On Board with Mark Corke

Cheap and effective spray booth

I have recently been working on some upgrades for the boat's headliner. A full video will be coming soon but in the meantime I thought that I would share the process that I have been using to spray the wooden strips.

The original headliner for the Grand Banks series of classic yachts was a sort of perforated vinyl material of the sort that might be found on a 1950's vintage Chevvy. Over the years this had suffered from rips and discoloration and I decided that it was well due for replacement. Apart from the general wear and tear I also wanted to upgrade the lights and add speakers for the stereo, neither of which would be possible without changing out the headliner. In short, I have gone for a painted wooden headliner which allows easy installation of the new lights and speakers. 

I wanted to paint the tongue and groove strips I had machined up before I installed them as painting them in place would be next to impossible. I could have painted them with a brush I suppose but spraying gives a far better finish and is faster once the necessary spray equipment is set up. Initially I did think about setting up some sort of poly tent in the garage but then by chance came across an 8 man tent for $100 in Walmart, far easier and almost cheaper than any home made contraption. The end farthest from the opening door has a ready made mesh winder which is perfect for a box fan. A  furnace filter stops the overspray from going everywhere and in all the tent works better than I could have hoped. The strips are more that 12 feet long and they fit easily inside the tent, plus once the job is complete I can pack up the tent into its bag and save it for next time. The pictures and video below give a flavor of just how capable the whole system is. For the actual spraying I'm using a Groco airless sprayer which, when correctly set up, produces almost perfect results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to varnish boat handrails

Following on from my last blog post, which you can see here, with Rita's help I made a short video today. I think this gives a better overall idea of the poor state that the varnish is currently in and how I am approaching the job. The side handrails were stripped and revarnished a couple of years back, and then I got sick and was unable to finish the job and instead of getting any maintenance coats the varnish suffered from UV damage bringing it to the poor state that it is in right now. The back end of the boat has suffered badly in the sun – but that's the beauty of teak you can bring it back good as new. Be sure to check back often as I'll bring regular updates on the progress and give you some helpful hints and tips.

Feel free to leave a comment or question, either on this blog or below the video.

 

How to get the perfect varnish finish

Because of illness and other issues this past year I let the varnish go somewhat. Poor varnish makes the boat look terrible and a cracked and flaking finish allows water to get to the underlying wood where it will turn black and further add to, what I call, "the handrail of shame."

Because I retired from BoatU.S. at the end of last year I'm hoping that I have more time to spend not just using the boat but catching up with some much needed maintenance. The engine and mechanical systems are all well cared for but some of the external surfaces could do with a freshening up, hence the varnishing job.

Ideally, it's a good idea to add a refresher coat mid-season to build up the surface finish that is lost to UV degradation. But for the reason outlined above plus the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 crisis, that did not happen, so I now find myself with a rather large job on my hands. Initially I had thought that I would be able to get away with taking the bad sections down to bare wood and recoating the other parts but no sooner had I made a start I realized that this was not going to cut it – all the existing varnish has to be removed and taken to bare wood so I can make a fresh start.

Removing varnish is best achieved with a scraper. My prefered tools are those by Sandvik, they have carbide blades and remove many layers of varnish swiftly without damaging the underlying wood. If you are doing this job yourself don't be tempted to think you can sand off the finish, it takes too long, uses tons of abrasive paper, creates clouds of dust which will annoy your boat neighbors in the ajoining slips, and is liable to damage the wood. Please invest in some scrapers, it will be both cheaper and way faster in the long run.

 

I removed all the varnish from the handrails (75 linear feet in all) in an afternoon and as you can see in the picture this comes off as a satisfying shaving rather than clouds of dust.

 

So, you may ask. Once I have got all the old coating off what do I do next?

Varnish, simply put, is paint without the pigment. It protects wood from sun, sea, wear and tear and if it makes the wood look good in the process, that’s a bonus. My first attempts at varnishing were embarrassing but they did the job of protecting the wood and each application gave me the opportunity to do it better than last time.

Varnish is a mix of resins, oils and solvents, although newer varnishes often have synthetic materials blended in to improve flow characteristics. Choose one type of varnish and stick with it. Don’t dismiss a varnish too quickly just because you’re not getting the finish you desire; it could be down to temperature, high humidity or dust.

Tools For The Job

The one essential tool is a decent brush. While modern varnishes are forgiving in terms of technique, they’re very unforgiving of the wrong brush. Never use an inexpensive synthetic brush for varnishing: the bristles will come out and it’s unlikely to have sufficient body to hold enough varnish. Many professionals use high-quality badger- hair brushes; these have excellent flow characteristics and can produce spectacular results. However, I’ve become a big fan of foam brushes and I know some pros who use them almost exclusively. They don’t shed hairs to mar the finish, and they seem to hold just the right amount of varnish. Most beginners lay on varnish too thickly, and in warm weather, this leads to 'alligatoring', when wrinkles appear in the varnish and make the results look like alligator hide. Foam brushes tend to prevent this. Avoid cheap foam brushes because the shanks often break. The biggest advantage of foam brushes is that you can just toss them at the end of the job. Pure bristle brushes require meticulous cleaning, before and after use and should be wrapped in foil to keep the bristles straight.

