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Uncle Buck · 18-01-2012, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel heart

minaret / cburger:

Glad to know there's a couple people out there that know there's more to boat ownership than varnishing.

You can add me to that list - I go sailing instead. There's enough maintenance to do on a 44 year old working/liveaboard steel/wood boat as it is, and if I really want to look at traditional brightwork my cabin is full of it. On my dock the " prettiest " boats never leave it.

Two coats of ACE brand rust paint on the cabin trunk/coamings/hatches/handrails etc - $15 and half a day's work every second year.

Holds up from Mx to NorCal, and more importantly, my fine crew and passengers can wear their stilettos. Teak toe is left bare.

shon · 18-01-2012, 17:45

Try "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Fexner. The book deals with finishing furnature but a lot of the same tricks & techniques can be applied to boat finishing. Good Luck

donradcliffe · 10-02-2012, 11:14

We are just finishing up a redo of the brightwork on the YC comittee boat--a Grand Banks 32.

The wood transom (2'x10') had Bristol Finish on it for 8 years and it was starting to lift off in spots. It took 2 hours to strip it with a heat gun and scraper--no worse than regular varnish. This time we put on 5 coats of penetrating epoxy, followed by 5 coats of Bristol. It took 3 days--one for the epoxy, one for 4 coats of Bristol, and one for a light sanding and the topcoat. Time will tell.

bobconnie · 10-02-2012, 11:52

Ive tryed it All at one time or the other ! and still do custom varnishing for folks ! but on my last boat and the next one when we find it ! will be sealed and painted on the out side and high gloss inside!!! I love varnish, but don't want to spend the time anymore ! I would rather spend my time cruiseing and enjoying my wife and family and still look good when arriveing in port! With the paints avaible today one can expect 10 or more years of good looking paint with normal care. Varnish, no way Im ever going to be a slave to it ever again ! if you don't like paint Oil that varnish LOL just a OLD mans 2 cents LOL Bob and Connie

matauwhi · 10-02-2012, 17:11

G'day, mate. Ditto on the heat gun & scrapper. We enjoy a bit of varnished teak. As said earlier in the thread, the key is to get far more coats (than just 7) down after you take it down to bare wood. We find it is usually between 10 to 15. It doesn't have to be done all in one shot, but would avoid going a year. We did all the exterior bits a couple of years ago and with the usual maintenance coats expect 20 to 25 years before it will need stripped again.

We tend to avoid 2 part varnish. Single part is alot easier for us to apply and dings are much easier to fill and touch up. Cheers.

AuroraGH · 11-02-2012, 11:47

Heat gun and scraper works for most anything. What it doesn't work for you can do with a sander.

I've heard it all on synthetic varnishes. The bottom line is there is no free lunch. I recall the Bristol Finish and Honey Teak also involve an annual "light sand and gloss coat" every year or so.

You will spend a couple weeks a year tending to your boat's finish, no matter what it is made of. My neighbor has an all glass and SS Nordic Tug. He's still out there for a week a year with a buffing wheel and waxes shining it up.

I have a super crazy bright boat. Worse it is Honduran Mahogany so letting it go natural isn't an option. It will stain. I use Z-Spar Flag Ship varnish. It is what the original owner used and I'm still with it. Your varnish need never fail but you do need to sand and re-coat it regularly. 30 coats is what you want. Not 7, not 15, 30. When you get that, you can lightly sand and re-gloss coat it every year in the north (Puget Sound) or about every 8 months in San Diego where I am. It is not a lot of work. Generally I do two as long as the boat is taped and masked - first one is always half thinner. Second (and maybe third if it is horizontal surface) is thinned for conditions. I hand sand lightly with green 3M pads. I do not have "inevitable joint failure" problems often and if it does happen, a patch can be done by cutting the lifted areas, sanding, and feathering in another bunch of coats.

It isn't that hard.

cburger · 17-04-2012, 17:18

All right I am back on my Bristol Finish hating soapbox. Up at the boat last weekend to start refinishing the paint on the inside of my bulwarks and had my nose right on the cap rails. The Bristol appears as if it is getting worse by the month. Considering it took me over two months to complete the brightwork finishing and hundreds of dollars in cost for their crap product I am so angry. Nothing I hate worse than products that don't deliver as advertised. During a break I broke out the heat gun to see the result of this method of removal. The result is it takes a very long time to get the finish to start bubbling and as soon as the gun is moved and the scraper applied the finish is hard again and not scraping off, not like using this method to remove varnish or paint and with a high chance of scorching the wood. I am going to try some chemical strippers to see if these will lift the finish as I really need to keep the sanding to a minimum.

SailPenelope · 17-04-2012, 17:41

I'm lucky. Used Bristol Finish on my steering wheel and hated it. Really tried to do it right......wet on wet application and the trouble was it was so shiny (and I was indoors with less than ideal lighting) that I couldn't see drips and runs. But OK, there it is, live with it, and it's under cover most of the time. Yet, still, it is wearing off somehow (my hands on the wheel?) and so I'm just going to let it continue until I have time to sand (lightly....so many nooks and crannies.....traditional wheel......don't want to lose the detail).....and then back I go to my traditional Captains Varnish. Yes, I have to keep re-applying it, but I can work with it. Lesson learned.

SailPenelope · 17-04-2012, 17:44

Beautiful boat, AuroraGH. 30 coats! Well, I have a ways to go, then. Do you ever "stack" coats? As in more than one coat without sanding in between? 24 hours or less between? I think the theory is that it's not fully cured so the next coat bonds without sanding. Anyway, after seeing your boat, I can tell your opinion will be worthwhile.

DSDman · 18-06-2012, 18:45

Kind of reviving an old thread here. But my cap rail is about six inches wide and completely wore out. starting to see screw threads on buried screws. So the best option is the epoxy and paint route. Can I get specific products names to buy? I really have no idea where to start. the teak is weathered and there is no varnish on it. So I would like to seal and paint and caulk and never have to worry with it again.

rcmpegasus · 18-06-2012, 19:32

A couple ways to go, the longest lasting and best looking in my opinion is two part LP paint. Easier is single part LP, doesn't last as long but somewhat easier to work with. I have been using Interlux two part LP Perfection. You have to get wood very smooth, two or three coats of Interlux primer sanded smooth and then three coats of Perfection. Real nice looking and lasts 10 years if you keep it clean.

Their website is yacht paint.com, real good help and product info.

Stuff is not cheap, but really ones out nice with roller and rush.

rebel heart · 18-06-2012, 19:35

Another vote for Interlux Perfection 2 part and a vote for the prep work and smoothing necessary. If you can get the wood (or whatever) smooth enough and apply it reasonably well it's a great paint to work with. It's expensive but lasts for ever and is honestly pretty durable as well. It's got some flex too. Good stuff.

I still keep a can of one part Brightsides around. Easier to apply and more merciful if you do a "meh" job, and honestly doesn't look all that bad. But Perfection really does look beautiful.

**minaret** · 18-06-2012, 20:04

I always wood it out, then apply epoxy sealer and several coats of epoxy resin to fill the grain. Sand that out, then a couple of coats of 545 followed by Awlgrip. It really lasts, but you need to take care of it because if you ever have to strip it you will be sad...

rcmpegasus · 18-06-2012, 21:38

Having never tried to attach a photo here, I hope it works. This is my recent paint job of new decks and house. Perfection rolled and tipped by hand. Three coats of primer sanded smooth and three of Perfection. This stuff is like iron when it hardens, I thinck any of the two part LPs would be similar.