Refinishing Tiller Handle

shank

shank

.
Apr 20, 2016
125
Catalina 27 5231 Lake Champlain
Hello,

I bought a new-to-me Catalina 27 this summer and I'm refinishing the tiller handle. I've sanded it down to the bare wood (it appears to be ash) and I'm looking for suggestions on what type of finish to put on it and how to do it. If possible, I'd like a high gloss finish that doesn't require a lot of maintenance.

Also, the previous owner put rubber type epoxy stuff on the first 6 inches of it which I couldn't sand completely off so I'm just going to try and replicate what he put on there. It looks like a fiberglass wrap of tape followed by a rubber compound of some sort. I assume he did it for extra grip.

Thanks for any help
 
Last edited:
kloudie1

kloudie1

.
Nov 6, 2006
10,015
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
For the longest lasting shine, Cetol probably is best, and easy to maintain.. Some folks don't like the color but I find that I can put up with it given how much more durable it is compared to varnish..
 
  • Like
Likes: shank and Whatfiero1
shank

shank

.
Apr 20, 2016
125
Catalina 27 5231 Lake Champlain
Thanks. I was leaning toward Cetol. Ideally I would like to match the small amount of teak trim already on the boat. Do you think the Marine Natural Teak color would be a good choice?
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,330
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
shank said:
I'd like a high gloss finish that doesn't require a lot of maintenance.
Click to expand
Ah... The Holy Grail of wood finishes. I would like world peace, but that is still a dream.

You have a few paths available.
  1. Do you want to see the wood beneath? Then you have to look at a finish that will allow this.
  2. Varnish is a covering. If layered on it will allow the wood in natural colors to be visible beneath the shine. IT will sacrifice it self and wear off to protect the wood. You will need to recharge the varnish so it can keep doing its job. Perhaps every season perhaps every other season. You can also extend the time by religiously covering over the handle when you leave the boat to sit in the weather between sailing.
  3. Epoxy and Varnish. Epoxy will coat the wood with a hard surface sealing the wood. You need the varnish over the epoxy to stop the UV rays from damaging the epoxy. While Epoxy usually yellows and breaks down if left out in the weather, there are clear epoxy formulae that do not yellow, but they need the varnish to protect them from UV.
  4. Cetol as suggested by @kloudie1 is a good product. It will cover the wood. It includes a UV protecting dye that provides the color to your wood cover.
I tried Total Boat Gleam Varnish this year. It went on and laid down very nicely to a smooth gloss shine. Liked that I could apply 3 coats in 24 hours with out having to sand between coats. I put in on some wood seats that are exposed 24/7 to the weather. We will see next spring how it holds up.
 
  • Like
Likes: shank and LloydB
shank

shank

.
Apr 20, 2016
125
Catalina 27 5231 Lake Champlain
jssailem said:
Ah... The Holy Grail of wood finishes. I would like world peace, but that is still a dream.

You have a few paths available.
  1. Do you want to see the wood beneath? Then you have to look at a finish that will allow this.
  2. Varnish is a covering. If layered on it will allow the wood in natural colors to be visible beneath the shine. IT will sacrifice it self and wear off to protect the wood. You will need to recharge the varnish so it can keep doing its job. Perhaps every season perhaps every other season. You can also extend the time by religiously covering over the handle when you leave the boat to sit in the weather between sailing.
  3. Epoxy and Varnish. Epoxy will coat the wood with a hard surface sealing the wood. You need the varnish over the epoxy to stop the UV rays from damaging the epoxy. While Epoxy usually yellows and breaks down if left out in the weather, there are clear epoxy formulae that do not yellow, but they need the varnish to protect them from UV.
  4. Cetol as suggested by @kloudie1 is a good product. It will cover the wood. It includes a UV protecting dye that provides the color to your wood cover.
I tried Total Boat Gleam Varnish this year. It went on and laid down very nicely to a smooth gloss shine. Liked that I could apply 3 coats in 24 hours with out having to sand between coats. I put in on some wood seats that are exposed 24/7 to the weather. We will see next spring how it holds up.
Click to expand
 
shank

shank

.
Apr 20, 2016
125
Catalina 27 5231 Lake Champlain
John, I've used Total Boat products in the past and have good luck with them. I want the wood a darker color than the natural wood provide with just a varnish. Do you think using the Cetol Marine Teak color with the Total Boat Gleam varnish would be a good combination?

Thanks
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,330
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
No experience with Cetol. If color is the idea, and the ash is too white, then I would get an attractive color perhaps Fruitwood from Minwax. Once you get the right color then you cover the wood with the varnish.

Browse Minwax® Wood Stain and Finish Colors | Minwax®

Browse the Minwax® palette of wood stain and finish color options. With Minwax®, you can complete your woodworking project with the perfect stain! Learn more!
www.minwax.com www.minwax.com
Take a look at the many colors. You would want an oil based penetrating stain. It is always best to test the stain to find the right color. Perhaps on a section of the tiller that is hidden under a metal shroud.