You’ll need plenty of clean, lint-free rags for wiping down the woodwork and cleaning up. A vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment is perfect for sucking up sanding dust.

You’ll also need abrasive paper. Lots! Cheap sandpaper is a waste of money: the grit falls off as soon as you look at it, and it wears out very quickly. I favour an aluminum oxide paper that cuts fast, lasts a long time, and comes in all grits. Buy 80 grit for sanding bare wood, 120 for sanding the initial thinned coats and 320 grit for sanding between full-strength coats.

Tack rags are valuable for picking up those last bits that get missed by the vacuum cleaner and solvent wipe. Keep them in a resealable bag to prevent them from drying out and getting dirty.

 

Never use vanish straight from the can. Decant what you can use in about 15 minutes into a clean container – Solo cups are a good choice – through a disposable paint strainer.

Preparation

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that lies ahead. If you break the job into manageable tasks, it's less daunting. You might varnish the toerails one day, then move on to the handrails the next.

Working outdoors is often not the best place to do brightwork, especially if the guy next door is pressure washing. If you can, remove parts from the boat so that you can varnish under cover in a controlled environment, such as a garage or workshop. Hatch covers, washboards and cockpit tables can all be worked on indoors when
the weather is less than ideal. Try to varnish on a warm day with little wind and plan to have few interruptions.

Read the instructions on the can, which will give important safety information and tell you which solvent to use. Don’t use any old paint thinner; use only the solvent recommended by the manufacturer. Never use varnish straight from the can. Decant the amount you’ll use in about 15 minutes into a clean container, pouring it through a fine-mesh paint strainer.

A deep gloss finish is achieved by filling the pores of the wood, so the initial coats need to penetrate and seal the wood. The recommended method is to thin the first coat to a 50/50 ratio with thinner. Add thinner to your decanted varnish and stir very gently with a clean stick. Allow the varnish
to rest for any bubbles to disperse. Dip your brush about one third of the way into the varnish, then tap it lightly on the inside of the container to knock off the excess before brushing onto the wood. Keep the brush moving, and don’t overbrush the varnish, a mistake known as 'worrying'. Three or four stokes should be all that’s needed before you move onto the next section. Make sure the wood is coated fully but not dripping wet; the extra solvent you added will ensure that it’s absorbed into the wood. Leave it overnight. The next day, sand the surface lightly with 120 grit paper, then repeat the varnishing procedure but this time, thin the varnish by 25%; it will be noticeably thicker, and less will soak into the wood.

Leave these two initial coats to sit at least 48 hours before laying on the first full-strength coat. This gives time for the solvents to evaporate and the varnish to harden. You can apply additional coats without sanding, but I don’t recommend it; imperfections will be magnified by each subsequent coat.

Sanding knocks off any rough spots, smooths raised grain, and allows the third coat to go on without a hitch. Sand lightly with 120-grit paper. Don’t rub too hard or you’ll go right back to bare wood. If the varnish rolls up into a gummy mess, it needs longer to harden.

After sanding, it’s essential to remove all the sanding dust. Use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment on the work and adjacent areas to remove as much dirt as possible, then wipe down everything with a rag lightly dampened with solvent. Turn the rag often to avoid spreading dirt from one area to the next. Decant some fresh varnish into a clean pot through a strainer but before starting to apply the varnish, lightly wipe the surface with a tack rag to remove the last remaining specks. Wipe an area just ahead of where you’ll be varnishing. For example, I’ll wipe about 3' (1m) of toerail, then leave my tack rag at the point that I stopped wiping. Working toward the tack rag, it’s easy to pick it up and give the next length a quick wipe as I progress along the boat.

Good quality foam brushes are an excellent choice and I like them. You simply toss them out at the end of the job.

Brush Technique

Think of laying on the varnish rather than brushing it on. We’re not painting a fence here: we’re on a journey to a smooth, mirror-like gloss. Varnish should be applied with a slow, deliberate stroke. Grip the brush like a pen and draw it across the wood, laying down a uniform coat. If needed, you can use two or three extra sweeps of the brush to distribute the varnish. Finish by drawing the brush from the wet area to the dry along the grain. Reload the brush and apply varnish to the next section of wood, 'landing' the brush just into the end of the wet edge. Repeat the process until you reach the end of whatever you’re varnishing. Occasionally sight along the work with your head almost touching the surface. If you spot areas you’ve missed or you see runs, make a note of them for touch-up with the next coat. Don’t try to fix things now, because varnish starts to skin up remarkably quickly; trying to touch up at this stage will only make things worse. Five or six full-strength coats is the minimum to provide UV and wear protection, though eight or nine is better for that deep, luxurious gloss.

 

I use 320 grit paper for inter-coat sanding.

