Some tips and tricks to get the best finish possible when varnishing your boat's woodwork
It’s worth using the time while the boat is out of the water to varnish any woodwork you can take off the boat and give it as long as possible for the solvents to evaporate off before the boat goes back in. Here are some tips for a good finish:
1: Don’t varnish direct from the tin – decant enough for the job into a clean container and store the tin in a dust-free area
2: Use a tack cloth to wipe down the item being varnished before varnishing. After use, store a tack cloth in an airtight container
3: Warm the varnish container in a bowl of warm water to assist the flow
4: Hanging items vertically reduces the chance of dust contamination.
5: Good lighting is important. Regularly put your (dust-free) head close to the varnished surface and look along it for areas you may have missed.
6: Varnish the area to be covered in small square sections, brushing both along and across the grain. The adjoining edges will still be relatively fresh and the varnish will flow together correctly.
7: De-dust the area you’ll be varnishing in, including shelves, floors and other surfaces, to avoid dust being stirred up.
8: If varnishing teak, purge the surface oil with acetone before varnishing to help the varnish adhere