Stripping varnish

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Around four years ago I tried Spinnaker Wood Life on the capping of the toe rails, hand grabs on the coach roof and the various wooden items around the cockpit (The wood is Iroko).

I now need to remove the stuff back to bare wood because, unlike the blurb on the tin, the Wood Life has started to peel off in places; not the usual flakes, more like filmy onion skin in appearance and consistency.

Problem is that I don't quite fancy going all round the boat wielding a palm sander, especially at the top of a ladder, to remove it mechanically. I therefore thought about using a chemical remover like I used to use every year when I was racing dinghies in my late teens. Even bigger problem: the Nitromors that I used to swear by is no more and has been replaced by a new formula (EU h&s rules, perhaps?) that is consistently described on the internet by disappointed users as being "even worse than useless"!

Can anyone please suggest an effective remover that is widely available (as in 'worldwide') and not restricted to just to the UK? (As many of you know I live in Malta).

Looking forward to your recommendations I thank you for your assistance.

p.s. The new coating will be several coats of 'traditional' varnish.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Around four years ago I tried Spinnaker Wood Life on the capping of the toe rails, hand grabs on the coach roof and the various wooden items around the cockpit (The wood is Iroko).

I now need to remove the stuff back to bare wood because, unlike the blurb on the tin, the Wood Life has started to peel off in places; not the usual flakes, more like filmy onion skin in appearance and consistency.

That sounds exactly like what happened to the International Woodskin which I applied (never again) to my teak capping rail and hand rails. It looked good the year it went on (2014) but was disgusting by the following spring.

I removed it all a month ago, and modern wussy Nitromors worked fine. Where it was still adhering well in took about ten or fifteen minutes to soften fully but where it gone onion skin like it was bubbling up in seconds..

It's all gone now and I have treated the wood with Teak Wonder cleaner/brightener/sealer in search of that faded grey-brown look. Initial results are promising, but then so were the initial results from Woodskin.

 

[chinita]

Oh dear. Where is Mr International Woodskin (aka Tranona) when you need him?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Oh dear. Where is Mr International Woodskin (aka Tranona) when you need him?

Scraping the damn stuff off while swearing in a low and relentless monotone?

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

Best answer to your question ... do what I did ... pay someone to do it for you!
There you are, problem solved!

 

[chinita]

Scraping the damn stuff off while swearing in a low and relentless monotone?

.....or stumbling around a dark room ' woodskin......mutter mutter, RYA........mutter mutter, RCD.........mutter mutter, VARNISH!!!! spawn of the devil.........mutter mutter, woodskin.......woodskin, VAT........mutter mutter.......'

 

[Tranona]

.....or stumbling around a dark room ' woodskin......mutter mutter, RYA........mutter mutter, RCD.........mutter mutter, VARNISH!!!! spawn of the devil.........mutter mutter, woodskin.......woodskin, VAT........mutter mutter.......'

No, I am here. Woodskin still just as it was when I applied it!, although only been on 2 years. Will report back in 5 years time (hopefully).

Agree though that the latest strippers, either Ronseal or Nitromors will remove it OK if you don't like it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

No, I am here. Woodskin still just as it was when I applied it!, although only been on 2 years. Will report back in 5 years time (hopefully).

As a matter of interest, is yours on teak? I heard great things about it and I was very surprised about how badly mine went off after only a year. Where it stuck it was fine, but that was only over about 1/3 of the total area.

 

[Tranona]

No. The 2 year application is on 50 year old finest quality Douglas Fir boom - mast just about to have the same treatment. Have never coated teak until last year when I did some new trim around my newly laid teak deck. Did the mahogany and iroko trim on the rest of the boat at the same time. This was previously coated in Sikkens which was very durable but muddy coloured. Too early to say whether it will stand up long term, but so far looks OK.

 

[JumbleDuck]

No. The 2 year application is on 50 year old finest quality Douglas Fir boom - mast just about to have the same treatment. Have never coated teak until last year when I did some new trim around my newly laid teak deck. Did the mahogany and iroko trim on the rest of the boat at the same time. This was previously coated in Sikkens which was very durable but muddy coloured. Too early to say whether it will stand up long term, but so far looks OK.

Thanks. I'll be interested to hear how you get on. The oil in teak always seems to give problems: my boat was used as a test boat for various teak finished by A Sailing Magazine and when I got her, five year later, every one had fallen off. "How do you remove varnish from teak?" is frequently asked and I always reply "Wait."

I went through the Crinan Canal with a Nauticat last year. Her teak was stunning so assumed she was almost new. Not so. Seventeen years old, and Teak Wonder since new, so that's what I'm trying.

 

[pyrojames]

The start of your problem is the "about four years ago I..." If you want nice varnish, give it 2-3 coats every year!