Sanding And More Sanding

For the perfect finish, you must sand between each coat to improve the glossiness; omit the sanding and each coat gets progressively rougher in both look and feel. Sand between coats with 320-grit paper backed with a cork sanding block for large flat surfaces, changing the paper as soon as it starts to lose its cut or become clogged. After sanding, remember to dust, wipe with solvent and then go over with the tack rag before applying the next coat.

 

The results after 8 coats of varnish using the techniques described. (Click on the image to make it larger)

 

Paint your bottom

 

 

Sailors early on recognized the importance of keeping the bottom of their craft free of fouling, as they discovered that a hull covered with barnacles and weeds performs poorly. They used sheets of copper to protect the underbellies of their boats, and this practice is still used on some large sailing vessels.

Fortunately for modern boaters, we can now use paint with similar properties to those copper sheets. Most antifouling paints still contain large amounts of copper in the form of cuprous oxide, which is held in a binder to make it into paint. The rising cost of copper is one reason why antifouling paint is so expensive.

Unlike the copper sheets of old, antifouling paint often needs to be reapplied every year sometimes less often, depending on the area a boat is sailed in and whether it is left in the water all season.

Which type?

It’s a good idea to decide what type of paint you need before focusing on cost and manufacturers. There is a confusing variety to choose from: ablative/self-polishing, traditional, hard modified epoxies, vinyl, thin film and a number of specialized varieties, each targeted at a specific application.

Ablatives/Self Polishing

Ablative paints are formulated to wear away as a boat moves through the water, continually exposing fresh biocide. Because they depend on water washing away the paint’s surface layer, they are not a good choice for a boat that sits on a dock or mooring for extended periods of time. Because the rate of wear varies with water flow, leading edges that see higher velocities will require extra coats.

It’s wise to apply a first “flag” coat of paint that’s a different color than subsequent ones. When the flag coat begins to show, it’s time to repaint. Because the paint film wears away over time, minimal prep work is required before repainting.

In addition, copolymer ablatives can provide multi-season protection. Their antifouling properties do not degrade when they dry out, so these paints are perfect for trailer stored boats. All major bottom paint manufacturers produce ablatives and at least one manufacturer has a copolymer paint that does not rely on the boat’s movement to release fresh biocide, but it is sold for professional use only.

Traditional soft/sloughing

Older formulations based on rosin or rosin/resin blends, these paints vary from soft to semi-hard and generally cost the least. The softer varieties do not stand up to abrasion and are sometimes referred to as “sloughing,” which results when the biocide—almost always cuprous oxide—leaches out of the paint. These are single-season products and are an economical choice for cruising boats that are hauled each winter.

Hard modified epoxies

Based on epoxy resins, these are tough, hard, one-part paints that can be burnished in some cases. Their effectiveness and cost vary depending on the percentage of biocide used (usually cuprous oxide without additives). They can often be used to overcoat other types of antifouling, except for those that are soft or contain low-friction components. Boats usually must be launched within 24 hours of the final coat being applied, but this varies from paint to paint. These paints do lose effectiveness when out of the water for extended periods, but this does not happen immediately, so haul-outs are practical. They work by releasing biocide from within the paint over the course of the season and their effectiveness decreases as the biocide leaches out from deeper within the paint. Periodic scrubbing can offset this to some extent. Because the paint itself does not wear away it must be removed from time to time to avoid excessive buildup.

Vinyls

The hardest of antifouling paints, vinyls are often used on racing sail boats as they can be wet-sanded and burnished to a polished surface. They contain strong solvents, which are capable of attacking other paints, so all other types of antifouling must be removed before a vinyl paint is applied. Vinyl-painted boats must also be launched soon after application.

Thin Film

These are described as low-drag, high-performance paints suitable for freshwater use that incorporate lo- friction components like Teflon in addition to copper-based and chemical biocides. One such paint is stated to dry within two to six minutes and requires that a boat be launched within 10 to 30 minutes of application.

Specialized antifouling paints

Aluminum Safe: These employ copper thiocyanite in lieu of cuprous oxide to avoid galvanic attack of aluminum hulls and other underwater components. They are often available in spray cans for use on saildrive lower ends.

Boot-top: These are hard, scrubbable antifouling paints also using copper thiocyanate, but are compatible with bright colored pigments in addition to the muted colors of paints using cuprous oxide.

Transducer: Usually sold in spray cans, these antifouling paints are formulated so as to not degrade electronic performance. They may have zinc as a biocide.

Inflatable: This flexible antifouling paint is formulated to bond to non-rigid coated fabrics.

How do I choose?

Choosing an antifouling paint requires that you make several decisions: What is your existing paint and how much maintenance do you want to do? Does your boat sit on a trailer, or will it remain in the water for an extended period of time? Is the water salt or fresh? How important are boat speed and paint longevity? Since the severity of fouling varies significantly from area to area, it’s wise to consult other sailors in the area, local boatyards, and the guys behind the counter at your local chandlery.

Don’t buy on price alone; a cheap antifouling may not give you the protection you need and may instead cause headaches in terms of additional stripping and preparation. Most of the major marine paint manufacturers have websites that can be an invaluable source of information, particularly with respect to what types of antifouling can be used to overcoat other types.

