F!TI[[JG I)";'! BY ANDREW BURTON A Spring Primer on Paintsand Varnish
With so many brightwork. Here's a head start on the sorts of finishes that products on the are available, a few tips that shelf, do a little will make your project less painful, and some resources to homework and explore to learn more about products and techniques. find just the right one for your next Wood Treatments Different wood-fin- boatyard projects ishing products are more or less difficult to use and yield re- sults that tend to be IT'S SPRINGTIME, AND CHANCES proportional to the are that if your sailboat was effort exerted in hauled last fall, you're facing preparing the surface. at least one painting or var- Teak and mahogany nishing project before it goes are the most common back in the water. There are woods used externally basically four kinds of paint- on boats, with oak ing jobs: antifouling, topsides being evident every and decks, interiors, and now and again. Ma-
88 CRUISING WORLD APRIL 2007 HANDS-ON SAILOR
hogany and oak must be have to do as much of it as sealed, or they'll blacken and you would were you to sand eventually rot; varnish is the off all the oxidation. best finish for these woods, al- When it's sanded and fin- though some may choose ished, teak takes on a gor- paint instead. geous luster that's a pleasure Teak is more flexible. Be- to behold. There are, in gener- cause of its natural oils, it can al, three finishes that can be be left unfinished, and it will applied to teak: natural oil, take on a silver color that synthetic sealers, and varnish. some cruisers prefer because Oils penetrate into the it requires no more attention wood and give it a rich glow than an occasional scrub when they're applied, but with soap and water. If you they're thin, so if you're not plan to put a finish on your very careful, they can end up teak, you have to get it look- making a mess of the sur- ing good first. If it's bare and rounding area. Most oils go has oxidized, you'll probably on clear, so any spills won't want to use one of the many show up until they've dried, teak cleaners before you and then they're hard to re- sand. Beware, though: All of move. Because most have few, these will damage the teak to if any, ultraviolet absorbers, some extent. Use them spar- the sun causes oil to deterio- ingly, and bear in mind that rate quickly,so the wood must you'll still have to sand the be recoated several times a wood after using a cleaner; season to keep it looking good. ---- you just won't Most natural oils
Buy the Right Masking Tape en painting and several weeks, then use a less varnishing, you expensive tape and remove it Wcan achieve daily. Don't use the typical straight lines and eliminate light-tan stuff outside. The runs and drips if you take the sun's rays will make it adhere time to properly mask off the to the surface you've taped off, area on which you're working. and chances are that you'll
If you plan to do the whole have a very hard time remov- z o.... job in one go, use a long-last- 0: ing it. It also has strong glue, :> CD ing masking tape. If you're so it'll often pull up the finish W;;: 0: going to spread the job over to which it adheres. o z «
90 CRUISING WORLO ArRll 2007 Some sealers must be recoated more often than varnish but don't require sanding between coats; others, such as Cetol, need to be roughed up and recoated seasonally stay sticky for some days after be roughed up with a scratch application-the more coats pad and recoated seasonally that are applied, the longer once base coats have been ap- they stay sticky-so they can plied. After several coats have attract dirt. been applied, the pigments Oils such as Deks Olje are incorporated in some of these thicker and, like varnish, have finishes will cause them to ap- driers in them. They don't re- pear muddy, and you'll have quire sanding between coats to remove them and start over and can be built up to an al- again. In the past year, Cetol most varnishlike finish. has come out with a new color Sealers-including Inter- that more closely mimics the lux's Sikkens Cetol, Teak look of natural teak. Semco, Wonder, and Semco Teak meanwhile, comes in five Sealer-are thin, solvent- tints, plus a clear. Many cruis- based finishes containing pig- ers swear by these products ments that actually color the because of the low mainte- wood to which they're ap- nance they require. (See "Our plied. They contain UV in- Favorite Upgrades:' page 82.) hibitors to block the sun's Many sailors consider var- Heed the Call. rays, so they last longer than nishes to be the prettiest fin- oils. Some of them must be ishes because of their clear Buy a brand new yacht in the SailTime fleet recoated more often than var- amber glow, which shows off nish, but they don't require the wood in all its grainy and SailTime will make your monthly payments sanding between coats. Some glory. Using a pretty basic for you. And we'll pay your marina fees. And sealers, such as Cetol, need to formula, which includes tur- all maintenance and repairs. And your insurance.
