Varnish for mast

[gdallas]

NYACHILWA has a 50 foot hollow spruce mast, original and nearly 60 years old. It is in outstanding condition. I have all the fittings and ironmongery off for regalvanizing, making some track modifications and routing in the wiring to masthead light and antenna. The mast has a heavy layer of varnish which is lifting cleanly off the wood in places,in sheets, but as yet there is little discolouration and no decay.

The work is being done in the yard, not by me. The boatbuilder recommends stripping back to clean wood, and then applying 8 coats of 2 pack polyurethane varnish and then 2 coats of Epiphanes traditional varnish, so as to get sufficient build and gloss. The idea is that the topcoats can be touched up as necessary but that the mast will not need to be stripped again for say 10 years. Bright work on deck is Epiphanes trad.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b67/gdallas/relaunchNov200707.jpg

The boat is a very pretty Fife sloop and deserves to look as good as possible, but I am wondering if I couldnt save some man hours and go for a different, more flexible finish that would go on quicker, be maintained more easily and perhaps not look too different. I know a lot of people like Coelan for decks -any experience with masts? Another candidate is Sikkens Cetol Novatech, which is a stain rather than a coating, and may be a bit too dull. I am sure there are others

All feedback gratefully received. Thank you

Graham

[Concordia...41]

A. Beautiful boat!

B. I say if it isn't broke, don't fix it... The man-hour difference between putting 4-5 coats of something vs the recommended 10, is minor as the majority of the time (say 80%) is in the prep, which has to be done either way.

C. Beautiful boat!

[StevenBauer]

The boat is a very pretty Fife sloop

I think Graham wins the understatement of the year award. :D

I'd go with the yards recommendation.



Steven

[Dan McCosh]

Dunno what the yard's recommendation is based on. My experience with 2-pack urethanes has not been good, particularly in areas subject to physical damage such as the mast, or when it has been perforated with bungs, joints, etc.
We are going on 10 years since the last complete stripping using a traditional tung oil varnish (Interlux Schooner), with annual sanding and recoating of about two coats. Damage is easily repaired and blended in.

[Rich VanValkenburg]

My choice has been for something more flexible than a two-part urethane, but I've been told recently that my thinking is that of a dinosaur. I try to use the 2015 Flagship varnish, which is supposed to be high in UV protection.

I echo Margo, that's a beautiful boat!!!!

[gimmellsmom]

We have cetol on our brightwork, my winter project is to strip it and revarnish with Epiphanes. The only place we don't have it is on the masts thankfully.
I wouldn't reccomended it - go with the yards suggestion. The first thing anyone comments on is the brightwork "you used Cetol, didn't you"...

[Lew Barrett]

I echo Margo, that's a beautiful boat!!!!

Who could argue with that? She's a knock out!

[David G]

We have cetol on our brightwork, my winter project is to strip it and revarnish with Epiphanes. The only place we don't have it is on the masts thankfully.
I wouldn't reccomended it - go with the yards suggestion. The first thing anyone comments on is the brightwork "you used Cetol, didn't you"...

When they say that, is it because you used the original flavor, and it has that weird fluorescent orange, muddy look? Or is it the sheen? or??? I've been using Sikkens Cetol Marine for a while now. Tried the original - too ugly. Tried the "Light" - definitely better. Now they've come out with "Natural Teak" - very nice and even better. Have used it on a variety of smaller projects now, and it is both prettier and more transparent then the prior versions. The newer formulation seems also to be holding up longer.

I think, though, that for a fixed mast, I'd still go with a good, traditional spar varnish. I also worry that the 2-part finish will be more brittle than you want. It'll definitely be more abrasion resistant. But with the finish schedule they propose, the surface - where most abrasion will occur - will be trad. spar varnish anyway. The 2-part will take more of a whack without failing. But when it does fail, it'll fail more dramatically. It'll fracture instead of denting. The notion of a more flexible finish over the top of a more rigid one is the right idea. You definitely wouldn't want to reverse it. Did they give you their rationale for that schedule?


"Follow the grain in your own wood" -- Howard Thurman

[JimConlin]

I'm a big fan of two-part (LPU) finishes on stable materials like plywood and fiberglass, but for solid timber, I much prefer conventional pains and varnishes. They're more flexible and much easier to refinish, repair and remove.
Putting a conventional finish on top of an LPU base is a particularly poor idea, giving you the drawbacks of the LPU mentioned above, plus the poorer weathering and scuff resistance of the conventional material.

[Jay Greer]

Often yards will tend to recommend a product based on information supplied by the reps that are always pushing new products. Personaly, I tend to work with those materials that have proven themselves by past longevity rather than hooplah. Varnishes that are made of synthetic resins often are difficult to apply and may also impart a less than pleasing color to the work; which brings me to prefer 100% pure natural varnish for spars and other bright work.

Your beautiful lady deserves only the finest adornment!
Jay

[gimmellsmom]

When they say that, is it because you used the original flavor, and it has that weird fluorescent orange, muddy look?

Yes... orange mud. My father in law (who was in the wood finishing business for many moons) assures me its supposed to look like that. I've made him an eye appointment!
I do believe it is the original finish.

My spruce masts on the other hand have a nice finish - spar varnish if I'm not mistaken (2 owners ago) and LOTS of it.

[gdallas]

Thank you everyone. The guy doing the work is, to be honest, a 24 karat perfectionist. He's worked on a lot of the big Fife yachts down in the South of France and I have no doubts about his judgement -it was more a case of wondering if there are any new ideas/technologies/products. More photos soon, and thanks too for the compliments
Graham

[Concordia...41]

Jim -

Your slip of the keyboard is priceless :D



I'm a big fan of two-part (LPU) finishes on stable materials like plywood and fiberglass, but for solid timber, I much prefer conventional pains and varnishes

[JimConlin]

Jim -

Your slip of the keyboard is priceless :D

or was it vanishes?