Application

It goes without saying when applying any paint: follow the manufacturer’s recommendation to the letter. Read the label carefully; the paint is expensive, and applying it to a poor surface may cause it to under perform or even fall off your hull. I’m the first to admit that on several occasions I thought I knew better than the manufacturer and ended up getting a sloppy finish. Applying antifouling paint is more straightforward than applying topside paint, but you must be careful to adhere to the application and safety recommendations.

Mask off the hull by taping along the boot-top and as necessary around depth or speed transducers. Protect yourself—a Tyvek suit is ideal—and roll on the paint with a short-nap solvent-proof roller. You’ll probably need a couple of coats. Follow and adhere to the overcoating times stated on the can. With ablative antifoulings, add an extra coat at the stem, the front of the keel(s) and the trailing edges of rudders, which tend to wear more rapidly than other parts of the boat. Pull the tape while the paint is still soft so that you get a sharp edge and use a cheap brush to coat those areas that you are unable to reach with the roller.

Getting the old stuff off

Removing years of old antifouling paint can be a real chore. Bear in mind that the paint is toxic to humans, so be sure to wear a proper respirator and a full body suit. Use a chemical stripper; they’re expensive but will save you lots of time. Wet sanding is another possibility, but it’s messy and may be illegal in your area because of the toxic waste.

Use 80-grit wet and dry paper (drywall sanding screens work well too) and use plenty of water from a hose. In most cases it is not essential to remove every last scrap of the old stuff, but you do need a smooth surface to apply the new paint to. Now is also a good time to repair any dings in the hull.

You should only dry-sand antifouling paint if you have a sander connected to a vacuum cleaner. The dust is very invasive and you will coat everything within a 50-yard radius. Also, the health risks of breathing the dust cannot be over emphasized; do everything you can to keep dust under control.

How often to reapply

Many antifouling paints have a limited life span. Even though some copolymer-ablatives will last a couple of years, most owners reapply at least one coat in the spring before relaunching if the boat has been out of the water throughout the winter. If you are in warmer water and the boat stays in all year, you should keep a close eye on its underbody; if the fouling gets harder and harder to scrub off, that’s often an indication that the antifouling paint is losing effectiveness and the time has come to recoat.

Special considerations

Under no circumstances should antifouling containing cuprous oxide biocide be applied to outdrive or saildrive legs. These are made of aluminum and will be subject to galvanic corrosion. Special antifouling paints using copper thiocyanite are available in spray cans for aluminum and seem to produce good results when correctly applied. There is no need to coat regular outboard legs, which spend little time in the water. Do not paint your bronze propeller, as it too will be affected by galvanic corrosion. Zinc anodes should never be painted; these are meant to be exposed and waste away throughout the season.

Teak - The king of boatbuilding woods

 

 

 Installing a teak deck. Teak not only looks great but is good underfoot and has natural non skid properties.

 

 

Of all the boat building woods teak stands head and shoulders above all the others and with good reason. It can be vanished to a lustrous finish, oiled or left to weather to a silver grey, virtually impervious to water born pest like the torredo worm it will last years with virtually no maintenance.

Teak (Tectona) grows predominately in southeast Asia most notably Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. Teak is a large tree and once it reaches full maturity can stand 120 feet tall. Thus each tree can yield substantial amounts of useful timber.

Many years ago I was captain of a 72 foot wooden ketch whose main planking was solid teak. The boat was over 100 years old but the planking below the waterline was in almost perfect condition as we found out when we had to remove some of her copper anti foul sheeting. These days however cost considerations make the use of teak aboard into more modest proportions. Certainly in the recreational boat market teak is used mostly for trim and decking. There can be no doubt in any body's mind that a well varnished toe rail or rubbing strip can elevate even a fairly modest boat from the mundane to the beautiful. I have to admit that on my own boats I have an abundance of varnished teak which does take time and patience to care for but the complimentary comments that we receive when we are out cruising or the pride of ownership that I feel when I walk down the dock after a long week at the office make the hard work seem all that more worth while. Unlike many wood even teak that has been 'let go' can be bought back to a prize winning finish with a little elbow grease and time.

Varnishing teak

When it comes to varnishing anything there are a thousand different methods it seems for approaching the job but my technique has served me well for many years. There are also lots of different varnishes on the market including those that say you don't need to sand between coats. I am not necessarily advocating one product above all others but the best advice that I can give anyone is to try and product and stick with it. Follow the manufacturers recommendations and you will achieve good results. Get to know your varnish before trying something else. Do not chop and change just because you see some new wonder product at the boat show. Ninety percent of getting a good finish happens before you even dip the brush into the can. You can use the very best products out there but if you are sloppy in the preparations then the final result will be disappointing at best.

On previously varnished surfaces that are in good condition you will merely be prepping the surface for additional coats and you can skip this stage but on new wood or previously varnished surfaces where the varnish is far from intact then it needs to be removed and the wood taken back to bare. By far and away the most effective way to remove old finishes is with the use of a hot air gun and scraper. This is where I think that many get off to a bad start whose first inclination is to reach for the sandpaper. This is the slowest and least effective method of getting back to bare wood and it is also the most expensive. There will be times when you have no alternative but only resort to sanding as a means of removing a finish as a last resort.

