I am building an outrigger sailing canoe in cedar strip with a
fiberglass epoxy covering and am having issues with varnish
selection. I have used 1 part on other projects in the past but am
interested in teh possibilities of 2 part. It is aparantly harder,
chemically resistant, and lasts much longer. The problem is that it
is much more expensive. Is it really worth the cost, and is there
anything i can buy that is not as expensive but basically the same.
Many times buying from a boat supply is more expensive just because is
says 'for boats' on the label. I would really like to try this to
keep the hull well protected but I don't want to spend $60 per quart.

Thanks for the advice,

Bill

The 2-part (LPU) finishes are tougher and weather much better than
conventional paint and varnish. They're not that much better in
tolerating dings and abrasions. So, for a dinghy that'll be abused
constantly by beaches and its neighbors at the dinghy dock, a 2-part finish
is a waste of time. Multihulls, on the other hand, have lots of surfaces
that are not subject to much abuse. The principal foe is weathering. The
weathering performance of the LPU coatings might well make them worth the
effort.
The retail markup of paint and varnish is large, so if you know someone, you
can save up to 50%. If you can get 8-10 years fron a finish job, the annual
cost is small.
Lastly, I would ask my epoxy supplier about the UV tolerance of their
product. For bright finished strip boats, I use West System #207 hardener
which is alleged to be more UV tolerant.


"Bill" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am building an outrigger sailing canoe in cedar strip with a
fiberglass epoxy covering and am having issues with varnish
selection. I have used 1 part on other projects in the past but am
interested in teh possibilities of 2 part. It is aparantly harder,
chemically resistant, and lasts much longer. The problem is that it
is much more expensive. Is it really worth the cost, and is there
anything i can buy that is not as expensive but basically the same.
Many times buying from a boat supply is more expensive just because is
says 'for boats' on the label. I would really like to try this to
keep the hull well protected but I don't want to spend $60 per quart.

Thanks for the advice,

Bill

On 12 Mar 2007 16:01:54 -0700, "Bill"
wrote:

I am building an outrigger sailing canoe in cedar strip with a
fiberglass epoxy covering and am having issues with varnish
selection. I have used 1 part on other projects in the past but am
interested in teh possibilities of 2 part. It is aparantly harder,
chemically resistant, and lasts much longer. The problem is that it
is much more expensive. Is it really worth the cost, and is there
anything i can buy that is not as expensive but basically the same.
Many times buying from a boat supply is more expensive just because is
says 'for boats' on the label. I would really like to try this to
keep the hull well protected but I don't want to spend $60 per quart.

Thanks for the advice,

Bill


Why don't you think about using West System 105 Resin with 207
hardner. This is an epoxy and epoxies are not terribly tolerant of
UV. However, West does add a UV inhibitor to their 207 but they do
state that it is not sufficient for anything exposed to constant
sunlight. West recommends using a traditional UV rated varnish as a
final coat. Or, you could go with a 2-part on top of the 105/207. The
advantage of the West System is that is builds quickly, can be
recoated with a few hours (assuming 70 deg.). It is very hard and is
quite scratch resistant. It has amber color additive as well so it
gives the appearance of traditional spar varnish.

I used to use Epaphanes, building up lots of coats. Now that I have
switched to a 2-part I find that, even in Florida, I can go 18 months
without having to overcoat.