Good stuff, but the previous owner has used dark brown on my spray dodgers. My inclination is to prime/ overpaint in white- anyone like to advise on this?
yes it does last (one of the previous owners used it on my mast - a few years old and still fine) but looks like a coat of brown paint.
As already stated - strip and varnish for best finish - but remember the finish is not in the coating applied - its in the preparation and any attempt to just put on a coat over the top will disappoint from anything more then about 40' !
That is because people apply it like paint !! They give far too many coats, they create a film of cr*p.
Used properly stains and wood finishes can look good and last well. I stopped using varnish except on cosmetic stuff a long time ago and I certainly do not have anything that resembles a coat of brown paint !