A caution:
CLC ought to offer Interlux Brushing Liquid 333 and strongly recommend its use for anybody purchasing Schooner Gold. I can't imagine anyone using the stuff without a thinner.
On Saturday I applied what I hoped to be the last varnish coat to the hull of my 17LT. I'd used regular Interlux Schooner varnish in the past, but switched to Schooner Gold after the regular stuff was apparently discontinued. I neglected to notice this from the Interlux site:
"Schooner Gold is different. It's not a regular varnish and it's not like Schooner. Developed to apply and perform like a professional varnish, Schooner Gold has a VERY high viscosity, giving it a very thick appearance in the can."
Indeed. After using Schooner Gold without any thinner, I will definitely need to apply at least one more coat. I fought with it for three hours. It goes on thick and does not self-level like regular Schooner. My foam brushes skittered across it when I was tipping. I've got sags. And I used a lot. There was no other way.
It's cool; my boat is going to be fine. But it will cost a little and take some extra work.
Unless my experience is unusual, nobody should expect to use this product straight out of the can.
I only hope I choose a good ratio when I thin the stuff for the next coat.
Thanks for the warning. I’m getting some 333
very thick and and a lot of sanding is needed to get the sags out. your warning got to me a week late
I’m glad I read this. I just ordered my boat kit and accessories today. When I order paint and varnish, I will remember this.
Thank you for the heads up on this. Be careful with that 333 - it's very volatile! I use it to wipe down the boats between coats of varnish, then soak my rags in water to avoid spontaneous combustion. I finished my latest boat with Minwax Helmsman Marine Urethane. I've heard it doesn't last as long as varnish, but it's a lot easier to apply, requires fewer coats, and seems to be smoother and shinier than varnish. It's also half the price. -Wes
twofootartist, I use Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane on my front door, which is mahogany. I agree it is very easy to use, but I have to use it every year because the sun really degrades it. I assume the marine version has more water and UV protection?
I’ll let you know in a year. It’s so easy to apply, I wouldn’t mind renewing it once a year. Minwax claims it offers the same UV protection as varnish. My hull is painted, so only the deck is finished bright, and I don’t have a lot of deck rigging to remove.
Just found out today: Interlux has backpedaled on discontinuing the original Schooner varnish. Retailers will have it again in a few weeks, April 2010-ish.
With a really thick varnish, get rid of the foam brush. High viscosity varnish will require far too much varnish on a foam brush for it not to drag. Either roll it and tip it out with a bristle brush, or just brush it on. I’ve always liked a nice angled 3.5" Purdy for varnish work.
I was a house painter in a past life and have always used nothing but Purdy brushes. Which one are you using for varnish? Bristle or nylon?
Dan
https://secure.international-coatings.com/pds/yacht/GB_ISO_I_4231.htm
From the interlux website
Dan,
I've used the XL all purpose nylon/polyester blend as well as the china bristle. I prefer the china bristle for varnishes. If you want to go crazy, you can pick up the ox-hair or find a nice badger-hair brush. Very expensive, but about as close to perfection as you can get in a paintbrush. Like I've said before, there are many ways to apply varnish... this is just how I do it.
~Chris
For a while now, too long, I've held my nose and used foam brushes because so many people have recommended them. But it's awful how wasteful they are. I hate buying something made of wood and plastic that is in only a few short hours going to become waste. I know it's only a drop in the bucket, waste-wise, but it's just in general a terrible way to approach doing work.
Guess it's time to opt in and start using decent brushes for my boats.
Okay, here's what I know.
CLC switched from Z-Spar Captain's Varnish to Interlux Schooner Varnish a couple of years ago because the quality and properties were exactly the same, but Interlux was a little cheaper.
With great suddenness, Interlux discontinued Interlux Schooner and replaced it with Schooner Gold. The stated reason was improved UV resistance.
Gold is pretty thick, though so we're switching back to Z-Spar Captain's Varnish. We used that on every CLC boat for more than 10 years.
We don't stock 333 thinner because it cannot be shipped.
For their part, Interlux is throwing her into reverse and bringing back the old Schooner varnish, at least that's the rumor. For now: The tried and true Captain's Varnish.
Thanks for that info, John. I already bought 2 qts of the gold from you and a quart off 333 from a local source. I have the thin rollers now and I think I will buy a good brush and give it a shot. I agree about tha wastefullness of the foam brushes. They also seem to sop up too much material and become useless real quick.
I have some gripe with CLC on this issue. Part of what led me to expect Schooner Gold to behave the same way as Schooner was based on its naming--I just assumed that it was "Schooner, but better!" That was mildly foolish of me, and my foolishness was compounded by the fact that when CLC started to sell the stuff, as far as I can recall, they cut-and-pasted the text that accompanied original Schooner varnish on their site and applied it to Schooner Gold. It even said of Schooner Gold something like "This is the stuff we use ourselves," which I'm not sure I believe.
Whoo, got that off my chest. Looks like this (admittedly minor) issue is about resolved.
>>>>>Part of what led me to expect Schooner Gold to behave the same way as Schooner was based on its naming--I just assumed that it was "Schooner, but better!">>>>>>>>
Well, we did too----Interlux represented it as such---but we were wrong, and I apologize. Happy to trade any unopened cans of "Schooner Gold" for Z-Spar Captain's Varnish with you or anyone else who has concerns.
Thinned slightly with Interlux 333, the Schooner Gold DOES perform admirably.
FWIW, I never had any problem with foam brushes soaking up too much varnish. Could be a technique thing - just barely dip it in.
As far as waste goes, those wooden handles are eminently recyclable. Among other things, they form fittings in my composite dinghy mast. So it's not as bad as it seems, especially if ou consider the thinners required to clean reusable brushes.
Laszlo
John thanks for your willingness to make right on unopened can of Gold
to bad for us enthusiastic idiots who rush to get things done and now have to waist our money and time sanding the mistakes off our projects
First coat of Gold, thinned 25% with 333, rolled on and tipped out with foam brush. I’m pretty darn happy with the way it went on. Levels nice, manageable runs, will need very light sanding befgore next 