I will do a tutorial on applying it when I get done with cabinets this week.

E

Dont think you'll like it after a while. Its tough on you feet, knees. I would stay with carpit it looks better and you can get some good stuff at the home depot cheep.

Trent Hale wrote:Dont think you'll like it after a while. Its tough on you feet, knees. I would stay with carpit it looks better and you can get some good stuff at the home depot cheep.

Good point Trent,..E thanks 2,..I'm still on the fence on this one!

BB

As much of a pain that carpet can be, it does have a major benefit. It deadens sounds, so as not to spook the fish. It also hides slight imperfections, makes the interior look nice and as previously mentioned is easier on the body. If you don't do so already, store your boat with the bow up and you shouldn't have the water issue. A wet vac and some Simple Green will take care of most any stains and odors you encounter. An easy way to clean the boat is to take it to a car wash and blast it inside and out with soapy water and rinse. Until I got my own pressure washer, my boats visited the car wash at least a few times a year. It also forced me to organize my gear and keep only what was necessary in the boat as you'll want to remove it all when cleaning it in this manner. As for hooks in the carpet, not much can be done about that except for being careful or going barbless.

An additional note on carpet.

Carpet is a tool used by boat manufacturers to hide imperfections. This is useful in glass boats where they can do a very fast layup and ignore the fairing and sanding phase on the interior and hang carpet instead.

It isn't any better a sound deadener than a thick paint or poly compound because fiberglass is itself and inherent insulator. Carpet prevents condensation on the sides and ceilings of boats where the occupant may sleep, which is a plus.

Much personal preference has developed for carpet because it has become the industrial norm. Go have a look at the hardcore custom fishing boats like Pursuit, Duckworth, Hewescraft, and the custom boats like carolina sportfishers and you will only find interior carpet where it will keep condensation down or in interior salons.

E

If you do decide to go with some sort of non-skid surface, make sure you do it either in a heated garage, or when the weather is warm enough to dry it. A gallon of that stuff ain't cheap, and it sure doesn't work well when you try and apply under the recommended curing temp. Don't ask me why I know that....

It isn't any better a sound deadener than a thick paint or poly compound because fiberglass is itself and inherent insulator.

???

Thermal insulation does not always equate to sound insulation. Drop a quarter on your non-carpeted/painted deck and compare it to the sound it makes if you put a piece of carpet on top of it. A more solid material will almost always transfer sound waves more efficiently that a less solid material. I carpet the inner sides and trays of the boat and put mats down on the deck. I don't like a noisy boat, especially when I'm trolling. If your bass fishing what is the point of sneaking up on a spot with your electric only to drop a lure on the deck and alert all the fish to your presence?

Thermal insulation does not always equate to sound insulation.

Sound insulation and thermal insulation aren't the same thing G. I thought it made sense when I typed it but I spose not. Fiberglass is a good sound insulator, ask anyone with an aluminum boat.

I completely agree that it is good for your dropping a lure soundproofing. If percussive drops are what you are talking about, then absolutely it will deaden sound. Dropping the same lure on a wood floor will be proportionately quieter than glass, which is quieter than metal. Only difference being I don't ever get lures stuck in my non-skid.

To each their own G, Im sure the carpet suits your needs perfectly, and I bet the dog couldn't be happier!

E

Spray on coating all the way (or roll on). If you're after sound absorbtion there is a product called quiet car or quiet boat that is the best stuff going. Beats carpet hands down, slaughters the "sound mats" the little tuner guys use. It contains tiny ceramic spheres that transform mechanical energy (sound) into heat. Very cool stuff! When I get a new sled the entire inside of the hull will have several coats as well as the dog house. Thick rubber all over for the easy washdown. Most of the boat mfgs are using stuff called hippo liner, it comes in all colors of the rainbow to match the paint. Just say no to carpet, it gets nasty with fish blood!

