Dumb Question About Wood Sealer

[unbusted67]

Is there a product out there, like Thompson's Water Seal, that can seal up wood while keeping it bare? The I believe the wood I am thinking of sealing up is mahogany.

If deck sealant is good enough to keep rain out of the exposed on our patios why don't we use it on our boats?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

Is there a product out there, like Thompson's Water Seal, that can seal up wood while keeping it bare? The I believe the wood I am thinking of sealing up is mahogany.

If deck sealant is good enough to keep rain out of the exposed on our patios why don't we use it on our boats?

Some of us already have.......

[unbusted67]

Already have...? Used Thompson Water Seal on your boat? How did that work out for you?

[Ocean Girl]

Semco, comes in 2 colors or clear. Though I really don't trust keeping anything but teak bare.
Erika

[unbusted67]

Would you call coating something with Semco or Thompson's "keeping it bare"?

[Ocean Girl]

ALERT** my snobby varnish lady self will give her 2 cents.

Sorry but yes a sealer is not good enough, it will not stand up and can allow rot. Now I am a purist and a bit narrow in my view about woods. Is this your bowsprit? If I had a mahogany bowsprit I'd Smith epoxy and varnish it, or smith epoxy and paint it white...sorry! IMHO teak is the only wood dense enough to stand up to rot, so for teak any finish or bare will work. Mahogany needs varnish, or epoxy, or paint. If ya choose to paint, be sure to varnish or epoxy before painting.
Erika

PS And for God's sake don't let anyone talk you into cetol on mahogany

......... Ok the snobby varnish lady will go back to the recesses of my brain now.

[s/v 'Faith']

Ocean Girl,

It is ok to be 'snobby varnish girl' when you are right. You are absolutely right.

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

ALERT** my snobby varnish lady self will give her 2 cents.

Sorry but yes a sealer is not good enough, it will not stand up and can allow rot. Now I am a purist and a bit narrow in my view about woods. Is this your bowsprit? If I had a mahogany bowsprit I'd Smith epoxy and varnish it, or smith epoxy and paint it white...sorry! IMHO teak is the only wood dense enough to stand up to rot, so for teak any finish or bare will work. Mahogany needs varnish, or epoxy, or paint. If ya choose to paint, be sure to varnish or epoxy before painting.
Erika

PS And for God's sake don't let anyone talk you into cetol on mahogany

......... Ok the snobby varnish lady will go back to the recesses of my brain now.

[unbusted67]

No, no cetol on my bowsprit, that got 3 coats of epoxy and 3 of Schooner, it looks pretty sweet too. No I was thinking of adding a few things here and there on the boat, maybe I will just buy some of that starboard stuff instead.

[Ocean Girl]

oh, ok. I feel better, I had visions of a shady looking character, twirling a black mustache, going psst psst hey kid, I got this magical wood coating called cetal..:-)

Hey, when do we get to see a pic of that bowsprit?

[unbusted67]

As soon as I spend even more money on a new digital camera. My last one didn't make it back from Baja. I have to say though that that bowsprit is about the nicest thing I've ever done. I had a thread while back called "I suck at wood work" and now I would like to revoke that statement. I just hope it goes back on. It is sitting in the closet of my teeny apartment along with sails, rigging, gas cans and a 10 hp yamaha. I will definitely post pics when I get a new camera though.