Finish on a restoration - YOU DECIDE !

[Doghouse]

Now I've attracted your attention, please post your comments to help me get this 3 year restoration finished & get her on the water. "SHE" is a 14ft clinker rowing boat, built by Con Hickey in Galway in 1957. used by an uncle for years in the sea, but has been out of water now for perhalps 6 years. Stem, sternpost & ribs of oak, larch planking, transome & knees of elm. All sound and i'm confident she'll take up again when back in the water.
She has always been varnished inside & out, apart from below waterline & below her boards inside. - I've spent a lot of time removing the old varnish (inside & out ) with Nitromorse and good Sandvic scrappers. She has had 4 coats of clear Cuprinol with c.5% pure linseed oil added, and these have had some weeks to dry out between coats.
She will be used on an occassional basis in mostly sea water, and can be kept damp in between use. -- now the crunch !
Varnish, Oil or What ??
Considering using - varnish (Epifanes 6-8 coats), Endeavour oil, Skippers Line, Deks Olje (want to keep her a light colour ?), Coelan, or that French finish begining with "T" that I cant find name of as I type.
Pros & Cons , comments, suggestions all welcome. Thanks.


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[amadeus]

Much admiration that after 3 years your are still working on the boat. I have to admit that I rescued a boat from th mud in our local river, brought her home for restoration and realised I had bitten off more than I could chew. The boat now sits in the garden on a gravel beach planted with Canna lilies and bears breeches with alchemilla mollis providing the effect of sea spray around the bow. sad or what? keep up the good work.

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[Mirelle]

Varnish. Epifanes is OK. Le Tonkinois (the French stuff beginning with T) is also a varnish, some say even better than Epifanes.

At least 8 coats, rubbing down between each, first four coats thinned by a gradually reducing amount. 10 coats is better and 12 is really good.

Coelan is very clever stuff but you don't get as good a finish with it, IMHO (I am a big fan of it in the right place)

I would not consider any of the others.

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[Peterduck]

My main experience is with Deks Olje; as they say on the can, you have to put it [the No. 1] on until it won't take any more, and then a couple of coats of the No. 2 to finish off. There is, of course, no sanding between coats. The No. 1 used by itself does not last well, but the No. 2 is a very different animal. As with any finish, follow the directions! I find that it lasts much better in our Australian sun much better than varnish.
Peter.

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[aztec]

pound to a pinch of poo that you get more enjoyment out of your boat "now" than you would have spending every weekend up to your armpits in paint and varnish!!!

and yes..... my boat's wood!!! well one of them is.

welcome to the mad house... /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

steve.

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[Deep_6]

I have used Epiphanes, Deks Oilje and Le Tonkinois over the years and I would give Le Tonkinois the lead for a great finish, hard wearing and not blooming etc, Epifanes does have a great finish though.


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[Doghouse]

Thanks to those who took time to post advice. Looks like the hard graft continues with varnish & sanding down between. Will now delve into the bowels of the boat and get stuck in - again!
See you all next spring!!

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[ianwright]

Epifanes is my varnish of choice for very high gloss, Le Tonkinois is also good stuff with the added advantage of NO thinning for the first few coats, put it on neat straight from coat one and no need to sand, but for a clinker boat I'd go for Varnol.

IanW.

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[Doghouse]

Ian, thanks for post - could you enlighten me on VARNOL, and why for a clinker in particular ??

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[ianwright]

Varnol is a skanderwegen product made from real turps and pine tars, stuff like that. Smells good enough to eat and used thinned on bare wood soaks in well, heals and/or prevents minor checks and cracking, will not stop the planks taking up and you can get a matt oil finish or gloss from the same can. Good stuff, but it does need 'refesher' coats. You can use it as a base for traditional varnish, (Epifanes anyone?) and avoid the 75%-50%-25% ritual. I'm a fan.

IanW

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[pyrojames]

I finished mine with epoxy/urethane on the outside above water, and epoxy/white enamel below. Then about 5 litres of Deks Olje #1 inside, which soaked in massively, considering she is only 9 feet. Result? Pretty good. Now I just have to replace the centre board which I broke the third time she was sailed.

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