What next - daggerboard ready for finishing

[mfdgs]

I have just finished the construction and shaping of a daggerboard and am unsure of the next step to finish it. This is the first exposed wood piece I have completed so I am unsure of the next steps. CEPS? Varnish? Tack cloth? BLSO? stain? Feel free to assume I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing. I have read many of the FAQ posts on wood finishing, but I'm not sure which finishing appropriates are appropriate for parts that will be submerged in water compared to interior pieces.

From what I've read it seems like varnish over CEPS is the most common way to finish something like this? Are there many manufactures of CEPS? Is it known by a different names? Is this something I could expect to find at a hardware store or is it very marine specific?

http://www.freewebs.com/fiero-headlights/public/daggerboard.jpg

Thanks,
Dave

[Thorne]

Well, can we assume you are in Ireland? If so most of the US suppliers and some products would be too expensive to consider.

Tell us what boat this is going in, and how the hull, skeg, and rudder will be finished.

Personally since daggerboards have a tendency to come in contact with nasty, hard things under the water, I'd be really tempted to fiberglass it -==- assuming you have the tolerances for the additional thickness in the daggerboard case. If not, I'd beltsand the daggerboard down so I had the room to glass it.

I'd also use thickened epoxy to create a protective strip along the leading edge and bottom of the board, waiting until nearly the final coat of epoxy to apply it. This lessens the chance of the glass and epoxy cracking on impact or wear, allowing water into the wood and causing rot.

[jerry bark]

I was just out in the shop sanding a daggerboard from my father in laws 30+ year old sunfish. it was simply varnished, many times, over the years and he left it laying in the boat uncovered when not in use. I just plan on 6 or 8 coats of varnish and putting it back in his boat when I am done. it will likely out last him.

good old fashioned mahogony with varnish.

though thorne's thoughts on glass coating are worthy of serious thought if you sail in an area with potentially damaging things to hit in the water, our lake is 99% benign in that regard.


cheers
jerry

[The Bigfella]

I'm building a centreboard at the moment. The plans call for it to be covered in two layers of fibreglass - one at 200gsm and the other of 300 gsm.

[Thorne]

Here's a few pics of the new centerboard for my dory skiff, built from Meranti marine ply. I used one layer of glass cloth on the CB, then added a thin strip to the leading edge and bottom edge, then put thickened epoxy on top of that.

http://www.luckhardt.com/newcb2.jpg

http://www.luckhardt.com/newcb5.jpg

[mfdgs]

Thanks for the replies. To answer a few questions... I am in the US (Dallas). The daggerboard trunk is not yet built, so I could fiberglass it and then build the trunk to fit. For some reason plain old varnish really appeals to me, but I'm not sure why. . The plans call for fiberglass'ing the hull and I need fiberglass and epoxy anyway. So I think I will practice fiberglassing a test piece of wood and see how I like it.

[John Meachen]

Very few people like applying fibreglass,it does do a good enough job that they put up with the job in order to get the result they want.It should eliminate the risk of warping and if the trailing edge is fairly fine and consequently fragile you will probably extend the time between making the dagger board and repairing it.Sooner or later you will run aground and have to patch up the trailing edge.My personal preference is to use white paint over glass and epoxy as it does not get as hot in the sun and the colour allows you to see fronds of weed.It also looks very smart with a fresh coat of paint where a repaired and varnished board looks second hand.