Oil or Varnish I just cant decide

[AlistairM]

Ok so it is only 12ft

But its clinker built and peeling a little (well enough to go back to wood and start again)

So what do people think, apply copius amounts of varnish or Oil. If oil whats the best stuff to use.

I was thinking about mixing epoxy resin with some wood dust to put in the "seams", is this a reasonable idea or will it cause problems when it comes to taking up?

Thanks

 

[Kilter]

what sort of wood is it?

 

[AlistairM]

Hmm I'm still a little undecided (first wooden adventure not really up to speed yet)

IMG]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/Am_Musgrove/BareWoodCloseUP.jpg[/IMG]

 

[LittleShip]

I was thinking about mixing epoxy resin with some wood dust to put in the "seams", is this a reasonable idea or will it cause problems when it comes to taking up?

There are many on here much better qualified than me to say this but in my opinion this is not a good idea.

As for oil ect, if you are stripping back to wood then the hard work is done, that only leaves the pleasant job of putting a good few coats of varnish on, at least 5 /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Pretty little boat you have there?

Tom

 

[TamarMike]

The plywood fore-deck will certainly need to be vanished to protect it. I see that the outside below the waterline is painted or antifouled anyway, as for the topsides and inside while oil is easier to maintain if subject to knocks and scrapes it would probably be difficult to keep clean inside and wouldweather to a practical but inelegant greyish hue on the topsides outside. Oil would however be very practical for spars, mast and oars. (btw I have always been a great advocate of oils, mixed with preservatives where necessary as a good way of preserving wood but it does have its limitations if apppearance matters to you). Only my opinion, there are no rules with wooden boats.

 

[Lakesailor]

Epoxy NO!
The wood needs to move and expand to seal the seams and epoxy will possibly (OK, it will) prevent that happening. If the wood insists on moving it will just split the edges of the board away from the epoxy and you'll end up in a right mess.
Epoxy is good for ply boats, but clinker really should stay away from it.

Stripping the inside of a clinker boat is a nightmare, I've just done some of mine, and like you was undecided about the treatment. I settled for Epiphanes Clear Coat which is a low maintenance, easy-to-apply one pack coating.

Oil is an easy option as if you don't like it you can use it as a primer and coat over it (Danish Oil, anyway)

 

[AlistairM]

Thanks one and all, varnish it is then, and just eu naturall swelling to lock up the seams.

Thaks for the input and advice at elast now I can make my mind up

 

[Seagreen]

In reverse order, I'd stop the seams with ordinary glazing putty mixed with a bit of grease and some red or white lead powder. Actually, if its just a dinghy, you can forget the lead. Just enough grease to make the putty sticky and presto!

I use International original on my vertical surfaces and Varnol varnishing oil on areas that get a lot of chafe.

Dinghy'll get a lot of knocks so you don't want anything that sets hard, and can be easily touched up.

So, once the hull has taken up enough, dry it out for a day then if you stripped the inside, oil it. I remember the old RNSA sailing boats had the interior bottoms painted white and the sides varnished. This is easier to keep looking good and saves on maintenance.