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I figured since there was a request for more people to post some questions that I would go for it. I have been a bit of a lurker since joining this forum, I enjoy going to the personal pages and checking out folks equipment and gear. I find the pride and community that surrounds being part of the Boston Whaler Legacy to be pretty amazing.
So I have been looking at the plate of wood in the bow of my Katama for a few years now wishing it had a little bit of luster to it. It is pretty dried up from the sun over the years. I am wondering what process you guys use to get your wood to have that great shine and finished look to it. I am also going to have to do the wood running down the port and starboard sides as well, but those are still looking pretty good.
To be honest I don't know what kind of wood it is up in the bow. Any thoughts?
I am just finishing up redoing the wood in my 13 Sport.... The process was painful to say the least. I took all the wood out of the boat and started sanding. I felt like I sanded forever. - Once you get it down to nice smooth fresh wood you start the coating process. I used interlux schooner classic high gloss varnish - about 8 coats in all with a light sanding in between each coat. I am satisified with the results but some of my wood should have been replaced. - I will let it go a season or two before replacing my interior with something a bit more custom.
Here is a link to my post with some more details -- If you go to the end you will see the pics I uploaded last night.
The wood I believe you are referring to is the bow locker cover? If so it would be made of Mahogany Plywood.
To refinish my bow locker on my 76 Newport I completey removed the factory finish using a dewalt random orbit sander with 80 grit paper. Once I got done to the wood I sanded with 100 grit and then 150 grit sand paper going with the grain. To start the refinishing I coated the entire cover with 2 coats of west systems epoxy thinned with lacquer thinner at 10% by volume. I sanded it smooth then using a HVLP gun sprayed 8 - 10 coats of Spar Urethane leaving about 10 - 15 minutes between coats.
At the minimum I recommend sanding off all of your old varnish and at least recoating with a good Spar Urethane. I have found that I have really like the Cabot product. Others like interlux schooner varnish, sikkens, and helmsman. It is all personal preference.
I remove the wood from the boat, then paint on "Zip Strip" Chemical stripper, when it bubbles up take off the old finish with a scraper, rinse and sand with med. then fine sandpaper, I then apply "Zar" Mahogany stain, let dry over night, then I apply "Zar" polyurethane Let dry a day or two (I dry it in the bathroom downstairs, least amount of dust), then apply another 3-5 coat's of poly (It dries faster with each coat) sanding lightly with extra fine sandpaper between coats, then clean w/ mineral spirits after "between coat sandings" are done, before you apply the next coat of "Poly"
(takes about a week). result's are "good" and it lasts a few years before you get to do it all again, for a week's worth of work, it sure makes these Whaler's "STAND OUT" with a real "Classy" look.
mw
If that plywood hatch cover is starting to delaminate, or turn black in spots. You might have trouble bringing it back. You can only sand so much, before you burn through the top mahogany ply. I would`nt be expensive to have another one made. Use the old one for a pattern. You can do it yourself, if you are a little handy or have one made by a cabinetmaker, or woodworker. If they can`t supply the marine plywood, probably a yard that specializes in marine lumber would have a piece. Then you can buy a quart of Marine Spar Varnish such as Pettits Z-Spar Captains varnish, and give it about 7-10 coats.
Thanks for all the advice. I will check out the bow locker cover and see if I can bring it back. If not, then I will try my hand at making a new one. As far as the side wood, I will take all your advice on bringing it back to life.
If it's old and needs that much time and effort spent, pull it off, use it for a pattern and cut a new one from 3/4 marine teak or mahogany ply. You can easily do this with common garage tools such as a circular saw, a drill with a woodcutting hole bit, and if you have it, a router. You don't really even need the router as you can round over the edges with your sander. If you're going to spend time like this and want it to look "good as new," just make it new!
I'm in the oil camp as opposed to varnish. These are little boats. The bright work does not take that long to do. Hardwoods, especially Teak look fantastic with oils, they can be refreshed, scratches are easily hidden, etc, etc. We all have our reasons and all are equally valid. If you do oil however, let me suggest that you seal the cut edges of your plywood with West Epoxy. Look at old boats. Look at their plywood components. They all fail on the cut edges. Epoxy seals on the edges is your best way to resist that.
Just don't want to have you invest a ton of time having to resurrect something that for all the effort, might just be nicer replaced. Whatever you do, thanks for the question and best of luck.
Grady
