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Guest
Guest
Does anyone have any advice as to the best value varnishes, particularly high UV protection ones for use in the Med, and where to source them?
ccscott49
Active member
No oil based varnish will resist the meddy for long! Epifanes, one of the best. Shcooner also good. Two packs last a little better, but are swines to remove. Oil is OK, but turns black. Thre are a few oil based Swedish things which do work but as I said no barnish lasts, you can keep up with it in the med, but need to be constantly repairing and recoating. The best stuff I have found, is Coelans, a german product, which has a primer, and basically what is clear brushable sikaflex, ie, polyurethane, which cures with moisture in the air. It is UV resistant, up to eight to ten years in the med! I have it on my boat, its been fine for two years so far and looks like newly applied, in the med and Portugal. I have seen other boats in the med and UK with five years on it and it still looks fabulous. Its vewry expensive, but when taken into consideration how long it lasts, it pays for itself in materials alone, not considering the labour, taking labour in aswell its very cheap! I swear by the stuff! My masts are coming off now, for recoating with coelans, they had varnish on before, which lasted five years, twelve coats! I don't expect to have to do my masts again for ten years! I'm in Laghos marina in Portugal, anybody wants to see this stuff, go and have a look at "Englander". I have been a wooden boat owner for 30 years, so I have tried all the different types of varnish!
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Guest
Guest
Have to agree that Coelan is the most bullet proof stuff I found. It's also great at sealing leaks. If I have any complaint it is that it looks a bit plasticy, but I can live with that to have a dry boat.
Mirelle
N/A
I coated my laid teak decks (hah!) with Coelan six years ago and they have not leaked since. But I painted over the top with Blakes deck paint to ensure no UV got near the stuff, to guarantee a nonslip surface (wet Coelan = skating rink!) and for the sake of appearance. I did the beadings with Coelan but, whilst these have lasted perfectly, I am dissatisfied with the appearance, which is indeed "plasticy" - a bit cloudy and with brush makes remaining - and have stuck with Epifanes varnish for covering boards, bulwark rail, coamings, hatches and spars.
ccscott49
Active member
If you apply the coelans, basically as it says on the tin, you will not get brush marks, you will get a whiteness when wet, due to its breathability, but it goes when it dries, you can get an additive, which is basically dry beads of the topcoat which makes it anti slip, but I've found it ok without, but I didn't paint my decks, laid teak on ply, no leaks in 30 years. My masts are now done and look magnificent!
G
Guest
Guest
I'll swear by Ronseal 5 year woodstain for a long time. It's covered all sorts of stains in the wood in my boat, and does exactly what it says on the tin! It's cheap as chips, lets the wood breathe, and is really easy to apply.