One word or warning would not go amiss here and that is although a hot air gun is far safer than an old fashioned blow torch it can still set stuff on fire so be careful, keep the gun moving and only use enough heat to soften the varnish so that it will scrap off easily.

Work on one section at a time, be careful with the scraper to only remove the varnish and not gouge into the wood.

With all the old finish removed sand the surface with the grain using 120 grit paper. I like to use an aluminum oxide open coat paper which does not load up like the regular cheap sandpaper that you can buy at the home improvement store. 3M make some of the best papers which you can either buy on line from people like Fisheries Supply or Jamestown Distributors or you can get them from Napa auto stores.

The amount of work can be daunting so break down the work into manageable pieces. Burn off and sand a handrail say before moving onto the next area.

Once all the sanding is complete thoroughly dust down the area, use a vacuum if you have it and a painters dusting brush.

Tape off the areas so that varnish will not will not drip onto adjacent gel coat or painted surfaces. Stay away from the cheap white masking tape which does not come up cleanly especially if it is left in place for more than a few hours. Use the blue or green painters tapes which although more expensive are easier to remove especially if left in place for a week or more.

With the masking complete wipe down the teak with a suitable solvent using a clean lint free rag, cotton tee shirt material is ideal. Read the instructions on the can of the varnish you will be using; Interlux Schooner varnish is my finish of choice so I use their 333 solvent but acetone can be used at a pinch. Keep turning the rag, the solvent will remove surface oils and sanding residue from the teak.

You are now ready to apply your first coat of varnish. The bare teak will suck in the first few coats which should be thinned a little with solvent to allow them to be more readily absorbed, again follow the maker recommendations.

Do not use the varnish straight from the can, EVER, always strain the varnish through a disposable paint strainer as even new tins have bits in them that will spoil your finish. I like to use foam brushes of the disposable kind as they can be thrown out at the end of the job and a new one used for each new coat. Some varnishers like badger brushes which work great too but you need to clean them before and after each use.

Try to varnish under cover if at all possible on a warm dry day. Varnishing late in the day or when rain is forecast will affect your finish and can make it look dull and a little milky.

Leave the varnish to dry for at least 24 hours before applying the next coat. After the first couple of thinned coats you need to apply at least 3 more at full strength to provide adequate protection for the sun and water. But I will often go as far as 8 coats for a true deep gloss.

I like to wet sand between coats with 320 silicone carbide wet or dry paper. There is little to no dust, it cuts fast and the paper lasts ages providing it is kept wet.

Wipe down the surface before each new fresh coat of varnish and just prior to laying on the varnish go over the surface with a tack cloth to remove anything remaining that could mar the finish.

Once the last coat of varnish is complete remove the masking tape . Varnish takes about 8 days to reach full maturity so treat it with respect especially during this curing period.

Caring for teak decks

More teak decks have been ruined by too much love that anything else. Teak decks do not need oiling, sealing or treating with any other preservative but they do need a little care. About the best thing that you can do with a teak deck is to use plenty of salt water and a moderately stiff bristle brush to remove surface dirt. Avoid using a brush that is too stiff as this will scour out the softer wood and leave ridges in the deck. Scrubbing across the deck will go along way to prevent this malady and will also ensure that the deck seams are not placed under duress. Use plenty of water to wash away any dislodged dirt.

Teak is naturally resistant to rot and using harsh chemicals will remove the woods natural oils making it less able to naturally resist cracking and decay. If the deck has been neglected for a long period of time then some sort of teak cleaner may be appropriate. I've had excellent results with Teak Decking Systems deck cleaning powder. The deck is soaked with water, the power is sprinkled on the deck allowed to get to work and then simply brushed off using plenty more water. It works a treat but I would not recommend this as more than a once a year treatment at most.

Working with teak

Teak contains a fair amount of silica which can dull the edge of even the sharpest of tools. So if you new to working with teak then you will find that you need to sharpen you tools more often than was hitherto the case. Power tools require TCT cutters and blades as high speed steel will be burnt and destroyed in short order.

Teak can be glued with epoxy but it is advisable to wipe down the surfaces to be joined with acetone to remove any surface oils that will prevent proper adhesion.

When sanding teak or working in any other way that produces a lot of dust suitable extraction and personal protection in the form of a dust mask or respirator should be worn as there have been cases of workers who have been exposed to teak dust developing nasal and throat problems.

Environmental concerns

I know of a lot of folks who try to not use teak as they are concerned as to where it has been sourced and it is true that it can be very difficult to know where the material comes from. I like any other responsible user wants to but wood at a reasonable price from a well managed and sustainable source. Although one can never be certain it seems that the most reliable and trusted method is to use only wood that has been FSC certified as coming from a well managed source. The FSC or Forest Stewardship Council headquartered out of Bonn in Germany will only certify timber that is sustainably harvested and they tell me that much of the teak that finds it's way in the US comes from plantation grown forests and is thus produced in an environmentally friendly way.

