[Rhodes22-list] Varnishing Virgin and tiller covers

[JAY FRIEDLAND]

I should have added that the tiller gets 2 touch-up
coats of varnish at the beginning of the year, that;s
it. The can of varnish could last forever at this
rate, but starts to harden after 4-5 years of sitting.
Overall, wood "maintenance" couldn't be easier. J

--- JAY FRIEDLAND <jsail1 at verizon.net> wrote:

> Folks, I'll throw in my 2 cents to affirm what's
> been
> said, plus a few extras. I have more than even the
> standard older boats, adding teak toerails, ladder
> steps, pop-top slider rails, etc. I've used Armada
> for
> 4 years, after Cetol for 3 years. If I had to start
> now Honey Teak is the current rage here for long
> term
> holding power on teak. In all cases here, early
> season
> work is light sanding and 3 days of an hour and a
> half
> per day application. I lose NO sailing time.
> 
> On the tiller mine is 10 years old, replacing my
> original factory issue that split along the
> laminates
> at the rudder head. Based on my situation, the new
> one
> was reinforced with oak dowels  set in epoxy
> throught
> the layers from the bottom just shy of the top layer
> so it never shows. The tiller was covered with 2
> thin
> coats of West System epoxy to permanently seal it,
> and
> then 10 coats of an old standard, Z-Spar's Captain's
> Varnish, cheaper, easier, and more effective than
> most. Compared to most northern boats, my boat has
> an
> extended season, typically 10 months and hot, baking
> shore sun. All the wood looks new and is most often
> the main highlight of an otherwise classic sailboat.
> 
> I'd be happy to supply more details if needed, but
> the
> aversion most people have to wood on boats and
> maintenance is purely unfounded. In fact, many
> people
> find working with wood therapeutic, so as Bill says,
> enjoy it.
> Jay
> 
> --- Mary Lou Troy <mltroy at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> > Mark,
> > Bill's advice on varnishing is excellent but if
> you
> > don't want to do it 
> > every year the tiller cover recommended by others
> > really does work well. It 
> > even protects the varnish from the line or bungee
> > cord if you lash your 
> > tiller when you leave the boat. We use a bungee to
> > lash ours to the 
> > traveller. We have a bit more wood on the boat
> than
> > some people - trim on 
> > the edges of the cockpit seats, the companionway
> > slides for the hatch board 
> > and a piece of mahogany that serves as the
> kickplate
> > holding the line for 
> > the centerboard pennant. We use the West Marine
> > version of Cetol/Armada on 
> > the trim but use varnish on the tiller and the
> > mahogany.
> > 
> > Mary Lou
> > 1991 R22 Fretless
> > Ft. Washington, PA / Swan Creek, MD
> > 
> > 
> > At 05:49 PM 1/19/2006 -0500, you wrote:
> > >Mark,
> > >
> > >I've posted this so often I'm bored with it.  If
> > you look, the dates go 
> > >back a few years.  But, of course, it keeps
> coming
> > up.  I still hold these 
> > >views, enjoy the varnishing, look forward to
> doing
> > it each year, find it 
> > >protects the tiller very well in my climate, and
> > remain proud of my 
> > >ability to produce this product.  I don't stain,
> > and I don't use "Cetol" 
> > >or like products that have superior UV protection
> > but impart a yellow cast.
> > >
> > >All varnish seems to work.  More expensive
> varnish
> > is easier to apply.
> > >Lots of very thin coats seems to work best.  A
> can
> > of varnish could last 
> > >me a lifetime.
> > >
> > >Bill Effros
> > >
> > >Old post follows -- Subject changed to original
> > subject line.
> > >
> > >This topic seems to always come up at this time
> of
> > year for understandable
> > >reasons.
> > >
> > >Never having varnished anything in my life, I
> filed
> > everything in "Does Not
> > >Apply To Me" (read "Delete") the first year I was
> > on the list.
> > >
> > >Last year Rummy brought it up again, and after a
> > dozen replies went to West
> > >Marine and bought whatever the pretty sales girl
> > told him to buy.  I thought
> > >it was just another example of that song "When
> The
> > Little Head Does The
> > >Thinking", but Rummy reported he was very happy
> > with the outcome.
> > >
> > >The only exterior wooden brightwork on my boat is
> > the tiller which, by that
> > >time, was so ratty-looking I had ordered another
> > from Stan.  Figuring I had
> > >nothing to lose, I decided to follow the advice
> on
> > the list, and attempt to
> > >strip down and varnish my tiller.  I was
> astonished
> > at the results.
> > >
> > >If Raz's work rates a 10, and Rummy's is a 9,
> then
> > mine would be a 7.  When
> > >the tiller arrived from General Boats its varnish
> > rated a 2.
> > >
> > >I loved my tiller every time I looked at it or
> > touched it.  It was simply
> > >magnificent in my humble opinion.  The project
> was
> > perhaps the most
> > >satisfying thing I did all year.  It still looks
> > and feels great.  I can't
> > >wait to put on a fresh coat of varnish as soon as
> > it gets a little warmer.
> > >I'm looking for other things to varnish around my
> > house.
> > >
> > >The single most useful posting came from Raz.  I
> > followed his directions,
> > >and wound up feeling enormously relaxed.
> Following
> > is his post from last
> > >year:
> > >
> > >"I highly recommend thinning oil based varnish
> with
> > marine Penetrol, which
> > >is
> > >a polymerized boiled linseed oil. The mix that
> > works well for me is about a
> > >tablespoon of Penetrol to 1/4 cup of varnish.
> > That's about the right amount
> > >to do a real good coat on a tiller and it brushes
> > out like a dream. Unlike
> > >solvent thinners this will not degrade the
> varnish
> > coat. Pettit recommends
> > >thinning their varnishes no more than 10% with
> > solvent and that only for the
> > >first bonding coat on bare wood. I use straight
> > Penetrol for the first coat.
> > >The instructions on the Penetrol can outline the
> > whole process. I have never
> > >had a varnish finish lift from moisture
> penetration
> > using their process. The
> > >trick to a good varnish coat is to use a premium
> > chinese boar bristle brush
> > >well loaded with varnish and thoroughly brush out
> > each coat. Any slight
> > >brush marks will level out and disappear as the
> > varnish cures. It takes at
> > >least 3 coats of undiluted varnish to build a
> thick
> > enough finish to last
> > >through a couple of years of marine exposure.  
> If 
> > I am starting with bare
> > >wood I do at least 6 coats, allowing each coat to
> > completely dry for at
> > >least  24 hours, sometimes several days if the
> air
> > is humid.The penetrol
> 
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