Finishing SCHOOL

When you asked 10 boatbuilders about painting and varnishing, you would get 10 different answers. As there is only one boatbuilder writing this, you are about to get only one. The reality is that there is no clear, fits-all solution to finishing. You have to adapt product, technique and level of detail to fit the job. The bilge, for instance, requires a very different schedule than the hull topsides. The quality of finish on the hull, upperworks and anywhere else it really shows is the subject of this article. If you can achieve a good, lasting, dust-free finish clear of brush marks, all else will be a walk in the park.

Achieving that perfect finish is often referred to as an ‘art’; equally, there is an assumption that the preparation required for this nirvana is an unskilled slog. We need to dispel both these myths. The key to success is understanding the process, so painting and varnishing to a good standard becomes a predictable part of any boat project.

You cannot achieve a good, long-lasting finish if the woodwork is not up