# Choice of Varnish

**URL:** <https://forum.clcboats.com/t/choice-of-varnish/46625>\
**Category:** Builder's Forum\
**Created:** [November 10, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/choice-of-varnish/46625 "2018-11-10T15:26:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Justin\_Foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Justin\_Foster](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Justin_Foster)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/choice-of-varnish/46625/1 "2018-11-10T15:26:32Z")

</div>

Hi all,

Sorry if this is a tired subject.&nbsp; I'm new to this arena and eady to varnish my first CLC project (a Kaholo 12);&nbsp; I'm looking for varnish choices other than the Interlux Schooner because of the amber tint touted by the website.&nbsp; The board has such a beautfiul blonde color that I'd like to alter it as little as possible.&nbsp; I am looking to stay with a varnish (as opposed to a clear coat, for instance) as I'd like the practice varnishing.&nbsp; Does anyone have any experience with a varnish that goes on with relatively little color change for a first-time varnisher?

Thanks,

Justin

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Robert\_Whitehurst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Robert\_Whitehurst](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Robert_Whitehurst)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/choice-of-varnish/46625/2 "2018-11-10T17:09:04Z")

</div>

&nbsp; &nbsp;There's Epifanes classic Clear Varnish or RapidClear. &nbsp;I've used the Epifanes RapidCoat (slightly amber version) and it does let you build coats faster than the conventional varnish, but I've not used the clear version. &nbsp;Interlux also has a clear one, Compass, but not carried by CLC. &nbsp;That said, I really like the look of the Schooner on mahogany as well as ash (dark and light woods).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mark\_Nye](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/forum.clcboats.com/mark_nye/32/18_2.png) [@Mark\_Nye](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Mark_Nye)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 7:32am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/choice-of-varnish/46625/3 "2018-11-11T07:32:58Z")

</div>

After using Interlux Schooner on six kayaks, I went with Epifanes RapidClear on the Goat Island Skiff that I completed this summer.&nbsp; The main reason for the switch was that I was to avoid the labor of wet sanding.&nbsp; RapidClear is a semi-gloss so it does not produce the high gloss furnature like finish of Schonner, but it looks very good, goes on very fast and is very easy to use.&nbsp; I coated the interior of my skiff with five coats in about 8.5 hours total spread over 2.5 days.&nbsp; I highly recommend this product unless you really have to have that furnature grade shine.

![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9sZxx59P3xRiZ2UzsAIQvAWty3IT20RXXMS6TgNeQR73PVq_YmhWViWO2S_0C9S-FnzB5tNx8P9Q1bG_KTN7iPhZPk43Q3QmuprYkTgGoinVHglcDdYoEepjaHDVdTGnH8UgFRZp3U-MPfBMK7PpmzV2pG7O7uP10KubRz9yy8TgKokBWTrkTSMvS2jVh97fitrGEqnzKtfL4zblqZ1ED1L1FpT4lv_xW11lXoZTOPNbJh9WwPnuagkXGgxqbynlbbppFrCZ_V3N0ZRUXXLpnOHOpepPvtBCusjA7PDrwBwrIDZIwyEt4QnqV5Gi8D6SSIdspYchDLALw8cTpM7RAMiKA8f-6N_Hgum47pWF81gEYRZ4DjQVJK_yC7YEalpCcaLgLD0vIoGcJ_HqGxbed8sK-UYZES963qcLFL2il96gvoluZOQBSEWgn7N7w6Xq7XvPi_H7e0GW7hZrT6q3Dae7bTiGx8c7Ge7ArI39gRHI13ZNE94ns5J7DXHhoMfx6LD1uygxHFKJ0Ocyq_p1S09hX_TPGKDSXjjUG44Cmxm_Ak4OuFdDJJBRrGNUGFkCpO_ntgKfrqRxDpRXayEWgE07L4WLz0IAYKdIzJ8l-wSg5IE7HuDBvsP8GmkQTOi0OdcFnUU50_S14oEHmfwac65Pav-GemSceAqqb4C8gML-fXpmuDOwKSSclBgIHFbWCp-DMCyBMxLrnCDpKfVMEvtLjPP57Qfsjqnx=w1204-h903-no) ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/I0N1mk4IUHgGpPffqxymh2f9WJVmIlDRTKlK-t9O8sChn85nR4kl1n6QngIHgBIrOGGkfS6OFQ1ZDN_bICWuLn5jbCamKoUAcsnDTqkyIkHXLWnODY5t2eqomOPW4xI6fFX56mSpEXYdepkBzKy3uKQeOMH_pit0CoBOODDqMU1URmEc1duK88-AR4Yq1cyPRsCWu5mKvJR79c0TD34dHPHKHvb7J7R_B7P-enTJi9bWctGj8l37xXBDjkctcQT0LZjVnrBbbTvFqGcDSgPnV7KgyiDQiBbz5K0hIDHUaDUOSOpPjXO9Se_uaFzAsxteqUjwcCfIGET4tXUosG2tjbOqqsMbIYnuCwnUwlcnmxfJCkgSC1aUpvVll-VAtWpHPdk-P6jCgDWIua-qwaMZz03l6kKi-2UKlhQj9C8TFOlb-MySorZ7U6RBUkmxePcaRlYg1WvW4lpAzqeN8SWKZpaSezFEaRah1a8h25FLamvk76Zuqk7uE5K74wwbOflrFLh9vS-WWsE1PrcSxVmHYndl6Cc-BwWCW7cjhPtW_-36dXeavwfVzItrDtPnpau9R-Pv1Ro6ClDtetM3mExlBREo2JF8NA-vZ_2HkD4GB5YB0zdVzzdzGp94w7Vu_-lEcLcRXM0k5tnBh4ohWINUv8sV6G1F9vD5rKbhgwEs2jg7g0ooz8DXGPvLB68QR30pzIdEOwvPY0YtLKE-t1QZpTqSUnGtjWzklv1rXg=w678-h903-no)&nbsp; &nbsp;

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Justin\_Foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Justin\_Foster](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Justin_Foster)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/choice-of-varnish/46625/4 "2018-11-11T19:47:09Z")

</div>

&nbsp;&nbsp; Thank you both very much for the input (and for the trouble of posting pictures- beautiful work, by the way!)&nbsp; I can find one that will work great among the options you listed.&nbsp; Cheers!

Justin