Two questions - does anyone know of anything to add into two pack varnish to make it less glossy - its for the insides, not decks.

Second, I've got some 'International' granules in a packet - intending to add these to the last varnish coat as grip in certain areas - is it any good, or should I go for the sugar method,or put 'sand pit' sand in the varnish? any views either way?

They do a satin version i think. That should do it. Otherwise you can get matting agent from car paint suppliers.

For the non slip use budgie sand from any good pet shop. When applying put it in a very fine sieve and tap over the area to be treated this will stop large pieces of sand fouling the your work. Another excellent tip that I picked up from Laurie Smart, as he uses this method when applying non slip to the boats he builds albeit he then paints over the sand. Works a treat!

I would add ......... mask off the area that you want 'non slip', apply a base coat of varnish, rub back to get a good key, apply another coat of varnish and then immediately apply method I have suggested above. When cured apply a 'thinned out' coat of varnish over the non slip area. I have done this on my MR 908 although I have used 2pk weathersafe light grey paint as maintenance is a lot easier than varnish!

Thanks for the advice CM and RB,  sounds like I'll need a cuttlefish bone hanging from the kicker, but if its been tried and works well, the budgie sand seems favourite!

Thats what I always used. Do exactly as Richard has suggested.

Do a search on this forum and you'll find info on the sugar method too.

Thanks Mags,  
I did the search before posting but didn't know how the sugar onto wet epoxy would work out - if it would just go yellow quickly without varnish over. 
Sugar on wet 2pack sounded OK, but apparently less durable - don't want to be re doing it every year, and getting the sugar off after the 2pack / epoxy dries sounds like it might be interesting.  
Sand sounds like a favourite of many of the forum's old sea dogs, but sounds like a pain to get off when the time comes.  The granules from International I've got sound like they won't give enough grip.

I may need a try out of all three on some old ply - If I do I'll send in the photos

Sand is the the best albeit heaviest solution.

Chris, dont say that. Some people will start micro analysing the word "heaviest" and seek advice on the use of carbon granules for non slip!;-)

At least the weight is in the right place. Down low near the middle.

Microballoons! Mich lighter.

I thought the sugar just washed away?

washes away and leaves a rough surface

Sugar is rubbish compared with sand. It also attracts just about every stinging insect known to mankind.

I do wonder if colloidal silica mixed with two pack varnish would have the same effect as with hibuild (Now banned by the paint police) in making a very hard wearing non slip surface.

I had a look at some budgie sand today, but it had alot of crushed oyster shell in it - it looked pretty sharp! They had sand and grit - no idea what the difference was - both seemed to feature oyster shell pretty largely.

Is that the right stuff?

Yep. That's the stuff and that's when the very fine sieve comes into play, to filter out the bits of oyster shell and rubbish so that you should only have nice smooth dry sand. Put the sand in the sieve and tap sieve gently as if you were putting chocolate powder on a cake!! (sorry that is the only example that comes to mind!):-)The sand should spread smoothly onto the varnish. If you can use a 2 pack varnish much the better as it will cure quicker and be much tougher than single pack. Good luck.

In my day the bird seed sand was sieved through a ladies stocking. But they don’t make them like they used to and nothing gets through a ladies stoking now – or am I just feeling my age?

Went for the sand option in the end - after trying some test pieces it was more reliable.
As reccomended, keyed the varnish, very thin coat of fresh two pack with a jenny brush - nice and flat, then covered the area in sand - overdid the quantity of sand deliberately. Once the varnish had 'soaked' in,(c. 5 mins) brushed off the dry excess sand very lightly to leave a really nice level covering of soaked sand.  After it dried well, brushed on a varnish coat thinned 10%. Do this when the first coat is properly hardened or the new thinned varnish will loosen the sand and you'll brush it all over the place (that was discovered on one of the test pieces!) Job done, now we'll see how long it lasts.
For the weight concious among us, I used about 500g of sand based on what wasn't brushed up afterwards and about 500g 2 pack varnish - a kilo in total 

Thanks for the advice

PS used the kid's play sand bought over the summer - very fine, very clean, easy to dry and apply. Just as fine as the budgie sand. I did get budgie sand (£1.95 for a 2Kg carton)but couldn't seive it fine enough to get all of the bits out - the play sand was a quicker option because I had some.

John oh.... to find a lady that wears stockings today, they are sadly a very rare breed.

Message to .. How do you know it is a rare thing, do you go round checking, if so how, I would love to know.

I suspect the next stocking I get to touch will have a couple of tangerines in it.  Good old Santa.

It is the good old Naval Tradition of Glimping.

"Glimping" the sudden often unexpected glimpse of occupied female underware, traditionaly this was stocking top or suspender, nowadays it is more likely to be thong at the rear of jeans, often accompanied by jean muffin. In any event do not stare otherwise "glimping" becomes "perving" and the expression that will frequently follow is "morning judge"!!

Stockings are a more common sight in the gents changing rooms in winter. Drysuit wearers swear by them.

This thread is starting to suggest that a number of people are at work with nothing much to do other than not wasting a day of leave!