A good UV varnish for a cedar-strip canoe with west 105/207?

[kmerr98277]

Any recommendations for a UV varnish on a cedar-strip canoe glassed with West system 105/207?

[Canoez]

There are a whole variety of them. Find the one that you like to work with where you live. (Seriously) I was using a varnish that works well for me at home (Epifanes) and when I used it in a different location with different conditions, it didn't go so well. I used some of my host's varnish (a different one - don't remember the brand) and it worked just fine. Just be sure to find a spar varnish that is explicitly a UV-Filtering one.

[David G]

Any of the name brand marine varnishes will serve.

Just off the top of my head:

Interlux #96
Epiphanes Clear Varnish
Z-spar Captains or Flagship
McCloskey Man O'War
Marshall's Cove Spar Varnish

I've used all of these, except the Marshall's Cove - which I'm curious about, and have heard some good things about. I'm partial to the Interlux, but I've also been using a local, traditional recipe marine varnish from Miller Paint that I've been impressed with.

Note that all of these are more traditional formulations - typically a phenolic resin, and heavy on the tung oil. You might decide that you want to trade some of the flexibility/resilience of such a long-oil varnish for the superior abrasion resistance (but increased brittleness) of a urethane resin based varnish. In that case - you might consider something like Interlux 'Compass Clear', or the equivalent from another manufacturer.

[JimConlin]

What they said.

The West Marine house brand varnish is OK, too.

The thing that'll make the varnish last well is to keep the boat covered when not in use.

[Canoez]

Oh, yeah - and good varnish ain't cheap. Don't let any leftovers go bad in the can either get something like "Blo-Gen" to prevent the varnish from skinning over and gelling or use a propane torch (not lit!) to displace the air in the can before putting the lid back on. Some folks also store the can upside down. I tend to use a small disposable paper cup to dip my varnish from the can so that I don't get it in the groove on the can and have difficulty closing it up. Also, I don't use the varnish out of the can.

[Todd Bradshaw]

I've used Captain's Varnish on strippers for a long time with good results. You might want to avoid Schooner Varnish. There have been sporadic reports over the past 30 years of it sometimes not hardening properly over WEST epoxy. As far as I know, nobody (including the Gougeon Brothers tech staff) ever figured out what was causing the problem. There are cases of folks using it with no problems at all, but considering what a mess it would be to fix if it did happen, I avoid that combination.

[switters]

Oh, yeah - and good varnish ain't cheap. Don't let any leftovers go bad in the can either get something like "Blo-Gen" to prevent the varnish from skinning over and gelling or use a propane torch (not lit!) to displace the air in the can before putting the lid back on. Some folks also store the can upside down. I tend to use a small disposable paper cup to dip my varnish from the can so that I don't get it in the groove on the can and have difficulty closing it up. Also, I don't use the varnish out of the can.

I have learned this the hard way, and out of the two I have used Cabot and Man'O War, man o war goes bad fast. After an hour of dipping the brush in the can and you might as well throw the rest away. You can tell if wasn't handled correctly when it cures and it is still gummy. I will be doing a daggerboard and rudder this weekend and plan on doing just like Canoez. The Cabot seemed a bit more tolerant, but it could have been a difference in temp and humidity the last time used it.

Why do still have MOW? it is the only kind they carry at the local hardware store where the shop is located.

[mrxireland]

Just out of curiousity, how long does it take varnish to dry on cedarstrippers. the reason i ask this is i varnished mine 2 days ago and it wasnt completely hard. I can make a small dent if i were to put my fingernail into it and this was worrying me.

[Todd Bradshaw]

In general, the sanded epoxy surface is an excellent base for paint or varnish and it shouldn't take any longer for it to dry there than anywhere else. The weather and humidity can always be a factor though when varnishing.