The largest manufacturer of topsides and bottom paint, for And.. . Sound too good to be true? It is good. masking tape in the United instance-but the tape can And it is true. As the world's leading fractional States is 3M. The tapes come only be left on for a maximum sailing program SailTimehas made the dream of in different grades, with the of five days. owning a yacht practical and affordable. You enjoy stuff that you can leave on the If you want a really crisp, longest being the most expen- clean paint line, then the best vitually unlimited access to your boat and SailTime sive. Trust me: It's worth tape is 3M's light-green num- manages, maintains, and pays for everything - even spending the money to avoid ber 218 Fine Line masking the fuel. It's simple - you do the sailing, we do the the torture of trying to re- tape; the downside with this move baked-on tape. The product is that if used outside, rest. Sailing couldn't be easier! company says its number 2090 it can only be left on for one blue tape can be left on for up day. With all tapes, make sure 1.1/1/11. ~~ to 14 days and still be re- you press the edge down thor- moved cleanly. This tape is oughly to prevent bleeding. probably the best for varnish Oh, and about that brown SAIL-TIME jobs, where a perfectly clean tape: If you went ahead and ~) tape line isn't necessary. The used it, 3M Adhesive Remover THEALTERNATIVETOTRADITIONALOWNERSHIP company's bright-green num- is a good solvent for removing ber 256 will be good if you the residue. need a clean line-between A.B. 877-SAILTIME WWW.SAILTIME.COM MORETHAN40LOCATIONSWORLDWIDE CRUISING WORLD APRIL 2007 IN ASSOCIATIONWITH 0 !:!...\I,,,.Il.:..ER' HANDS-ON SAILOR
pentine, boiled linseed or tung oil, pine Captain's and Awlgrip's AwlSpar varnish or surfaces, toning down the brilliant tar, and a drier, varnishes have been used are popular as well. Well outside of the shineyou getfrom glossvarnish.They're to protect boats for centuries. All mod- tropics, in the middle and high latitudes, bestappliedoverseveralcoatsof glossbe- ern gloss varnishes contain UV in- you can expect varnish to last the whole causethey aren't asdurable asthe gloss; hibitors to help preserve the finish. The season-and longer, if you can keep it for this reason,theyaren'tsuitablefor ex- most popular varnishes are the easiest to out of the sun and if you don't let it sit terior use.Oils willlast better on interi- work, and with a few coats, they provide covered with salt. In warmer climes, you ors, too, as they won't break down as a deep, brilliant shine. Varnish experts in may find yourself sanding or touching quickly from the sun. the Caribbean, where the sun is especial- up the varnish several times a year. Linear polyurethanes, such as Interlux ly brutal, prefer Interlux Schooner and Most manufacturers make a matte var- Perfection or clear Awlgrip, are hard, Epifanes Gloss Varnish, though Z Spar nish that givesa rich satin luster to interi- clear, long-lasting finishes that are more difficult to work with than traditional varnishes, but the trade-off is that they don't have to be recoated as often. When varnishing from bare wood, I al- ways start with a varnish-based sealer, such as Interlux Interprime Wood Sealer or Pettit Clear Sealer, for the first few coats to fill in the grain. On mahogany, you can fill the grain with a paste stain, such as Z-Spar Wood Filler Stain or Inter- lux Interstain, before the first coat of seal- er goes on. Though foam brushes have a tendency How-fo to drip, if you're careful with one, you can DVD '-.-.....- achieve almost as good a finish as with an
.0 expensive badger-hair varnish brush. And when you're finished, there's no HO~~. O~o'V meticulous cleanup-you can just toss ~ the brush. (See "A Good 01' Teak Re- -- vival;' April 2006.)