All my working spots 2 golors of gray with grit in the rubber base paint and sound deadener not only looks sweet it cleans up super fast!:cheers:

Carpet sucks it holds water , graps mold, and worse and it is the terrible on BLOOD WE LOVE!!!!:chef: :cyclopsan

My rod gunells/spelling lol are carpet as soon as you fish = bait, Roe, and scent its a joke and I am tearing it out the only Carpet#-o on the tub and soon going south:cheers:

Fish on!

well I don't have a boat but I did have a dodge dakota with rhino lining and I loved it. Like others have said, super easy to clean. there was a spray on foam I used that cleaned and protected at the same time. I forget what it was called, but after washing the truck down, spray that in the bed and it looked like new.

I saw Swede's boat the other day and the deck is really nice. It looks like the same coating we used on the decks of the tugs. It is the same nice grey color and has super sound deadening. The product we used on the tugs had to have a very high sound deadening quotient, due to the other crew members sleeping below decks. We used this product and it lasted for several years. It should last 10 years on a fish boat. Swede's boat has the looks of this product. Due to Swede's knowledge in the boat building industry I am sure he used the same type of stuff. Might ask him the name of it.
I know we have several guys in WL that are working in shipyards and maybe they will see this forum question and enter the conversation. I do know that if you put the coating on the old wood ....make sure it is dry. Most coatings are epoxy and don't need to be real hot...just 60 degrees and you are in business. The stuff on the tug set up in 4 hours. Wish you luck, Steve

Hey Steve maybe we can get it in custom Clear#-o for your Windshield Bullet Proof!:cyclopsan LOL:cheers:

Yes, as fishing collector said, the name of it would be appreciated...the grey stuff.

Doug call me Shields:-$ the products used on my tub were made one only and are not sold retail.

The guy is a hotrod painter with 25 years of doing and he mixes what works and does not sell retail on any of his stuff.

You ask what you want and why deal
There are many Rhino gaurd, Linex related materials for the consumer retail mine is differnt and softer with 2 color mix or I would have shared the brand like all the other information this one I cant:-#

Kiwigrip is designed specifically for boats, and is available in a spectrum of colors.

E

Thank you guys!

I prefer carpet on the floor. Its easy on the feet, knees and fly line. The roll or sprayon products are hell on a fly line. You dont haveta worry about blood on the carpet when your C&R. Just my 2 cents worth.

Cheers

In that application that is single choice application and process I would say yes:cheers:
In covering everything of all the gifts the waters provide and all I would personally say heck no!:thumbdown

Carpet grabs mold,, plant spores , dirt, waters and almost every brand and brands breaks down and fade exposed to the elements and also requires adhesives/glues in some form or another which will also break down with Mother time .

If you are doing more and crab and shrimp and use your tub for a working tool it grabs scents, baits, BLOODS:thumleft: :viking: and fishing the sound late summer we call it (Salad)/ floating sea=weeds it will be everywhere as you bring your downriggers in as well as your tackle / flasher bait and lures and in the hot sun dry into the carpet and make your clean ups a all day project[-( and most carpet Salt is not its friend as well then you add beach clamming with family and friends and projects exploring Gods treasures on remote beaches.

Sand will be your carpet even when you try to do your best to keep everything Clean sand grabs all and everything and then is spraying and washing into your Bilge pumps and rear Transom Areas and drain systems.

The more applications you do the less it will become your friend if all you do is stage puffer line and fly fish I would still make other choices but understand the concepts and the thinking and everything is choices and make a list for what you will be doing and searching for to make that choice as its yours.

Just my 55 cents.:thumleft: :viking:

Written at 2:30am getting ready for other choices:batman: hope the read is sandable:cyclopsan based on a full day trip to reduce your clean ups and provide your tub the reflexions and pride you want and need for lasting and reducing your labors after enjoying your Passions and gifts we share:cheers:

Last= unless your blessed with a heated shop as soon as you cover your investment from waters, dirt and dust you are trapping your day before goodies into your carpet with the seasons it then sits in and both are bad, extreme heats and cold.:brilsmurf :bigsmurf: :cyclopsan


Fish ON!