Question NOT about paint

[Andrew]

I am looking to put 'slatted' seats in the weekender and don't want to varnish them in case they are too slippery when getting in and out of the boat.

Any suggestions?

I have been told that carnaubra wax will give a nice 'glossy' finish and if it is mixed 50/50 with paraffin wax it will also be water resistant.

The wood I'll be using will probably be mahogany

Thanx in advance

Andrew

[Frank Hagan]

Plain would work best, but it will age in the sun and turn lighter. You can oil mahogany and it won't be too slippery. That will keep it dark, for a while at least. But, the oil might also get on your clothes.

You could try a satin finish spar varnish, and rough it up a bit with steel wool. Maybe the fact that its slatted will help too, with the edges of each slat helping to keep you on your feet.

Or, try it bare and when it gets too dull looking, sand and go for a few more months. (You'll probably end up painting it and putting anti-skid in the paint later on!)

[Guest]

Mahogany turns grey when left clear and unfinished. I have used a clear wood sealer, such as a clear style cuprinol. If you have a Home Depot, check for the clear wood sealer, as Behr makes. Three of four coats after proper uniform sanding will go a long ways for easy maintainance, and a nice protected finish. Left untreated, the wrong grain pattern will cause splitting and cupping in wider boards. This can be minimized by cleating the underside with a 3/4 by 1 inch strip, spaced appropiately across span.

[Dave R1]

I varnished my seats and floor boards with Minwax satin Helmsman Spar Urethane. They don't seem to be slippery when wet and I've found that water marks wipe up nicely with a wet sponge.

http://www.minwax.com/products/protective/helmsman.cfm

[Steve Downs]

Just wanted to throw in my two cents. What I use on any outdoor wooden items such as ladders and wood wheelbarrow handles, etc. is boiled linseed oil. It will dry and last a year or two. Just a thought.

[ken connors]

if you look thru any JAMESTOWN DIST catalog youll find thier decking formula. 1 qt turp., 1 qt boiled linseed oil, 1/2 pint pine tar, 1/2 pt japan drier. i mixed it up early last spring and coated half of a mahogany scrap and left it out in full exposure. i checked it a couple of days ago after a rain and the treated half is still beading water. it dried very quickly and doesnt look like it will stain clothes.

[Barry Pyeatt]

That is a good deck oil formula. I holds up well on the deck surfaces and is easy to apply. Just brush it on, wait, wipe off the excess.

I've used just half and half boiled linseed oil and gum turpentine on mahogany and several other woods for outdoor exposure for years. It holds up well and is easy to refresh. Doesn't stain or come off on clothing after it dries. (About a 3-days to a week for it to be completely dry.)

I've always applied it hot to heated wood when it is small parts that can be placed in an oven or hot box. Wood soaks it right up and as it cools it gets a little gummy if it is applied too heavily. Wait until it is cool or a couple hours and then wipe it down good with a lint free towel. We use Tee shirt rags a lot for this.

[Guest Scott Cozad]

Dave

If I could go back and build mine with the open bench seating I would. Your cockpit sure looks purdy!!!

[Dave R1]

Thanks Scott, I think yours looks pretty nice, too.

[Jan Williamson]

Dave- very nice seats and deck. I am going to steal your design. So is that mahogany?

[Dave R1]

Jan, thank you.

The trim around the cockpit at the sidedecks is mahogany as are the hatch frames, hatch rails rub strips along the back edge of the cabin roof, the trim pieces at the ends of the seats and part of the taffrail.

Actually, the trim around the cockpit is Phillipine mahogany on the outside and South American (real) mahogany on the inside. I like the contrast between the two woods. The taffrail is a lamination of two layers of SA mahogany separated by a layer of maple.

The seats are yellow poplar and the floor boards are pine.

The trim around on the cabin bulkhead around the caompanionway is also Phillipine mahogany.

I have a drawing showing the layout of the seats (it was made after the fact) and one showing the layout of the floorboards. If you'd like to see them, let me know.

[Jan Williamson]

Dave,

Yes I would like to see that layout. I am curious though, are the seats and floor board installed after all the finish painting is done.

[Steve Downs]

Dave, I would like to see that layout also. I'v been thinking about open seating on my boat because we all have such long legs and that may be a lot more comfortable. You did a beautiful job on your boat!

[Dave R1]

I'll get the drawings together for you two. Jan, the seats are indeed installed after the paining is finished. I did the fitting of the seats while the boat was right side up the first time. they were removed while the boat was upside down. This gave me a place for the aft dolly support--the aft end of the boat basically hung from the bottom and keel.

FWIW, the mahogany trim pieces that cover the ends of the seats (and the screws that keep the seats in the boat) are only held in place with carpet tape. The seats are not permanently installed and can be removed by taking out 8 screws. Removal of the floorboards requires removing the seats.

Also, The inside of the cabin sides, in the cockpit, is lined with 1" foam and covered with luaun panels.

[TexasPhil]

Dave,

I would be interested in those as well. I have been thinking about what to do with the seats.

Thanks

[Tom Holder]

Ditto. Could we prevail on you to post them here? I would really appreciate it.

[Dave R1]

I'll try to get some drawings together this weekend and post them.

[Jan Williamson]

I did notice one of the builders used floatation foam in the compartment under the seat that is inaccessable. I do like the idea of adding bouyancy since my husband and I combined are up there in weight. But I really like the look of the slatted seats.

[Guest Scott Cozad]

I actually sprayed foam in behind the seat backs. I had a knockdown that turtled me a couple of years ago. When I got the boat to roll over upright it floated very low in the water (only an inch of the rubrail exposed) which made it very difficult to bail out. I have not nor do I want to test how it does with the foam now, but I am hoping it would give enough buoyancy to be able to climb in right away to bail and not have to do a majority of bailing outside of the boat. Not filled with water the boat is very buoyant. I have had 5 people stand in the cockpit with no problems. I did not want to put foam too low since I like how it currently floats.

[Jan Williamson]

Scott- So you sprayed the foam after your "turtle incident"? How may I ask, did that happen, and how did you get the boat turned over. You must have had people with you. What kind of bailer did you use. I wonder is using heavier wood for the keel, would assist in righting the boat.