I varnish the outside and teak oil the inside of my drift boat every other year. So I turned the heat on in the pole building and got to work! I built this boat in 1996 and it has seen most rivers in Montana, Idaho and a few in Washington. Still going strong!
If you have never had the pleasure of rowing with Sitka Spruce oars you are really missing something. I have some Carlyle composite oars with counter balanced handles, but these oars row circles around the composites! I love them and was lucky to buy them years ago before Lindy died! Next weekend this boat will be on the Yak! Rick
Rick,
Very nice boat and awesome job on the boat and oar varnish.
I need to do this to my pram asap. I just yesterday bought a SECOND pram (also wood) so I could still fish while I refinish my pram. ARGH! (wife didn't like this idea, but...)
Did you strip the old varnish off to the wood? If so, did you then stain the wood before putting your new varnish?
Finally, how many coats do you use?
Your project turned out great! Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.
Jeff-most of the underlying varnish was still in good shape. I had to take some of the oars down to bare wood. The recoats only took two coats, but from bare wood, 5 coats seems a minimum, with 220 sandpaper in between coats. The color is just natural wood, which has darkened in some areas and lightened in others with sun exposure and age. I do always keep in stored under cover, but it spends a few weeks at Big Twin in the water with that sun beating down! I would like a pram and may build one some day soon! Rick
Rick,
That does not sound to bad then. I have a few spots where the varnish is flaking off at the water line. Now with a 2nd boat I can take my time and hand sand it, taking it down slow.
Good luck on the pram project. I will post pictures of my new pram here as soon as I run over to the Hadlock & pick it up.
Beauty Rick. I share your appreciation for wood. I have a 14' Mac built by
Ray & Cy in 97, also mahogany w/epoxy. Re-oiling the interior every couple years or so takes a full day and is pleasant work. Haven't needed to re-varnish the exterior yet as its kept in the garage and not used as often.
Am also planning on adding a pram and looking at plans. I haven't built a boat since the 60s but the desire is surfacing again. I should consider one of their kits but am more interested in a lake boat and recall their prams are more of a river style.
Your boat is gorgeous though. A labor of love I know. The pole shed sounds like something near Winthrop. Will be there mid May. Buy you a soda if you'll be around.
Beautiful, Rick. I don't know if I could do what you have. I suspect I'd have a garage queen on my hands as I wouldn't want to risk putting her in the water and getting dinged.
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