VARNISH WORK
Q I have hardwood gunwales on my boat, which I do not keep covered over the winter. Having just spent several days varnishing them for the start of the season, I was wondering if I could coat them with anything to prevent the varnish from deteriorating when I lay the boat up again. Would applying a layer of Vaseline or beeswax help to protect the varnish over the winter?
I realise I’d need to remove this layer for re-varnishing in the future.
Polly Robinson replies: Varnish has been used for years because it is a transparent hard coating. It protects the wood from UV damage and staining as well as providing protection to the wood from scratches and dents within reason.
It can be a tiresome task to varnish at the beginning of the season but you should only need to remove the top coat every couple of seasons and be rewarded with some beautiful-looking gunwales. Oils and other wood finishes are available at most chandleries but these will not be as durable as varnish and won’t provide the shine we’re so fond of. They’ll also need applying more regularly so won’t cut down the preparation time at the beginning of the season.
I’d be wary of coating your gunwales with wax or petroleum-based products. I’ve not used these as you suggest but I’d be concerned they’d trap dirt and foster mildew, potentially damaging the varnish underneath. They could also be difficult to remove after a winter and any left over would potentially stop any future varnish coats from applyi