Company Contacts User Manual &Product Guide Repair Manuals AlexseaI: (314) 783-2110, If you know nothing about epoxy, Final Fairing & Finishing, Fiberglass Boat Repair www.alexseal.com start here. Easy-to-follow guide provides & Maintenance, Vacuum Bagging Techniques, basic information on using WEST SYSTEM Gelcoat Blisters, and Wooden Boat Resoration Awlgrip: (888) 355-3090, products. Covers safety, surface preparation, & Repair. These manuals guide you through a www.awlgrip.com bonding, coating, fairing, applying variety of professional level repairs, renovations, fiberglass cloth and more. and construction techniques. Detco Marine: for Sterling Paint; Softcover. Softcover. (714) 895-7002, wwwdetco marine.com The Gougeon Brothers on Boat NEW Epifanes North America: (207) 354- Construction, Sth Edition WESTSYSTEMEpoxy How-To DVD 0804, www.epifanes.com Thirty-fiveyears of boatbuilding A compilation of our three instructional innovation and experience are detailed Flood Company: for Deks Olje; videos demonstrating basic handling in the Sth Edition of this classic on (800) 321-3444, www.flood.com Wood and WESTSYSTEMMaterials.This and advanced epoxy repair techniques for fiberglass boats. Topics covered Interlux: (908) 686-1300, newly revised, expanded and updated edition includes discussions on the include Basic Application Techniques, Fiberglass Repair with WESTSYSTEM, www.yachtpaint.com fundamentals of wood/epoxy composite and Gelcoat Blister repair. Jen Manufacturing: foam brushes; construction, core boatbuilding techniques, DVD S9 minutes. hull construction methods, and an extensive (508) 753-1076, www.jenmfg.com chapter on hardware bonding. Pettit Paint: for Woolsey and Z-Spar; Hardcover,406 pages. (973) 625-3100, www.pettitpaint.com Semco Teak Products: (800) 662-0223, www.semcoteakproducts.com Available at your local WESTSYSTEMDealer, Teak Wonder: +44-23-924-65607, www.teakwonder.co.uk WestSystem.lnfo,or call ustoll free at 866-937-8797 3M: (888) 364-3577, www.3m.com West System Inc., PO Box 665, Bay City, M148707-0665 West Marine: (800) 685-4838, WestSystem.com www.westmarine.com
92 CRUISING WORLD APRil 2007 Topcoats:the Shiny Paint Premium Topcoat, or Interlux Perfection. gle-part paints may be your best option In the life of every boat, there comes a These paints were designed for the do-it- for your bootstripe, as this area takes a time when the topsides need to be refin- yourselfer and produce a fine finish. beating and needs to be repainted often ished or perhaps a repair needs to be If you're in a hurry-and on a bud- anyway.They're a good choice for interi- touched up. The boat owner has several get-to get the boat in the water for the ors, too. options when it comes to topsides paints, summer, a one-part polyurethane, such Bear in mind that almost every topcoat and-what a surprise-the best and as Interlux Brightside or Pettit Easypoxy, you use will first require the application longest lasting is also the most expensive. will giveyou a perfectly acceptable finish, of a suitable primer; see the manufactur- If you have a fiberglass boat, the top- and it's easy to apply. The downside is er's instructions for the paint you choose. sides were most likelygelcoated while the that after a year or two, you'll find it needs The same goes for metal: Aluminum boat was in the mold. Gelcoat is a colored to be sanded and a new coat applied. Sin- hulls and masts, for example, will need to resin that gets its luster and finish from the perfectly smooth surface of the mold used to shape the hull. Though strong and durable, gelcoat over time will even- tually fade and crack. Regular waxing can extend its life,but sooner or later, age and docks will make it necessary to refinish your boat's topsides. Some owners think they can simply have a boat's gelcoat reapplied and start the whole process over again, but Larry Colantuono of Brewer's Cove Haven Marina, in Barring- ton, Rhode Island, says that they'll be dis- appointed. "An owner can have his boat sprayed with gelcoat;' he says,"but I don't see any value in it-it's not going to last because it'll have to be sanded smooth and polished," which opens the pores of the gelcoat and shortens its life. For refinishing topsides, Colantuono recommends a two-part linear polyurethane, such as those from Awlgrip or Sterling. Linear polyurethanes are hard, high-gloss, durable paints devel- oped for the airline industry. You can, with a modicum of effort, do a very good job of refinishing the topsides by rolling and tipping the paint. (See "The Awlgrip Topsides