Originally I was going to use paint, primarily for the durability, and also what I figured would be less sanding. However, after the exterior was painted I was acutely made aware that paint highlights every single defect. Varnish doesn't as much as paint. To make the paint look good, I would have to sand in strange and tight areas for long periods of time. This is not something that interests me. The lazy way out is to varnish so all the irregularities disappear into the grain. Then, all I have to do is lightly sand the varnish a few times to provide tooth for the next coat. I figure, 3 at a minimum for UV protection. This means my white epoxy fillets which were going to be painted are now going to take on a yellowy color. I'm ok with this.
Not to mention that pretty much everybody who saw the boat pleaded with me to keep it wood. As the Aubuchon guy said, "Not enough wood boats in the world, you might as well show it off." My wife's excitement at keeping it bright sealed the deal.
And BOY if it doesn't look good!
The varnish I use is Interlux Schooner Gold 96. It goes on easy, I don't thin it, and it tips off really nice with a foam brush. In the interior I used a West System foam roller, it's very thin and doesn't absorb lots of liquid. I found this at Goose Bay Lumber. The varnish went onto my sanded interior very easily. It took a little over an hour to varnish the entire boat. I then hit it with a little brush to make sure all the nooks and crannies got varnish too, primarily to protect the fillets and glue joints from UV exposure. It's only the first coat so there are a few small holiday and some areas with more varnish than others but all in all, it looks great. The best part is that you can only see the defects if you stare right into the glare, otherwise, it looks like a smooth surface! Yes laziness!
Much time was also spent on a myriad of other small tasks that must get done for this boat to be ready.
I have rudder gudgeons coming from Australia, my hitch will be installed next week, and hopefully before you know it, I'll be sailing! It can't come soon enough.
It's looking terrific! What's your best guess of a launch date now?
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