I can share my experience with Durabak. I did a complete paint job on my boat in the spring of '06. It looked fantastic and was the most effective nonskid I had ever seen.
Before the end of the first season, the edges appeared chipped and uneven.
I called the Durabak distributor and was told that there must have been some tape residue that seeped under the edges. That didn't sound right to me but I liked the stuff so I bought some more and put on another (3rd) coat the next spring. This time it came with a catalyst; the first batch didn't. It went on easily and so far has held up well.
On reflection, the original chipping may have been caused by our new puppy with sharp nails.
I don't think it was a problem with the tape, as I removed it as soon as the paint was tacky.
One more thing: don't use white. I painted my pop-top with white Durabak and was very disappointed. It seemed to attract dirt and was impossible to get completely clean. It looked like it was mildewed. I ended up painting over it with polyurethane.
I am happy with the tan Durabak on the rest of the boat. It still looks good, is easy on the feet and butt, and it gives you solid footing no matter how far you are heeled over.
Connect with Facebook
