Dave's Corner - Varnish: What you See and What it Takes

Varnish on gulets is one of the most striking things about wooden boats in Turkey. The silky, smoothness of varnished wood is a major part of the wow factor when you embark on your charter.
 
During the sunny days of winter months, crew spend a lot of time sanding and recoating all of the varnished areas. To  prevent deterioration from ultraviolet damage, it is necessary to apply between five and eight coats of varnish externally. After each coat is laid out by brush it must dry for a couple of days before re-sanding and the next application. It looks easy but good varnish takes an experienced applicator to achieve that optimum finish. Generally, the final coat is applied after launching and choosing a nice sunny day without wind that carries dust particles.  It is interesting to note that some of the most sought-out after varnishers are female (flick of the wrist?)
 
Unlike years ago modern varnish dries quite quickly so the settling of dust is not as big a problem as it used to be. Usually two workers combine efforts, with one pre cleaning with a solvent closely followed by the other applying the varnish.
 
For the initial exterior coat, often a generic local brand of varnish is used. The last coats applied will be with a high quality ultra-violet ray resistant international brand.
 
During the season this, outdoor varnishing will be done again at least once for maximum results.  The interior, being protected from harsh UV rays, does not demand the frequency of varnishing that the exterior does.

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