 

SIA abrasives

The very nice folks at SIA recently sent me some abrasive paper to try and I have to say I am very impressed. To my knowledge I have never used them before always tending towards 3M the undeniable giants in the abrasives market. I have been using  a variety of SIA products most notably the PSA discs, velcro backed disks for the random orbit sander and strips for long board sanders. All the products cut well, don't load up and appear to be manufactured to a high specifications. I especially like the 320 grit discs folded in half and used for sanding down varnish between coats, they were used for inter coat sanding on the hatch boards and tiller that Ihave used as a back drop for the picture. Further details and a video are promised later in the week so you can see them in action but for now if you want further details you can go to the SIA website by clicking here, which if I have one complaint with is that picking the right product for a particular sanding application is next to impossible without recourse to the help line, so many products do they have!

Copper Anti fouling

 
Washington state has become the first state in the union to ban the use of copper based anti fouling paints and it looks as though California will not be far behind. After January 1st 2018 it will be illegal in Washington to sell  boats with copper based anti fouling paints and paints with no more than 0.5 % copper cannot be used after  January 1st 2020. It seems likely that other states will follow suit. What bothers me about this is that boats over 65 feet are exempt as are all  government vessels, research vessels and commercial vessels. So basically the one people that it is going to affect is the small recreational boater. So that means that in Port Townsend, WA I cannot paint the bottom of my Boston Whaler with a copper based paint but right next to me in the ship yard they can be spraying on copper based paint to a 370 foot bulk carrier! Now the surface area of that Boston Whaler boat that is contact with the water is but a minor pimple compared with the bulk carrier. Then when we factor in that the Whaler is dry sailed off the trailer and may only go into the water a few weeks a year but the bulk carrier sits at the dock for days leeching copper into the surrounding water. Something does not add up here.

Copper is one of the best anti fouling treatments out there. The British admiralty knew it hundreds of years ago and started nailing sheets of cooper onto the bottom of their warships to prevent infestation from ship-worm and other pests. Anti fouling works because it is toxic if you make anti fouling less toxic then the boat become more susceptible to fouling. Come on, does the average recreational boater make that much difference, I don't think so. The other problem for paint manufacturers is that they now have to come up with alternatives. We had this same problem some years ago when TBT (tri butyl tin) was banned which again was only for recreational craft, commercial vessels were exempt. If congress and individual states are really worried about our oceans then worry about the billions of oil that were spilled into the Gulf last year of which no one seems to have been held accountable.

Red Lead

 

One of the great things about old boat shops is the smell. As soon as you walk through the door, the floorboards creak and you get hit by that smell of pine tar and varnish. OK so maybe I am romanticizing just a bit and those kind of boat shops are few and far between now and you are most likely to get hit by the smell of styrene of the latest Sundecker 42 being built as you walk through the door of an industrial unit that just happens to make boats. But the fact remains that there are boat builders out there that continue to use traditional materials. There are good reasons for this; on a traditional wooden boat the whole structure continues to move and 'work' as it travels through the water. Modern materials such as epoxy, fiberglass and two part paints are marvelous materials but they do not hold up when applied to something like a lapstrake or carvel cruiser. What is needed is something better suited to the substrate that can expand and contract with the changing seasons and the natural movement of the boat.

Years ago when I started building boats all the frames, planking lands and just about everything else that was sure to get wet was liberally coated with red lead paint. This coating was and still is the best defense against the ravishes of time and weather and for all those areas that would be impossible to gain access to once the boat was constructed. Environmental and other concerns have made many of these old time paints and compounds hard to come by but they are available I am happy to report from Kirby paints in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Red lead primer at $225 a gallon is far from cheap but the chances are that in many cases it will only be applied once after which it will be left to do it's job for years to come. Red lead can be used for all sorts of things, of course you need to be aware of the health hazards but it is unsurpassed for protection and as an undercoater on both wood and metal. It is perfect for steel keels and centerboards and the timbers in the bilge.

I need to add that I am not being paid to write this I am just enthusiastic about the products which come from a small firm that has been in the same family for the last 150 years or so and is today I understand run by George Kirby the forth. In addition to the red lead they make white lead paste and traditional boat enamels. Their website is basic by many standards but they do publish prices and have an on-line color chart so  you can see what they do offer. You can buy direct or you can order their products from Jamestown Distributors  who seem to be about the only other stockist of their products.

Teak treatments 14 months on

 

Regular readers may think that they have seen this board before and they would be right. It is the weathering board of teak treatments that I have been using for long term tests of various teak oils and other treatments. I initialy put these samples on this board 5 years ago and since that time the samples have been left out to weather.  I have to say that things have not changed that much since I bought you an update way back in January of last year and the findings that I came up with then still hold good. I have reapplied the treatments in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations once per year as written on the can or bottle and it has been a very interesting experience to see how they compare side by side. If you were to look at each one in isolation you can definitely see a difference from plain untreated teak but put them side by side and the difference is marked. Not only is the color different from sample to sample (I should add that the teak all came from the same log and was cut at the same time) but interestingly the grain is raised rather more on some than the others.

