Brightwork/varnishing for sailboat

nvmbr9 · 07-13-2010, 09:04 PM

I have a new (to me) 23' sailboat. It's fiberglass but there is quite a bit of brightwork. I have a shop on the Cape that specializes in maintaining these boats and does first rate work, but I'd like to go local. That said, there is a wide range in talent in varnishing wood, and I want and am willing to pay for first rate work. Boat will probably need a couple coats every year, and then something more thorough from time to time. Any suggestions based on experience?

BroadHopper · 07-13-2010, 09:13 PM

It's fun! And you will have more pride in your boat.

If you want to just add a couple of coat a year. Sand down the old coat and put a fresh coat over it. It is that easy!

Use 180 grit sandpaper to rough up the old varnish. Wipe with a tack cloth and apply a coat of spar varnish. Use spar varnish only. Regular varnish cloud up under the sun's UV rays. Regular varnish tends to peel under wet conditions.

Ask for Rick at the Gilford Lowes paint department. He has the expertise.

Seeker · 07-13-2010, 10:12 PM

I've had lot's of boats with brightwork and/or teak and always took care of it myself (or wife did). Well now I wouldn't buy a boat with ANY natural finish wood on it. Not because I don't like it but I'm too darn old to spend all my (or wife's) time taking care of it.
Hire someone or paint it white. JMHO as a boat owner for 56 years.

MAXUM · 07-15-2010, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvmbr9

I have a new (to me) 23' sailboat. It's fiberglass but there is quite a bit of brightwork. I have a shop on the Cape that specializes in maintaining these boats and does first rate work, but I'd like to go local. That said, there is a wide range in talent in varnishing wood, and I want and am willing to pay for first rate work. Boat will probably need a couple coats every year, and then something more thorough from time to time. Any suggestions based on experience?

About 5 years ago I did a full restoration of a 1970 O'Day daysailer, originally owned by my uncle, now owned by me. Everything needed to be done, I'll digress on the hull restoration and focus on the wood work. The boat has a lot of beautiful mahogany in the interior, floorboards, combing etc.. all of it was in really bad shape no finish, weathered and grey. I took the entire winter to refinish all the wood, at my leisure of course. Like any wood work it's all about surface prep and what you use to finish it. Unfortunately nothing is ever going to stand up to the weather and sun forever but if you use good quality materials it'll last several years. I opted to use minwax oil based wood stain and minwax wood floor polyurethane for the finish and I probably laid down about 10 coats of poly. Good decision? Well that was 5 years ago and the wood work still looks great. It of course is starting to show some wear from use but I'm pretty happy with the results. I figure in the next 3 or so years I will sand down and re-poly all the wood but I don't think it'll ever need to be completely stripped if I stay on top of it. It's not difficult to do it yourself.

JPC · 07-15-2010, 01:07 PM

Talk to Wayne Barton at Fay's Boat Yard in Gilford. He has done some excellent work in the last couple years. He completely restored a Cape Dory and had it on display at the boat show this past winter (Hampshire Hill Milford NH).

07-13-2010, 09:04 PM	#1
nvmbr9 Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 22 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Brightwork/varnishing for sailboat I have a new (to me) 23' sailboat. It's fiberglass but there is quite a bit of brightwork. I have a shop on the Cape that specializes in maintaining these boats and does first rate work, but I'd like to go local. That said, there is a wide range in talent in varnishing wood, and I want and am willing to pay for first rate work. Boat will probably need a couple coats every year, and then something more thorough from time to time. Any suggestions based on experience?

07-13-2010, 09:13 PM	#2
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,509 Thanks: 3,116 Thanked 1,089 Times in 783 Posts	Diy It's fun! And you will have more pride in your boat. If you want to just add a couple of coat a year. Sand down the old coat and put a fresh coat over it. It is that easy! Use 180 grit sandpaper to rough up the old varnish. Wipe with a tack cloth and apply a coat of spar varnish. Use spar varnish only. Regular varnish cloud up under the sun's UV rays. Regular varnish tends to peel under wet conditions. Ask for Rick at the Gilford Lowes paint department. He has the expertise. __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

07-15-2010, 01:07 PM	#5
JPC Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Milford, NH Posts: 159 Thanks: 42 Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts	restoration Talk to Wayne Barton at Fay's Boat Yard in Gilford. He has done some excellent work in the last couple years. He completely restored a Cape Dory and had it on display at the boat show this past winter (Hampshire Hill Milford NH).

07-13-2010, 10:12 PM	#3
Seeker Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Effingham Posts: 408 Thanks: 37 Thanked 19 Times in 15 Posts	I've had lot's of boats with brightwork and/or teak and always took care of it myself (or wife did). Well now I wouldn't buy a boat with ANY natural finish wood on it. Not because I don't like it but I'm too darn old to spend all my (or wife's) time taking care of it. Hire someone or paint it white. JMHO as a boat owner for 56 years.