Today I can say how much sanding is needed on Windsong if you want to take it down to the wood. Eighty to Ninety hours later I can say that Ruth Ann and I are not amateurs anymore when it comes to sanding.  We have become unpaid professionals that I hope don't let this happen anymore.

It is harder than you think to take all the old varnish off of a boat. We started out with three electric sanders and sanded for about seventy hours. I wondered when we would complete that part. After seventy hours we switched to hand sanding.

Handing sanding gives you a whole new enlightenment on your boat. You get to experience all the blemishes, curves, lines and various grains of teak that make Windsong what she is. It kind of makes you feel that you and the boat are one in a contract with her to get her back to her original pristine shape she was like on her maiden voyage back in 1981.

Still not ready to just slap the varnish on yet we had to prep her even more. Next came Mitch Larson, a woodman that knows his woods and varnish work inside and out. I believe he might just be one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. He was my barometer as to how good of job of perfection we were doing. Between him, Ruth Ann and myself we spent the next six hours together hand sanding her down with 220 sandpaper to get her smooth and ready to accept the varnish.

Even after this prep we still had three more prep jobs to do before we were ready for the varnish. First we vacuumed all the wood we had been sanding on plus the deck itself to remove any pollen residue left there. Then we used a damp cloth to wipe the complete surface of the wood. After that we were ready to begin almost. 

Mixing the varnish and getting the wood to accept it is a science in itself and Mitch was very helpful in mixing the varnish with the thinner to get it just right. First ratio was 50/50 varnish and thinner. This made it go on smooth and go into the wood and get into the grains deep. One more pre step before the varnish was a tack cloth which is just a sticky cheese cloth. This took the final microns of dust from the wood.

Applying varnish is an art. Steps are to apply one coat and feather the last final step with your dry brush oh so lightly is what makes it look good. This way you have no streaks, runs or marks on it. During the drying process the varnish levels out to a smooth pristine look. 
After about eighty-five hours we have our first coat on finally. A much needed celebratory drink was due. Yay the first coat complete.

Now the next day was fun because you actually get to apply a coat without sanding. Mixture is 70/30 varnish to thinner. The wood was raised a little bit and is saying give me some varnish to let me shine. Using the same end step process we vacuumed and used the tack cloth to get rid of the pollen that decides to come in overnight. Second coat goes on holding brush oh so gently and feathering out at the end.  Three hours later we had finished appling the second coat.

Coat three came around rather simple. Sanding, vacuuming, damp cloth then tack cloth, 90/10 varnish to thinner. Blue Sky above says it's a go for varnish. Three hours later the third coat went on. Then it rained. Will the varnish milk because of the rain? Hopefully the rain didn't damage the work. Haven't seen it yet. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. The best thing about varnish is if you don't like it then sand it down and start over. Oh and I have figured out that you never done with varnish.

Still on the hard for a few more days!

Till another day
Cap'n B