You can read the blog posting from a year ago by clicking here and the results as written then still hold up with no revision necessary.

Painting and varnishing tip

Now I am sure that you are fed up with hearing that a paint or varnish job is only as good as what's underneath and that means that the prep work has to be up to snuff if the paint is not going to peel off in a second and a half. One mistake that I see made time and time again is sharp edges on woodwork and other surfaces that are about to be painted. Any edge tends to attract more wear than flat surfaces but sharp edges are painful if you bang your leg into them but they also do not hold up well by comparison with the rest of the job.

 
If you look at my rather poor sketch above you can see what I mean. The black line indicates a corner of a cabin trunk or what ever and the blue line is the surface of the paint film. Because paint cannot stick will to a sharp corner the paint is very thin and will wear through quickly.

Now compare this to the drawing below.  Click on them to make them larger if you like.

 

 

 
The cabin top edge has now been rounded off slightly and the paint sticks much better to the substrate. In many cases the round over need not be huge, a little bit of time with some abrasive paper is often all that is needed but for items such as toe rails then a small round over bit in a router will turn the toes rail from the utilitarian to a thing of beauty.

Working with two part paints

   

Back in the day choosing a paint for the boat was fairly easy, you went down to the chandlery and picked out a color went home and slapped it on. Well there was little more to it that that but not much. In the past 15 years or so things have moved on at quite a rate and paint is now made by skilled chemists rather than guys in the back of the boatshed.

 One of the major advances of interest to the boat owner is the widespread introduction of 2 pack polyurethane paints. These paints manufactured by the likes of Awlgrip, Interlux, Petit and Epifanes offer the ultimate in durability and longevity. Available in an almost infinite variety of colors these paints, which were once the preserve of professional yards, are now available to the DIY boating enthusiast.

Traditionally painting glass fiber was fraught with problems the paint was generally incompatible with the substrate, which tended to flake off and not adhere well. There is still some resistance to painted hulls mostly fueled by old salts that had disappointing results years ago and still think that painting a hull is a bad thing.

Once regarded as something that was done to tart up an old tired hull there are an increasing number of high-end boat builders who now produce their hulls with clear gelcoat and then paint them to owner’s choice later. Hinckley does this and they say that this has several advantages over using a colored gelcoat, imperfections in the lay up are easier to spot, there is less chance of damaging a hull surface before the final fitting out is complete and an owner does not have to decide on a color until the boat is almost ready for delivery.

 

Two pack paints can be applied in two ways, they can either be sprayed or using the roll and tip method. Spraying is not really a DIY proposition not least because specialized equipment is required beyond the scope of all but the most affluent and determined individual. A spray booth is necessary along with expensive spray guns and respiratory protection. This leads us to the other option of the roller and tip method of application. When done correctly and with care the finished result is almost indistinguishable from spray application and is what I like to call a 15-foot finish. That is from 15 feet away no one will be able to tell the difference.

 

 

The deck of this Hinckley Bermuda 40 looks resplendent in a fresh coat of Oyster White.

You can use 2 pack paints almost anywhere but they are probably of most interest to boat owners who use them on their topsides. They are not suitable however for all applications however. Unlike more traditional alkyd paints which have a degree of flexibility, 2 part polyurethanes once cured are very hard and do not have any give and thus are unsuitable for substrates such as wood which move in concert with changes in the atmosphere. Below is an outline of how to go about using 2 part paints for topside painting but also note that they are not suitable for surfaces that will be constantly immersed in water so should not be used below the boot top. However the paints are expensive cost up to 60% than more traditional coatings so you might find it useful to have a go at a smaller project before committing to a full-scale refurb of the boat. A small dinghy could be a good project, as it will give you useful experience with working with the paint before you go on to tackling a larger and more costly project.

 

For the best results aim to apply 2 pack polyurethanes when the air is still and the temperature is between 50 and 85 degrees. Any hotter and the surface is liable to skin up too fast and any cooler and it will drag, both will result is a poor finish. Avoid applying towards the end of the day when the temperature is falling as this can often result in a loss of gloss retention. At 65 degrees the surface will be tack free within about 3 hours and after 24 will be ready for the next coat. Finally if you are one of the increasing amount of owners that shrink wraps their boat during the winter get the yard to only go as far as the toe rail. You might think that it offers better protection for the paint by going down to the waterline but you would be wrong. Moisture inevitably gets trapped between the wrap and the paint and this will cause bubbling so is best avoided.

 

How to apply

 

 Two part paints are very expensive so it is important to avoid costly mistakes. The only time that I really got into trouble was when I thought I knew better than the manufacturer and used less thinner then they suggested but the less said about that escapade the better.

Before you go anywhere near your project the first thing to do is read understand and digest the information supplied by the manufacturer. Much information is contained on the can but it is also worth reading the safety data sheets which can be often found at the location where you bought the paint or downloaded from the manufacturers web site.

