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More Vardo Construction issues


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Sigh. So I finally got a sunny warm day, and took the opportunity to get a first coat of spar urethane on my Vardo frame.  Unfortunately, what after about 2/3 of the first coat, the day went from Sunny and 55 to 45 and threatening rain any second.  I decided (foolishly) to hurry the last part of the job, and got the thing covered in urethane, and tented against rain.  But hurrying the job (predictably) gave me a crappy finish, with all kinds of drips and uneven coverage.  I'm going to sand out the drips etc., but I'm wondering.  Rather than try a second coat of brushed urethane, which was not easy to apply evenly, what about using aerosol spray polyurethane? Anybody used it yet?

 

BTW, I ordered floatbags and fabric this morning.  Getting close!

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Uneven coverage would occur even with the best of applications when it comes to the first coat.  Depending on the grain at any given spot a different amount of varnish is absorbed vs. stays on the surface.  Drips are definitely operator error.  For a superb finish it takes at least 5 coats of varnish IMO, especially if a gloss finish is the goal.  If varnish is important to you I suggest a couple coats of satin varnish on the whole frame with a coat or 2 of gloss, (if you want gloss) in the cockpit area.  Maybe use spray for this part as it is extremely wasteful as Jeff points out.

 

I oiled, and will do so if I build another, but that is how I would use varnish or urethanes/polyurethanes.

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To Hirlonde:

 

I am pretty sure that I do not care much about the looks of the frame. The coaming is painted a lovely satin blue, and the rest of the frame is covered by the skin.  That said, I really do want to protect the frame from water damage, so I am pretty well set that I am going to have to put at lest a second coat of urethane on the thing.  the question, in my mind, concerns whether it is worth sanding down drips and the other imperfections in the first urethane coat.  Opinion?

 

BTW, if I had it to do over, I would go with oil too.  But I made the initial error, and now can do nothing except make the best of the situation.

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The whole, 'How do I protect my frame against water damage?' issue was one that I struggled with for a while. The problem is, there is no obvious choice. Do I oil it? Do I polyurethane it? I work with a guy who is a boat builder on the side and he says I ought to West epoxy it. There seem to be pros and cons for every method. But eventually I decided to follow Jeff's argument (if I understand correctly) that 99% of the time it will be high and dry and thus, an oiled frame will probably outlast me.

 

Unless your drips will show through the skin (I kinda doubt it) I would just recoat over the top of the first. I know you weren't asking me, but I thought I would chine in anyway.

 

Good luck with it!

 

-Ben

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For what it is worth, I lean toward poly or varnish now mainly because oil will dry out eventually and the frame will weather and turn gray (WRC).  Plus I like the looks of varnished cedar.

 

But if you use good wood, store the boat properly, let it dry and keep in dry I still say the frame will outlast you without anything on it.

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Just a quick update, for any who may be interested.  Thanks to those who responded.  As ever your advice has been sound.  I sanded the worst offending of the drips etc, concentrating on the are a around the cockpit, where I will have to touch the wood most, or where it will wind up visible.  I then used Minwax Quick Drying spray polyurethane.  Let me be clear that i think the polyurethane was a mistake.  I think I would have been happier with an oil finish, and any future boats will have an oil finish.  But this product when on smooth, the finish lays really nicely, very very light and even, and it did dry to handle within minutes.  I used it outside, but caution that even then a respirator or mask is a good idea.  Still and all an impressive product,if youthink you may want to go poly rather than oil.

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