Cleaning Waxing

It takes practice to produce a perfect, mirror finish on varnished wood, but it is not so much a difficult task as an exacting one, where attention to detail and no short cuts are the secrets to success. Whether you are finishing new wood, refinishing old wood, or maintaining a finish in good condition, the basics are the same.

For hull bottom and topside repair, we love our Porter-Cable random orbit sander and WEST System Microlight Fairing Compound.

Probably nothing can make or break the appearance of a fiberglass boat more quickly than the appearance of the exterior teak trim. Contrary to popular belief, teak is not a maintenance-free wood that can be safely ignored and neglected for years at a time. Though teak may not rot, it can check, warp, and look depressingly drab if not properly cared for.

Testers rated dozens of wood finishes—including one-part varnishes, two-part varnishes, synthetic systems, and teak oils—after the test panels faced a year and a half of Florida weather exposure. Find out how the finishes ranked for ease of application, gloss, appearance, and durability. Still going strong in the ongoing long-term test are 20 of the original 22 one-part varnishes and all six of the original two-part varnishes. As a group, varnish alternatives such as Interlux Sikkens Cetol, teak oils, and teak sealers struggled to make the 18-month cut, but nine remain in the test. Products that were doing well 18 months after application include coatings from Interlux, Coelan, Pettit, HMG, and Nautiking. The report also includes a brief look at a new product, Vermont Natural Coatings PolyWhey, which was applied to PS's Cape Dory 25 test boat. This unique coating's base is whey, a byproduct of cheesemaking, rather than oil.

Letters to Practical Sailor from our readers. November 2010's topics include cleaning products, sail hardware, galley stoves and anti-fouling paints.

We tested a total of 15 products-including eco-friendly cleaners, concentrated formulas, degreaser-cleaners, and even one homebrew formula-from 11 manufacturers. While the test field wasn't inclusive of all the marine cleaners marketed as multi-purpose products, it did include a good cross-section of products from such companies as Star brite, Nautical Ease, Spray Nine, Yacht Brite, Biokleen, MDR, and Marykate. To get an idea of how they would stand up to real-world tasks, the products were tested on grease and grime on multiple surfaces-fiberglass, rubber, vinyl, and Formica. Practical Sailor also measured the pH balance of each test cleaner to find out which products were best suited for certain applications. With multiple data tables presenting the test findings, the report offers PS's picks for the best general cleaner, the best green cleaner, and the product that offers the best clean for the buck.

Letters to Practical Sailor, October 2010. Subjects include an owner's comments about MacGregor boats, digital maps, teak cleaners, props and adhesives.

Gelcoat, particularly porous gelcoat, requires a more specialized wax than what youd use on your car. And while most of the liquid waxes we tested are liquid polymers designed specifically for gelcoat surfaces, we also tested some automotive waxes to see how theyd fare against the best marine waxes. These test products are designed to be the final layer of hull protection applied to a new boat or to a boat with oxidized gelcoat that has been thoroughly compounded and polished to a smooth, shiny finish. We tested liquid waxes from Star brite, Cajun Shine All, Collinite, 3M, Mothers, Restructure, Interlux, Imar, Nu Finish, Flitz, Yacht Brite, Woody Wax, Marine Shield, Meguiars, Flagship, Glare, West Marine, Turtle Wax, Island Girl, MP Pros, and Zaino Brothers.

Letters to Practical Sailor from our readers. September 2010's topics include barnacles, teak finish, knots for a bosun chair and LEDs.

Practical Sailor rounded up seven readily available marine sealants and adhesives, including products from 3M, West Marine, BoatLife, and Sika Corp. The test included four polyurethane-based products, one silicone product, one polysulfide caulk, and one polyether caulk. Testers found that not all caulks will work for all applications. For example, the versatile polyurethane 3M 4200 was fast drying but didnt adhere well to wood, and all polyurethane products have to be kept away from acrylics and Lexan surfaces. Products tested were: 3M 5200 Fast Cure, 3M 4200 Fast Cure, West Marine 8200, Sikaflex 291 Lot, 3M Silicone, BoatLife Life-Caulk, and West Marine Multi-caulk.