Thread: Varnish
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Old 09-06-2012, 10:54 AM   #4
Phil Fill
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City: Everett Wa
Vessel Name: Eagle
Vessel Model: Roughwater 58 pilot house
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,919
sorry I posted this before realizing I wnated to post under PNW boats....varnish, cetol.







The Eagle has more teak deck and trim than most boats and is out in the weather year around. The best is to cover/protect the bright work as much as possible, which the pilot house and stern canvas really help. However, that still leaves the front deck and the rest of the trim. The front teak deck is sealed with several coats of Daily Sea Fin which is very thin as is soaks into the teak the tiny calking and fasteners. In the winter a blue trap is over the top which keeps 90% of the winter weather off the teak deck.

Being the Eagle is sway/whale back and deck/roof crowned, the water run to the center of the boat, so there are areas that have a larger volume of rain water. The long teak rub rail the goes all the way around the boat is the biggest problem. The seams I have ground out/down and filled with West system Epoxy with mixture of #4 and #7 additive which is sort of tan in color, then a fiber glass cloth matt, and multi coats of varnish over. For the last two years the failure has be caused by the caulking failing which allows water/moisture under. I use 5200, but in areas it has failed.


I have tried most of the finishes, and have keep come back to varnish as it gives the best clear/gloss finish. I really like the Interlux one part polyurethane, but they stop making it. So for the last two years I been using Pettit 2015 Flagship Varnish with very good results. This last winter there were 3 places it failed which was on the rub rail which was not to much of a surprise.

75% of the exposed bright work has lasted for many years as they have 6+ coats and a new re coat every year. I let dry until the next day, and lightly sand between each coat, as the applying multi coats does not seem to hold up. So the teak decks and trim are a yearly maintenance item, since we live on the boat, I find it easy and relaxing.

Oh, I forgot on the back deck since it protected I use a gym floor vanish that dries hard
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