Sicken's

[irwinsailor]

I used Sicken's (citol) with the Gloss finish coat. Is the gloss coat worth the work?

[Pblais]

Cetol Gloss over Cetol Marine is what I use. The Gloss adds a nice finished look. You could even use it over the Light base as well but you don't use the Gloss alone. Some peopl use only the dark with nothing else.

You want at least 3 coats of Cetol and a new coat each year until it builds up or degenerates to needing to be totally cleaned off, sanded and start over. # coats is 3 coats and I don't see the Gloss as harder to work with. heck, with Cetol you don't have sand between coats<g>.

Some people hate the look of Cetol and others love it. On my boat I like it.

[irwinsailor]

Have you ever had any blisters? I am scraping the area and applying more to the damaged area. Later I will sand the areas to fair them out for additional coats. As I understand I should refresh with gloss once a year however I need to repair damage areas. So can I reapply regular over gloss then apply gloss again?

[Pblais]

Nothing you put on wood lasts. Cetol takes a good amount of abuse but you just sand it where needed and continue along. If you do a good job of renwing it each year it does go pretty good. I have spots where problems come from build up of water that tends to collect. It naturally takes more abuse where the water dries quickly.

This season I got delayed because of Isabell last fall and so didn't get done in Novenmber what I now am doing in May. Ihave extra work becuase I waited this long.

I think some products will last longewr than Cetol but Cetol is easy to work with. If you have perfect wood and you want it looking perfect all the time, then you use other varnishes then cover theb boat with canvas all the time and never sail. UV and salt water are hell and I think something like Ceyol that is easy to work with has an advantage even if it only means you'll be better able to keep up. This is a game you can not win in wood.

Last August I pulled 4 hatch covers that have a teak frame with Lexan bedded on top. I sanded them down to bare wood. Did two coats of Cetol Marine and 1 coat of Gloss. They still look great. My boat is 15 years old and the teak really never was the best looking. I use the dark because it evens it all out. Light is nicer for the different color and is about as potective as Marine.

This fall I'll light same them with a nylon scrub pad and add a new layer of Gloss. I have some neglected spots right now I just sanded and the bad spots and I'll do two coats of marine, then use the nylon on everything and add a gloss coat over the whole works.

You can apply it with a foam brush and yes it is not as nice as a good brush it is easier to clean up and easy is as it implies<g>.

Do something you can keep up with. It's about doing it regualrly not just one time.

[irwinsailor]

I know that whatever you use you will need refresher coats. I guess what I was asking but did not say was is the gloss worth while? I friend of mine told me of a article in practal sailor that said the the gloss coat was the first thing to break down and that it is not worth putting on. Does anyone agree?

[Pblais]

I can't see any evidence that it's true.

Left neglected on my dinghy for far too long. It appears like both layers are peeling together. This is a case left far far too long. Today I get started. Good news it's just an 8ft Montgomery Dinghy and won't take very long. Just a rub rail, transom and seats.

I like the gloss look myself. Given you pay the same for both types it seems like you can go with or without the gloss based on visual appeal. For really nice wood the light seems a better choice than the traditional Marine. With good preparation you can get a glass like finish.

[AnchorageGuy]

IS, We stripped all our varnish years ago and went to Cetal. Try-ed the gloss and finally gave it up and now use strictly the light. The gloss does break down like varnish but the initial coat does not. We do a maintenance coat once a year. We do some serious cruising and it hold up well.

[irwinsailor]

Ok, folks what do I do now!? you are right down the middle just like the country is. Here is what I'm doing this year. two of three refresher coats after building up any bare spots. Then two coats of gloss because I have a couple of quarts. If I don't like the way it holds up I will stop using the gloss forever. hat do you think of my plan?

[delmarrey]

Well, I always use to shoot with my worse marbels first until I found out the skill of the opponent.

Sometimes you just have to do it and find out the results for yourself.
..............................._/)

[Alan Wheeler]

So is Varnish not the best thing to use?? I have just started painting a few surfaces and have a lot more to go. Should I be using a different product? Or is it a question of finish that has lent you towards the Cetol.
Wheels

[irwinsailor]

I think cetol makes your brightwork look kept up without as much work as varnish. Varnish on the otherhand makes your brightwork look great. I am not planing to varnish my brightwork again.

[Wahoo Sails]

When I got my boat, the teak hadn't been maintained in at least 6 years ... the dock looked better. After much work, I retored the wood to a good surface, and after all of that work, I decided I didn't want to do all of that again, any time soon, so I applied 8 coats of Bristol finish. It looked absolutely fantastic. 10 months later, the Bristol finish was failing. Once our rainy season ends, I will scrape & sand away whats left of the bristol finish, and get the wood into shape again. This time I intend to try multiple coats of Clear Coat's UV stabilized 1:1 epoxy. I doubt it will be anywhere near as pretty ... but damn it ... this should last quite a while!

L S/V Eva Luna
Bob