What varnish for the inside of a cold-moulded dinghy?

[Rosie1963]

Rosie's tender is a Fairley Duckling, and the original varnish used has come to the end of its life. The thing needs stripping and starting again. I am pondering on the varnish options available to me. This is a high traffic/high abrasion area and I am wondering whether a two-pack would be an advantage, or shall I stick to many coats of original?


Whilst I am at it, she is white under the waterline - what paint should I use to re-paint this?

 

[Kukri]

If you can get the inside clean, use clear epoxy followed by two pack polyurethane with a really good UV blocker. To judge by the Nutshell that I built in 1991, you should get twenty years out of this.

If she spends a fair amount of time afloat, white hard racing.

 

[burgundyben]

Your Duckling is hot moulded. Do not use a hot air gun to remove old coatings.

Fab dinghies, I love mine. The row perfectly.

Varnish as Kukri says.

Just in case repairs are needed, Fairey Marine released a drawing showing how, copies are available from Fairey Owners Club.

 

[Rosie1963]

Thanks for the excellent tips. Im finding the scrapping hard as there is no flat surface (slow progress on a very small dia blade) and it seems to me more of a shellac than a varnish.

 

[Kukri]

Thanks for the excellent tips. Im finding the scrapping hard as there is no flat surface (slow progress on a very small dia blade) and it seems to me more of a shellac than a varnish.

Ah… the stuff that “Galatea” was thickly coated in… I’m sure it is an ancient varnish formulation. I’m in a position to pass on the benefit of experience.

Don’t use a hot air gun - it will just form a sticky mass and stick more than ever.

Do wait for a cold winter day, use a sharp tungsten carbide scraper and it will come cleanly off in sheets.

 

[Poignard]

Ah… the stuff that “Galatea” was thickly coated in… I’m sure it is an ancient varnish formulation. I’m in a position to pass on the benefit of experience.

Don’t use a hot air gun - it will just form a sticky mass and stick more than ever.

Do wait for a cold winter day, use a sharp tungsten carbide scraper and it will come cleanly off in sheets.

View attachment 122330

Do you still have the Mondeo?

 

[Kukri]

Do you still have the Mondeo?

Yes. Why not? It’s only done 228,000 miles and it’s only eight years old. Far too early for a new one!

 

[Poignard]

[...] and it’s only eight years old.[...]

And the rest .....

 

[Kukri]

And the rest .....
View attachment 122338

ninth birthday coming up. ?

 

[Rosie1963]

Kukri - can I ask how long that stripping took? At least I don’t have the frames, but I’m already demotivated by my slow progress.

 

[Kukri]

Kukri - can I ask how long that stripping took? At least I don’t have the frames, but I’m already demotivated by my slow progress.

Outside - a week. Inside - you don’t want to know…

 

[Rosie1963]

I’m starting on the inside: I’ve been brought up to do the worst jobs first!