Nonskid decks. How boring, right? Well, not anymore. There has been a revolution in marine flooring that started over a decade ago with the introduction of adhesive-backed foam nonskid material and it is trending.
As with many boating trends, it started in Florida at a company called SeaDek, which is still going strong today. Its original deck material was EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) foam that was sold as helm pads, kits for swim platforms, cooler tops and casting decks, but as interest grew so did more extensive use of the material. Eventually, installations covering complete decks and even gunwales began to appear. Southern boaters were initially drawn to it because the material provides a soft, cool, slip-resistant surface even when wet. It’s particularly nice on bare feet and offers a custom appearance that personalizes the look of a boat.
As interest grew, a few boat builders began offering SeaDek as a factory-installed option on new models while owners of older boats started flirting with aftermarket installations. Over time, though, those who had the material installed discovered a downside: A full soft deck package for an average-size boat is expensive, and many of the early EVA products did not hold up well enough to justify the cost. This became more of an issue as the trend marched northward, where boots and cold weather became a factor exacerbating product durability. In addition, once the decking was worn it was very difficult to remove.
Even so, the market for soft marine flooring continued to grow at a rapid pace, generating competition and innovation. I’ve followed the trend since I bought my first SeaDek helm pad for a center console not long after the material’s introduction. That’s why my interest was piqued when I received an invitation to attend a hands-on educational event for authorized dealers of Aquatraction Advanced Marine Flooring, one of the innovators in the marketplace. I accepted the invitation to learn more about this particular product and installation techniques.
Josh Clymer, the owner of Aquatraction, approached the marine flooring market from a different direction than competitors. “I’ve been an avid fisherman most of my life with roots in the upper Midwest, where flooring on boats was a marine version of indoor-outdoor carpet,” Clymer says. “The problem with carpet is it gets slippery, dirty, slimy, stinky and moldy with age. On top of that we had to deal with cold weather early and late in the season, when water held in the carpet turned the boat into a floating skating rink. We knew instinctively that there was a market for something better and that started our quest to develop a superior nonskid marine flooring system that could stand up to all those challenges, and the use and abuse associated with fishing.”
Ten years later, Aquatraction has become a leader in the industry, alongside companies like SeaDek. Aquatraction has a growing market share because of its xPE (cross-link polyethylene) foam material, advanced adhesive backing, rapid turnaround manufacturing process and customer service. Clymer says the material was designed to be cushioning and easy on the feet and applicable for installation on any type of boat, in locations from Alaska to the Caribbean.
According to Clymer, the xPE blend has greater density, which significantly increases durability, and is UV- and fade-resistant. In addition, almost nothing sticks to it, so it is stain- and dirt-resistant and thus low maintenance. Dirt, fish slime and blood wash off with the same biodegradable soaps used on the rest of the boat. As for installation, the adhesive backing holds fast to fiberglass, painted or metal decks for years, yet can be removed without damaging the substrate.
“Our aim is to push the bar with this innovative xPE flooring material that we’ve worked long and hard to develop, and with a very customer-centric business model [supported by a] network of highly trained dealers. There are currently 57 across the country,” says Tanner Ouellette, marketing director at Aquatraction.
Ouellette says the company’s competitors have done a great job, especially in the recreational wakeboard boat markets. “We originally positioned Aquatraction as the high-tech flooring for tuna boats in the Northeast and salmon boats in Alaska, anywhere durability and slip resistance are key concerns, alongside aesthetics and foot comfort. But over time consumers found our flooring to be well-suited to the pleasure boat market.”
Aquatraction’s research found a direct correlation between the polyethylene content of its foam decking and its durability, stain and dirt resistance, Ouellette says xPE has proven itself on boats in very harsh environments, and because it has a brushed surface, the foot feel and softness is comparable to EVA, only with a high level of slip resistance that increases when wet. Some competitors have added a PE component to their EVA formulations in recent years to improve durability of their products, including SeaDek.
Aftermarket installations currently account for more sales of Aquatraction than OEM installations on new boats. It seems more owners of existing boats are discovering flooring options that let them upgrade the look and comfort of their boats at a relatively modest cost.
Tanner walked us through a typical installation process, emphasizing that every installation is a custom job from start to finish. It begins at the company website, where a boat owner can see examples of previous installations, check out the colors, patterns and options available, locate the nearest authorized dealer, and even request free samples.
The next step is to contact the dealer in your area to discuss your boat and your vision. The dealer can get you a price quote (it’s based on boat size and the coverage desired), and set a date to do digital measurements of your boat. The measuring system generates about a thousand reference points and saves them to a memory stick. According to Aquatraction, the process produces the tightest tolerances in the industry at 1/16th of an inch around every deck plate, hinge and hatch lift.
The digital file is then transmitted to the manufacturing facility, where a team of draftsmen and engineers generate an illustration of your boat that clearly shows what it will look like when finished. Once you approve the final blueprint, the material is cut to size. Customzation options include engraving (your boat’s name, for instance) on the material. It’s accomplished with a computer-driven CNC router and laser system.
The material is typically manufactured and shipped to the dealer within two weeks of your approval. The dealer will then schedule the installation.
Having been on a lot of boats with this type of marine flooring, I can attest that Aquatraction is everything the company claims it to be. A charter captain buddy of mine just had a customized Aquatraction floor added to the deck and gunwales of his 35-foot Contender. Not only does it look amazing, it enhances the boat’s safety and comfort. It just might be time for me to take the plunge.
