If there was ever a product that sailors should know about, Flex Mold is it—and no, I don’t have a connection with the company.

No matter how careful you are, it's inevitable that the deck of your boat is vulnerable to wear and tear. Winches get dropped, gear gets added, and the antiskid starts to look less than brand-new. Of course, you can always paint the deck, but in my case the potential buyer of my boat was suspicious that the new gray antiskid was covering up a multitude of sins. If only I had known about Flex Mold before I painted.

Flex Mold has in fact been around for few years. It is available in several patterns and enables you to replace or repair damaged areas. It is similar in appearance to perforated non-skid drawer liner material and is precoated with release agent so polyester or epoxy won't stick to it. After preparing the surface, you pour catalyzed gelcoat over it and smooth Flex Mold into the wet resin. When it's cured, you remove the mold—and voila! Perfect antiskid that looks just like the original.

I haven't yet tried this product on my boat, but everything I've read indicates that it's just the thing to solve a common problem. It's worth investigating if you need to replace sections of antiskid and/or avoid probing questions from potential buyers.

For more information, contact the manufacturer: www.gibcoflexmold.com, 817-236-5021.