Real Men Varnish

I've started my first ever varnishing project. I'm pretty excited about it... there's something about shiny wood that makes me happy.

We ordered quarterboards for the boat so we can finally be identified. I mean really... we've had the boat almost a year, and have yet to actually put the name on the outside. We figured it was about time. When they arrived they had a thin wimpy coat of spray-on varnish, hardly something that'll stand up to the sun and water on a boat. So we decided they needed a few more manly coats.

I took them to the garage at my rental house and set up shop. Every day at lunch time I run over there and throw a coat on. Even after just the first coat they started to look better. I learned something important, though. The can of varnish says lightly sand between coats. Note: you should actually do this. I debated this for a half hour. Standing there looking at the brand new slick clean coat of varnish I had just put on the day before, with a piece of sandpaper designed to scratch things, in my hand. Even though it is heart wrenching to take that sheet of sandpaper to the nice shiny surface, it is for the better. It may look like you just ruined it (that's what I thought on day two) but day three just looks so great. The varnish really has something to hold on to, and the next coat goes on so smooth.


The one on the left looks ruined I know... but that's just because it's in the process of being sanded. Soon it'll look more like the one on the right.

So next week, after I've finished four coats front and back, we'll hang them up and officially be "Sea Change." Very exciting.

-Tom