Just purchased a new tiller for my Hunter 25.5. What is the best finish to put on it. The manufacturer recommends four coats of varnish. Is varnish better than polyurethane? AND... is there a one brand better that another?
New Tiller --- What Finish?
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I found that a good UV inhibited polyurethane lasted longer on a tiller back when I had one. Best to have a sunbrella cover for it to make the stuff last as long as it can. 4-6 coats; rub with steel wool between coats (at home) .. follow paint's instructions on recoat times. You'll be happy with the results. After two years, take it home and rub it with steel wool and put a new coat or two of poly on.
My 25.5 tiller has looked like new since 1985. I take it home each winter along with the other bits of topside teak and sand it a bit, wipe it down with a deglosser, then give it two coats of glossy cetol with very light sanding between coats. I usually give it a coat of sealant/wax in the spring to lose the tacky feel of the cetol, a feel that I don't like. I used poly and spar varnish before, but have stuck with the cetol for many years. The first coat of cetol is supposed to be the non-glossy variety to seal the wood if you devide to have a glossy cetol finish. Read the labels.
A tiller cover is important. I added a flap to the opening of a standard tiller cover to protect the part of the tiller that extends over the top of the rudder. I sewed on some small dacron cord to the end of the flap to tie it down. Every other year I spray the canvas with 303 to keep it waterproof.
A tiller cover is important. I added a flap to the opening of a standard tiller cover to protect the part of the tiller that extends over the top of the rudder. I sewed on some small dacron cord to the end of the flap to tie it down. Every other year I spray the canvas with 303 to keep it waterproof.
An End to Varnishing!!
Kevin,
Whichever product you choose the UV will make it look bad after a little more than a year and it will peel in places a couple of years later.
Fed up with this on my last boat I got an offcut of blue Sunbrella and made a tiller snood.
Simply put it was a long tapering tube sewn up on our domestic sewing machine using a reel end of sailmakers thread given me by the sailmaker who supplied the fabric. (They don't like to start a long seam with a reel which might run out before the end of the seam.)
The only discipline needed was to remember to put it on EVERY time we left the boat.
The result was no more varnishing for the next several years and it looked just fine when I sold the boat and I would expect it to be still going strong a decade later.
Kevin,
Whichever product you choose the UV will make it look bad after a little more than a year and it will peel in places a couple of years later.
Fed up with this on my last boat I got an offcut of blue Sunbrella and made a tiller snood.
Simply put it was a long tapering tube sewn up on our domestic sewing machine using a reel end of sailmakers thread given me by the sailmaker who supplied the fabric. (They don't like to start a long seam with a reel which might run out before the end of the seam.)
The only discipline needed was to remember to put it on EVERY time we left the boat.
The result was no more varnishing for the next several years and it looked just fine when I sold the boat and I would expect it to be still going strong a decade later.
I would agree with Donalex. A good cover will protect it and it may be many years before the tiller would need refinishing.
If/when you have one made or make it, be sure that the aft end has a flap that will run around the back of the tiller head and secure around the rudder post if it is possible.
If you keep it covered when not in use it will last for many years without a refinish (if you cover it every time).
If/when you have one made or make it, be sure that the aft end has a flap that will run around the back of the tiller head and secure around the rudder post if it is possible.
If you keep it covered when not in use it will last for many years without a refinish (if you cover it every time).
In my opinion if you like the look of the wood, stick to varnish and make a cover for the tillerand use it when ever you can. ie: whenever not actualy steering boat. Use the UV type. Again in my opinion fww cetol, while having a long life, hides the beauty of the wood. Almost like paint
There is an excellent article in Boat Works by Don Casey. He recommends on, raw wood, diluting the first coat of varnish by 50% so that it soaks into the wood. He then dilutes the second coat by 25% and the third by 10%. The then recommends 3 to 6 more coats of undiluted. This not only allows the varnish to soak in but it will also reduces the drying time between coats.
There are quite a few helpful hints in this article. I found the magazine on Kindle.
There are quite a few helpful hints in this article. I found the magazine on Kindle.
I agree with Mel22
If you want it to look like anything, varnish not cetol . Any UV protective varnish will be fine – as there many “favorites”.
I just re-varnished my IdaSailer tiller. It came with just a light base coat of varnish. I’m in the process of forming a sunbrella cover. If you do make a cover, don’t forget to mount any hardware on the tiller first (Tiller tamer, auto-pilot bracket, extending handle). So, yep, this will be try two.
If you want it to look like anything, varnish not cetol . Any UV protective varnish will be fine – as there many “favorites”.
I just re-varnished my IdaSailer tiller. It came with just a light base coat of varnish. I’m in the process of forming a sunbrella cover. If you do make a cover, don’t forget to mount any hardware on the tiller first (Tiller tamer, auto-pilot bracket, extending handle). So, yep, this will be try two.
I used an Ida Sailor tiller made for a Hunter 25.5 to upgrade my H15's tiller. I ordered it with their 4 coat of varnish option and then added 4 more coats myself. As I keep my boat in my driveway I remove the tiller after every sail.
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