Varnishing
Well since we are so busy here at Marmaris Yacht Marina, with social events, sauna, billiards, dinners etc… etc… during all this relaxation I have decided to tackle touching up on the few pieces of varnished lumber we still have on the exterior of the boat, which of course through the years has been diminished substantially. The only varnished teak left are the cockpit table, the companionway door and framework (the main door to the boat’s interior) and the two coming trims as seen in the background of the picture.
Through the years and with much experience of the degradation of varnish and the resulting upkeep the rest of the exterior teak has been methodically stripped of all varnish. We have some areas of lumber that we just clean with soapy water and seal with a special sealer we found at Budget Marine in St Martin made by SEMCO™, it is very easy to use and apply as is out of the can, after following the instructions labeled on the can, you end up with a matt finish that looks like natural teak that has been sanded and left to slightly bleach in the sun, therefore you can also see the defined grains of the wood, alleluia how much time in maintenance this is saving us which of course leaves a lot more time for social activities and the fun that these activities bring with them. This sealer we do every 6 months without even taping anything as it is very easy to clean (with standard paint thinner) any sealer that eventually gets on to the fiberglass.
The cockpit (the part of the boat where we spend most of the times outdoors) table is a different matter altogether as it is not exposed to the full effects of the environment, it is in the shade of the bimini, (the piece of canvas we have overhead that protects from the sun and other arrogant elements that might be dished down on us) therefore does not deteriorate very often it is more for the nicks and scratches that we maintain it more or less once a year and this happens to be one of those times. We love the look of high gloss varnished teak, looks like there is a glass coating on it especially with many coats added to it 8 to 11coats at the minimum.
We use Epifanes exterior high gloss, the one that you do not have to sand in-between coats if coated within 36 hours. However I do sand between the last three coats with 380-400 grit sand paper. We start of by scraping down to bare wood any nicks, scratches and other deterioration visible, sand and blend with 180 grit paper, finish sanding these areas with 220 grit paper always with the grain where possible, mix 50-50 varnish and thinner and coat the areas, this already took away a lot of socializing. Wait at least 24hrs in between coats and start building up the next coats with a 75% varnish and 25% thinner solution. When you are happy with the level of coats it is time to wash the whole area with soap and water using a green scotch pad, rinse thoroughly and let dry. Then sand the whole thing with 220 grit paper, remove all dust (no need to tell you how) when you think all of the dust is removed take a tack cloth and wipe down the whole thing making sure you get in tight areas where dust may be hiding. As you can see from this, preparation is 90% of the job, the actual varnishing take little time. Now put as many coats as you want (all depends on how much no socializing you can live with). Sand in between coats with 380-400 grit paper, making sure to remove all the dust before each coat.
Viola’ you should end up with a great looking varnish job that even a professional will congratulate on.