There will be slight dissimilarities between each of the paint products but in general terms the application and use techniques are common to all two pack paints.

As with any painting the finish will only be as good as the preparation. Get the surface as smooth as possible and you are half way to a great looking paint job. Assuming that you are going to paint the topsides start by washing the boat down with good boat soap, check that it does not contain any silicone, which will react with any paint coatings and prevent them from adhering. I have had good results with Latitude 43 organic boat soap, spray on leave to soak for 15 minutes then rinse off. The other option is to use some of the soft scrub type bathroom cleaners. What we are trying to do at this stage is to clean all contamination from the surface. Whatever product you ultimately use rinse thoroughly and completely with lots of clean water. Any beading up on the surface of the hull means that wax or other contaminants are present.

 

With the hull clean the boat can be sanded to provide a key for subsequent coatings. I like to use 80 grit paper in a random orbit sander, keep the sander moving to avoid sanding off too much or you could go through the gel coat or at the very least make it very thin unnecessarily. Work methodically and completely making sure that the hull or other surface is universally dull. This process is very dusty so wear old clothes, a suitable dust mask and eye protection. I like to run my fingers lightly over the sanded surface as you can feel imperfection far better than you can see them. Dust off the topsides and as you do put pencil mark circles around any imperfections, dings or gouges that need attention. If major fairing and filling work is required in any area now is the time to mix up some epoxy and micro balloons and trowel this onto the surface with a wide plastic squeegee. If the repairs are minor I like to use Bondo type filler. Filling an d fairing is definitely an acquired art on the one hand you need to apply enough to fill the imperfection but on the other hand not so much that you have a lot of extra sanding to do later. With the filler applied I like to leave the surface for at least 24 hours to allow any filler to cure I then come back to the boat and sand down the surface to feather in the filled areas. Although it can be tempting to use the random orbit sander it is all to easy to take off too much in which case you will have to reapply additional filler. Buy or make up a long sanding board to which you can stick abrasive paper and use this to sand down any filler, it can be hard work but the end result will be far better.

With the surface now hopefully silky smooth we can start to apply paint but first mask off all areas that you don’t wont paint to touch which for most yachts will be along the underside of the toe rail and along the top of the boot top. Dust the boat off thoroughly then wipe the whole area to be coated with the thinners or solvent recommended by the manufacturer changing rags often to avoid moving dirt from one area to another. While min some cases it is possible to proceed directly to topcoats better results will be obtained by applying an epoxy primer. This is mixed following the instructions on the can to the letter. Generally these are two part products a hardener is added to a base, mixed solvent added, mixed again then left to stand or ‘induct’ for 20 minutes to half an hour before application.

The undercoats are applied in the same way as the final topcoats so perfect your technique on this initial coat and the topcoats will go like a breeze. Starting at one end of the boat one painter rolls on a coat of paint while a second painter immediately follows up with a dry brush and ‘tips’ off the surface to relax the orange peel effect left by the roller and further smooth out the paint. The brush should not be dragged through the paint only the lightest of touches are necessary. The work will move quickly but once you stop don’t stop, the last time I did this on a 38 footer two of us got round the boat in a couple of hours fairly easily.

The colored topcoats are applied in exactly the same way and using the same technique but you will notice that they can be noticeably thinner and therefore faster to apply but to achieve full coverage you may need 3 coats sanding between each coat with 400-grit paper.

 

 

Safety

 

Working with 2 part paints does not pose a health hazard providing a few simple common sense rules are followed.

1

Always ready and adhere to manufacturers recommendations for application techniques.

2

Keep a clean work area and do not smoke, drink or eat until you are well away from the painting area and you have washed your hands.

3

Wear protective face and eye protection. Tyvek suits and latex or nitrile gloves will keep paints and solvents off your skin.

4

Don’t spray 2 pack paints unless you have specialist knowledge and the correct equipment.

5

Dispose of unused paint properly allow it to cure before throwing into the trash and never under any circumstances tip it down drains or into watercourses.

 

How much do I need?

 

As a rough guide one pint of correctly thinned paint will cover about 75 square feet so from this you should be able to work out the amount of paint that you need. I found that I needed one undercoat and three top coats for the best coverage last time that I used 2 pack paints so work out the square footage to paint multiply by four and that will give you the total surface area that you will eventually have to cover with paint.

 

The paints are all available either directly from the suppliers or from local stockists such as West Marine. Color charts are available on line but every computer monitor is different and shows color in a differing way so pick from a color card if at all possible to avoid disappointment.

 

Resources

 

 

Paint

Epifanes

www.epifanes.com

800-269-0961

 

Interlux

www.yachtpaint.com

800-468-7589

 

Pettit

www.pettitpaint.com

800-221-4466

 

Brushes and rollers

 

Corona

www.coronabrushes.com

800-458-3483  

 

 

 

 

The roll and tip method when done correctly produces results to rival spraying. One operator rolls on the paint and another helper follows immediately behind with a dry brush tipping off the paint. This relaxes the paint makes roller marks disappear and smoothes the surface.