Job," a two-part series in April and May 2006, and "A Crash Course for a Do-It-Yourselfer;' April 2006.) One mea- sure of a paint job's quality is how far away from the boat you have to be for the finish to look good; a 5-foot job should be within reach of even the most ham-fisted owner. Bear in mind that breathing the fumes from linear polyurethanes is dan- gerous; it's necessary for anyone within sniffing range to wear a good respirator. For a first-class job, and if the budget allows, the best bet is to have a profes- sional painter spray your boat. I chose just such an Awlgrip job on my boat, and the result was amazing. With a ruler placed on end against the mirrorlike top- sides finish, the reflected numbers could be read more than 3 feet out. A more economical choice might have been to apply a two-part polyurethane such as Epifanes Polyurethane, Alexseal
CRUISING WORLD APRil 2007 93 HAN OS-ON SAILOR
be prepared with special washes and deck, with the same caveats. On my boat, just applied. I don't recommend using primed with zinc chromate. Then the the waterways-the areas that collect sand or walnut shells because as the paint manufacturer's primer should be applied dirt-are finished in white, while the gets scuffed off the tops of the sharp grit, before the topcoat. nonskid is light gray, so the type of foot- the grit will show black allover your new ing is immediately obvious to those deck job-and it'll wreak havoc on your Repainting the Deck working on deck. foul-weather gear. Repainting the deck can perhaps get For the nonskid areas, use a clear com- you the most bang for your buck because pound such as Awlgrip GripTex or Inter- Bottom Paint that's the part of the boat you look at lux Intergrip so that when the paint wears So there you are, standing in the ma- when you're sailing. Any paint suitable off the top of the particles-as it quickly rine store before a wall of antifouling for use on the topsides can be used on does-it will still show the color you've paints and wondering what to put on your boat this year. The simple answer is the same stuff you applied last time. But there's a catch: In these times of changing environmental laws, it's not always possi- Outfitting and safety experts ble to put on the same stuff because it may not be made anymore. Or perhaps you cleaned the garage in the past year and tossed those old cans with only the electronic charts dregs left in them. NLANDFALL paper charts SaLAS flares Not to worry: Most manufacturers _NAVIGATION life rafts provide antifouling compatibility www.landfallnavigation.com foul weather gear charts to help you decide what paint to navigation software use if you're switching. Applying an in- MOB equipment compatible paint can be a really messy inflatable PFDs disaster, but a coat of primer between .cruising guides almanacs, pilots the old and new paints will often ensure tethers a good bond. jaddines It's easy to pay more than $300 a gallon docks, barometers for antifouling paint, so choosing your instruments bottom paint isn't a decision to make EPIRBs lightly. One CW editor who used his boat watermakers only in the summer took pride in apply- drogues sea anchors ing the cheapest bottom paint he could abandon ship gear find. (The best deal was 2 gallons for less rigging cutters than $35.) When he started living aboard medical packs year-round, though, he found that the night vision cheap stuff didn't seem to hold up to a sextants year-and-a-half in the water. During a haulout last fall, he was forced to cough up the big bucks (perhaps you heard the scream?) for the good stuff that offers multiseason protection. If your boat's hauled out every winter and sailed in colder water, you may be able to get away with spending less on an- tifouling than your southern neighbors. But if your cruising plans include year- round sailing in the tropics, reach for the top of the shelf. One of the most effective antifouling See our catalog online or call for a additives, tributyltin, was very effectiveat free print catalog keeping the bottom of boats clean but 800-941.2219 was banned because it had a negative ef- )~ fect on fish and other marine organisms. ~J~ f ~ ~ , ~ .. ~ You can expect more of these changes in -?:y- , paint chemistry as environmental regula- FREE online cruising/racing tions evolve. I planning guldesl When it comes time to sand and paint, .... any antifouling paint can be dangerous to '.'. .. '* """-' -~ L~.lan~::naYlgation.com/~~.htm~. -.,.. apply. Not to put too fine a point on it, 94 CRUISI:
CRUISING WORLD APRIL 2007 95