Wood Mast Varnish/Oil

[Dominic]

What is the best stuff for wooden masts (Douglas Fir).

I want to use something like varnish but without having to sand off and re-apply several coats every year.

Any good longer terms oils or something ?
Is there a long lasting mast varnish ?



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[ccscott49]

I used "Coelans" on my douglas fir masts, three years ago, They still look beautiful and I expect it to last at least another five years, it looks like it will. At least 6 coats and plenty of primer, at least three coats. I always paint the top of my spreaders white, even with the coelans on them.
Check out www.coelans.de it is excellent stuff, now been reformulated and even better, it`s going on my bulwarks, toerails and covering boards as we speak! I used varnish before then, but used to put 12 coats on and it still even with two coats a year, lasted four years. I cannot reccomend coelans highly enough. It also looks fabulous! With a shine you could fall in and drown!

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[Keen_Ed]

Hope you don't mind if I point out that the website is actually.
http://www.coelan.de/

This month's Classic Boat has an introductory article about a long-term test of brightwork finishes that they're undertaking. Will be interesting to see the results.


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[nrorke]

I stripped my mast back to wood last in about 1990, when I first had the boat. At that point it had been neglected outside and any varnish left was peeling. After getting it back to bare wood I gave it a good coat of boiled linseed oil, left it to dry for a couple of weeks before varnishing it. I was advised that this might create problems by making it difficult for the varnish to adhere properly, but have not found this to be the case. Now, after 13 years service, on a mooring for six months each year, it still needs only a light rub-down and a quick lick of varnish to get it looking as good as new each spring.
PS. I'm not an advocate of lots of coats of varnish as you always see advised in articles on such things. It is true that you can get it looking wonderfully toffee-like, but any impact damage that is going to let the weather in and cause discolouration and later wood-rot, is much harder to deal with if you have eight or nine coats to rub down before getting back to the wood, which you must do. Usually four coats will provide all the protection you need. Much better to give fewer coats, and lightly refresh annually.
All the best.

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[Gin]

Google tells me that," www.coelans.de" = Unable to display page. I have also tried www.coelans.dk but same.

So can you confirm the website please