Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

S&G: Varnishing Questions
By:Norm James
Date: 12/1/2003, 2:48 pm

I am getting close to completing a pair of Osprey Standards and am thinking down the road to varnishing. I have several questions:
How long should I wait be for vanishing? I living in update New York so it will be a while before I can use it anyway.

What is the best strategy for varnishing; varnish the hull, let it dry flip the kayak over and do the deck? Hang from ceiling and do the hull and deck all at once? I did read on the forum about someone that built a varnish rotisserie but could not follow his directions.

If you use the flip method do you mask at the sear line or a below the sear line? When you mask do you mask at the same point all the time or allow for some overlap? Would you sand between coats, after both the deck & hull are both varnished or before flipping to do the other half?

I am looking at using Z-Spar Captains Varnish. I figure that I will need about 3 qt. total for both boats. It cost about the same price to buy a gallon. Would it be better to buy quarts or buy a gallon and place it in mason jars?

Thanks for any help.
Norm

Messages In This Thread

S&G: Varnishing Questions
Norm James -- 12/1/2003, 2:48 pm
Re: S&G: Varnishing Questions
Tom Page -- 12/3/2003, 1:41 pm
Re: S&G: Varnishing Questions
John Monroe -- 12/2/2003, 4:41 am
Re: S&G: Varnishing Questions
Robert N Pruden -- 12/2/2003, 7:42 am
Re: S&G: Varnishing Questions
Bill Cruz -- 12/2/2003, 2:07 am
Re: S&G: Varnishing Questions
Robert N Pruden -- 12/2/2003, 12:24 am
Re: S&G: Varnishing Questions
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 12/1/2003, 4:22 pm