Arms aren't long enough!

[Simon]

Hi

I'm getting ready to repaint and varnish my 12 but have just discovered (whilst removing various parts) my arms aren't long enough to reach the centre of the boat at its widest point!

I have thought about turning the hull on its side to do the work, would this be OK?

Simon
3309

[icecreamman]

I had a similar problem when I re varnished my wooden Final Chapter. having given up in disgust at being a shortie and therefore not having arms like a gorilla I decided to chance it and varnish the boat on its side. I must admit that I did not have any problems with visible varnish runs, but I was using two pack varnish which may have made a difference, oh and it was in the summer. My guess is that using older traditional varnishes may give you more of a problem. Not being a professiioinal boat builder I could not give you a definitive answer to this question.
Good luck Simon  

[Alex D]

I varnished mine last winter and started the conventional way up. I then put the boat upside down on high trestles. This worked well for the centre of the boat and under the side decks.  I had to do the last coat on the deck the other way up again. It also allows you to work on both sides at once.
My challenge is to refurbish the self bailers.

[Simon]

I'd not thought about doing it upside down! I suppose you'd need some good lighting.

One advantage would be that dust wouldn't come down  on it!

[JohnKn]

I varnished a clinker 12 on its side in a workshop too narrow to have it level. Worked OK, even using conventional varnish.

John (1662)

[simon moss]

I varnished my crusader upside down I did it last winter and got a few runs as it was to cold to go off, if you can I would suggest a lot of heating or leave it until summer( my wife went mad when she got the electric bill!!)


Simon
3349

[mutt]

I painted my N12 with it dangling the right way up off the rafters of my garage. This has the advantage of preventing dust settling on the wet paint. Runs can be avoided by dry brushing across the sweep of the brush-on in order that there is only a very small thickness of paint/varnish applied and there are no concentrations. Unfortunately that technique requires several coats but it is the only way to avoid runs as far as I am aware.
Matt

[Tim Gatti]

Presuming you've now worked out a way to get to the parts you thought you couldn't reach....

If you're using one-pot varnish/paint then I can wholeheartedly recommend the use of paint pads to do the job - particularly if you are working upside down.

Lay on the paint/varnish in stripes at right angles to the grain then work with the grain to spread it out in long even strokes. I've worked the whole length of a side/foredeck in one stroke. Run the next stoke in parallel and just overlapping the first to avoid streaking at the edges

You don't have the problem of overloading that you get with a brush and the fine hairs of the pad mean you get an immaculate finish with no runs.

Word of warning - rough sandpaper the pad before you use it and hoover off any fine bristles, then wipe it over with a tack rag or rag moistened in white spirit or you'll get loads of tiny hairs in your varnish on the first few strokes!  (Two-pot has been known to melt them though)  Tim