Carpet or Paint?

[low_pro]

Currently rebuilding a 14' glass V-Hull.  I was just wondering the pros and cons of each, carpet vs paint?  I was pretty set on carpet until I went out on a friends boat this weekend which was painted.  It got muddy as heck and when we got back obviously it was as easy as spraying inside with a hose and done...   :-/

[Sfritr]

If you are going to paint I would recommend something like Gorilla lining.  It is slip resistent, cuts down on noise and is strong like bull.  

[Long Mike]

Just remember that that painted deck will be plenty hot on your bare feet come summer.

[jb_adams]

How can I say this and convince you to avoid paint.....

CARPET CARPET CARPET CARPET CARPET CARPET!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D

I just returned my father-in-law's jon boat back to him and i was glad to hand it back.  It's a 16ft flat bottom with a cheap spray-on bed liner on the inside.  That stuff oxidizes and the film will get all over you.  Your clothes, your gear, the cork on your rods, etc.  It's just not worth it.  Quality paint will get scratched.  Bed liner will fade and oxidize.  I had it on a winch bumper about once a year, I'd have to spray a coat over it to refurbish it.

Take if from someone who has seen bedliner on many things.  It's just asking for black hands, black clothes, and black cork grips.  It's more trouble than it's worth.

Carpet makes it look SO much better.

Good luck!

[low_pro]

Thanks guys. Just to clarify, I was referring to a topside paint such as this. Also, it would definatley be white! Keep the temps down in the summer.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/20433/377%20710%201011/0/Topside%20Paint/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/10/0?N=377%20710%201011&Ne=0&Ntt=Topside%20Paint&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=44&subdeptNum=91&classNum=91

Is carpet easy to keep clean??  Can I just hose it off if it gets muddy?

[fishfordollars]

Carpet

Fewer chances to slip and fall

Keeps the noise level down

[Catt]

You can hose carpet off just like paint

Another consideration is if your boat previously had carpet and you do away with it your storage lids may not seal because the carpet acts as part of the seal in that it takes up space between the lid and the compartment.

[low_pro]

Thanks. I think carpet it is!

Also Catt, this is the boat I was referring to. I don't think it matters if there was carpet in before

[South FLA]

Carpet is for those who don't know how to apply Tuff Coat correctly !

It's true that carpet keeps the sound down better, but I used Tuff Coat to paint the inside of my 14' jon boat in a sand color and love it! Being in the South Florida it can get hot, but I have had ZERO issues with it getting hot, since I painted the inside a light color. Also since my boat is not loaded down with carpet or plywood then it makes it a breeze to pull over embankments and thick weeds.  Also, when it comes time to wash it down I just brush and rinse. The negative is that it chips in high traffic areas, but just recoat it every 3 years.