IMG_0678.jpeg


This seat is out of pine. It is a floor tread. I originally stained the wood with a mahogany oil stain, used clear epoxy to cover the seats and then a spar varnish. That was season one. The varnish lasted for the most part a year. I had drilled the back two holes thru using oval headed bolts to hold the seat down. In the spring of 2020 I took the seats off and cut it down to more fit the bottom frame and to test the smaller size. I plugged the holed with thickened epoxy and attached the seats with wood screws from underneath. That is why you see the lighter wood on the front edge and the 2 circular whitish dots on the outside of the seat. I sanded and sealed the seat with TB Gleam varnish.

After being exposed to the weather for 9 months. 90% of the seat looks great. On the right side in the back where the thru hole repair was made, moisture got under the epoxy. There was a wood imperfection there and perhaps moisture wicked up from beneath the seat. The result is a crack and the epoxy/varnish needs repair.

You never know with wood. You are less likely to have this experience. Just give the part several smooth even coatings and get a cover. You are likely to have many years of happy sailing before you have to make a repair. The is of course as long as you do not break the seal you are creating.

I would try to remove all of the goo you have on the end. I would varnish the entire piece. Then if you want to put the sticky tape on the end of the handle put it over the varnish. You will never get a smooth finished product taping one end and then varnish on the rest. There will be a path for water to get into the wood using the method you proposed. Water will always find a way.
 
  • Like
Likes: shank and Project_Mayhem
higgs

higgs

.
Aug 24, 2005
3,694
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
I have used pretty much everything on teak. I know the tiller you have is not teak. I have found Cetol to not be resistant to abrasion. You live up north, so you can remove your tiller over the winter, take it home and do 7 or 8 coats with a marine varnish. Nothing beats a well done marine varnish. While your at it, put in a 10 inch section of French hitching with some 1/8" tie down line where you normally grip the tiller. Finish with a turks head at each end of the the hitching. Good winter project and not as hard as you might think.
1605585643664.png
 
  • Like
Likes: sailnoproblem, shank and jssailem
shank

shank

.
Apr 20, 2016
125
Catalina 27 5231 Lake Champlain
That French hitching looks really nice. I watched a couple of videos on YouTube and it doesn't seem too hard and will give it a try. I think I'm going to do the TotalBoat Marine Wood finish on the bare wood followed by the TotalBoat Lust high gloss marine varnish.

I have a tiller cover for it but the tiller has a bracket to drive the RayMarine ST2000 tiller pilot which prevents a standard size cover from sliding over it. Sounds like another winter project.

Thanks
 
  • Like
Likes: jssailem
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,330
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I hear it is going to be a cold "Dark Winter". We all one use some interesting, challenging and rewarding projects this year.

I provide this council regarding the "French Hitching with Turks head Knots...
"If at first you do not succeed, Try try again" by Thomas H Palmer​

My first time success with knot tying has been 2 in 79 times. The beauty of such as task is not in the results but in learning the process that leads to your results. Those 2 times. Not pretty. I tore them out and started again... Enjoy the process and share the pictures.

I would encourage you getting a a small test can of your stain and varnish and try them out on your own. They each give a little different result.

Andy at Boatworks Today has several great videos on this subject.
 
  • Like
Likes: shank
sailnoproblem

sailnoproblem

.
Oct 10, 2011
619
Tartan 34C Toms River, New Jersey
shank said:
John, I've used Total Boat products in the past and have good luck with them. I want the wood a darker color than the natural wood provide with just a varnish. Do you think using the Cetol Marine Teak color with the Total Boat Gleam varnish would be a good combination?

Thanks
Click to expand
I am not sure but I think you can only use cetol gloss over cetol teak.
 
shank

shank

.
Apr 20, 2016
125
Catalina 27 5231 Lake Champlain
I finished my tiller project. I don't have any "before" pictures. I sanded it down to bare wood then applied 3 costs of Total Boat Marine Wood Finish in the teak color followed with 3-4 costs of marine varnish. The grip part has a few coats of Flex Seal which which is pretty cool stuff on its own and has a nice feel to it but decided to dress it up with some paracord which matches the rest of the boat. It's not a work of art but better than it was.
 

Attachments

  • Like
Likes: kloudie1, Ward H and rgranger
sailnoproblem

sailnoproblem

.
Oct 10, 2011
619
Tartan 34C Toms River, New Jersey
higgs said:
I have used pretty much everything on teak. I know the tiller you have is not teak. I have found Cetol to not be resistant to abrasion. You live up north, so you can remove your tiller over the winter, take it home and do 7 or 8 coats with a marine varnish. Nothing beats a well done marine varnish. While your at it, put in a 10 inch section of French hitching with some 1/8" tie down line where you normally grip the tiller. Finish with a turks head at each end of the the hitching. Good winter project and not as hard as you might think. View attachment 187315
Click to expand
I really like the look, does the single strand down the center bother your hand? The reason I ask is that I am considering dressing up mine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top Bottom