Buck Woodcraft

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So we entered the profile of his existing grate into our CNC router and out popped a better answer as shown on the left: A custom shower grate made with 3/4" thick King Starboard Anti-Skid -- perforated with lots of 3/4" diameter drainage holes, all with a nice smooth radius so as not to snag a person's toes.

Our custom grates have a chemical composition that makes it much more "grippy" than standard King Starboard. And Starboard AS also features a raised pattern of small bumps that aid in keeping one's feet on an even keel so to speak.

As to the cost of a custom shower or cockpit grate, you can generally figure on spending in the area of $55 to $65 per square foot for the finished product, milled out of 3/4" thick King Starboard AS (white only). As with all things that are custom-made, the bottom-line per-square-foot price will depend on how complex your requirement is -- so the bottom-line price may be a bit more or a bit less.

We can give you a firm price once you give us your exact specs. Call us toll-free 877-743-4090, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET Monday thru Friday, or email us your specs (a digital photo of where the grate needs to go would also be a big help).

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I made this custom cockpit grate for a classic 60's-vintage Pearson sailboat owned by Uncle Phil, my beat-up old helper here in Marathon. For more about Phil's grate adventure, click here.

We cross-hatch the reverse side of our custom Starboard grates with generous drainage channels, so water doesn't get trapped anywhere.

"The Treadmaster was great nonskid, but it hadn't held up as well as I'd hoped in the tropical-type sun down here. Plus the stuff costs and arm and a leg. And if I had to do more work on the sole down the road, I didn't want to have to strip it off again with a hammer and chisel. In short, I wanted something easily removable for whatever reason. But not teak. Bonhomie came with a teak grate when I bought her, but I ditched it. Too hot for bare feet, plus it was a dirt, hair and mold magnet.

"So I decided to try a custom cockpit grate made with Starboard Anti-Skid, and so far it's worked out just fine. Good footing, doesn't heat up, easy to clean, and drains like a champ.  The only thing I screwed up was not being exact when I drew up the cockpit dimensions.  So the fuel fill's a little off center. But hey, it's a boat, not a violin."

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Chiseling out the old Treadmaster nonskid was just way too much fun.

I had John make the grate in two pieces, so it's very easy to remove if the need arises.

Bonhomie is a Pearson Vanguard 32' sloop, built in 1964 when I was 19 years old. I've owned and lived aboard her since 1999, which is the longest I've ever owned any one boat.

It's true we're both getting up in years, but we still do a bit of cruising -- including a solo trip from Marathon to Mexico and return a few years back via the Dry Tortugas.

Bonhomie weathered the offshore legs of that voyage a whole lot better than I did. And she's a lot better looking, too.

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A quiet summer dawn in Marathon's Boot Key Harbor.