This Webpage is a work in progress, started as part of our Varnishing Workshop for Zeke Bly and his students as the final class of his wooden boat restoration workshop. This was a hands-on session, and the photos below show us enjoying an afternoon of sanding, prepping and varnishing my shop bathroom door. Please check back frequently and follow our progress as we complete all the sections below. I also welcome your comments and thoughts. Just send an email to:

Bill John

John1948@metrocast.net

Introduction

I have been varnishing vintage wooden boats for over 30 years, beginning with my beloved Gar Wood Speedster Obsession in 1979, which I still own and maintain. Over the years I have read many articles and books on varnishing, used many different products and tried many different methods of varnishing. Then in the Spring of 2002, I finally took the plunge, casting off my career in Corporate America and started my new, semi-retirement career with my own Vintage Race Boat Shop. It was time to follow my dream and my bliss, working on vintage wooden boats and specializing in finish and varnish work.

 

The varnishing technique we use in the shop is called "rolling & tipping" and we use Epifanes varnish exclusively. In an effort to share the knowledge and the fun, the following discussion is how we finish a vintage wooden boat.

Finishing - starting with a bare wooden hull

Initial sanding, stain, sealing, first varnish coat

When starting with a bare hull like Compulsion, we began by sanding and fairing the hull sides and deck with 100 grit paper, then 120 on a straight, non-orbital sander, followed by a full day of hand sanding with the grain using 180 grit paper on sanding blocks. After a thorough vacuuming and much prep work, we stained the hull using Bartley's Gel Stain - brown mahogany on the deck and transom and jet mahogany on the covering boards and hull sides.

After the stain was allowed to dry overnight, we applied two coats of Pettit Clear Sealer, using our "rolling & tipping" technique and sanding lightly with Scotchbrite Pads between coats.

After lightly hand sanding with ScotchBrite Pads, we then applied the first coat of Epifanes varnish, not thinned but straight from the can, again using our "rolling & tipping" technique.

After the first coat of varnish, we follow the steps below with at least six more build coats, followed with as many "final coats" as needed to get a pretty much dust-free final coat that just flows out beautifully. We love to varnish, it is our therapy, and by using thick, amber tinted Epifanes varnish, with each coat the finish keeps getting darker and deeper. What fun !!!

Finishing - sanding, build coats, final varnish coat

 

Sanding between varnish coats:

 

The final varnish coat - always one more coat in the can:

Summary:

The products we use:

Pettit Filler Stain

Bartley's Gel Stain

West System foam rollers

Three inch roller

Jen Foam brushes

3M Tack Rags

3M 2080 masking tape

Epifanes varnish

Epifanes retarder

Interlux Brightside paint

Pettit Boot Stripe paint

Fein Turbo II vacuum

Dewalt 5 inch random orbital sander

This Webpage is a work in progress, please check back frequently and follow our progress as we complete all the sections. I also welcome your comments and thoughts. Just send an email to:

Bill John

John1948@metrocast.net

If you get a chance, please stop by and join our Saturday Morning Gatherings. We provide fresh pots of coffee, shop projects to discuss, a big screen TV and usually have some vintage boat racing videos playing in the background. If you want to join our therapy group, put on your grubbies and come join the fun. We usually have around 10/15 vintage wonderers attending, with a couple of rocking chairs, hot coffee, way too many donuts, and lots of good vintage boat banter. Please join us, all are welcome. The coffee is usually ready by 9:00 AM - please bring donuts !!!

We are located on King Street in Wolfeboro, just off Bay Street, behind the large Laconia Electric building and across from the Sawmill Marina and the Wolfetrap.