Interior brightwork vs paint

I’m facing a conundrum. I can’t decide if I should paint the interior of my wooden skiff or leave it bright. So far, all I have done is coat the interior with epoxy. Not UV epoxy but standard marine epoxy.  I know that typically if bright work is done that a couple coats of varnish is used over the epoxy for UV. However, I would like to know if  anyone here has forgone the varnish with any ill effect other than slight discoloration? I figure that if I have to use varnish…I might as well just paint it since paint is a more durable and less maintenance intense coating system than varnish. Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on February 11, 2013 at 2:02pm

A good marine paint is the easiest to maintain and repair.  Varnish will take more than a couple of coats.  Six is a good number.  Then a light sand and varnish every year at the beginning of the season.

If the epoxy is left without UV protection is will quickly be broken down by the sun and you will expose bare wood to the elements, so be sure to protect that epoxy with UV coating of some kind.

Both can look very sharp.

Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on February 11, 2013 at 7:00pm

Randy is right.  Paint is the way to go- unless you love to varnish(who does?)  The varnish looks good on the gunwales,bresthooks.  I do them up with 10 coats. Can'timagine the upkeep with a varnished interor-  muddy waders, black labs, etc.

Good Luck

 

Permalink Reply by Greg Max on February 14, 2013 at 1:08pm

Dajuane,

I have a varnished interior on my boat and I think it was easily my biggest mistake in my build.  The upkeep on it is a serious challenge.  I would love to go back and just do an oiled interior.  Seems like the easiest option.   Not sure what I would do in your position since you already have epoxy down, but I just wanted to echo the other guys and say that varnish is a LOT of work.

Greg

Permalink Reply by lhedrick on February 14, 2013 at 2:55pm

Yes,  go with paint.

Boats are for fishing not varnishing.

Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on February 14, 2013 at 7:24pm

Around here on the coast of ME when you see a boat with lots of varnish it is either the first one the guy built or the guy is so loaded with with $ he can afford to hire out the work.  There is one large sailboat wiith full varnished topsides around here.  He wont let anybody near the  thing  with an ordinary dingy- must be a rubber Zodiak  

Permalink Reply by tungsten on February 15, 2013 at 5:33am

I have read that an automotive clear coat could also be another option.Would last much longer then varnish.

Permalink Reply by lhedrick on February 15, 2013 at 8:56am

Auto paint and clear are options but, check the price first.  Auto finishes are not in the ball park with 50 dollar a gallon white polyurethane paint.

You kind of get what you want at the price you are willing to pay.

Permalink Reply by Dajuane Thomas on February 15, 2013 at 10:03am

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all of the responses. The brightwork looks really good but like a few of you said, the upkeep might be more than I bargained for!

Soooooo, I think I better paint it. Since I’ve already epoxies the interior, I think my best course of action is to prim it and paint it. For paint, I’m thinking Interlux Brightside with a flattener.

Permalink Reply by Tom Anderson on February 17, 2013 at 7:24am

Hi Dajuane . . . 

Your boat looks great!  It looks like you must have modeled it in Sketchup?  Is there any chance you'd be willing to share your file (via email or 3 warehouse?).  I've got students in my cad classes at our high school drawing drift boat projects like trailers, and accessories, and would love to take a closer look at your boat model.

Permalink Reply by Ben Kittell on February 24, 2013 at 2:08pm

Not to distract from this post, but I am also doing a mostly painted interior and had a few questions that may be good to know for us new painters...

Are there issues with rot when having a painted interior? I was thinking that the advantage of oiling was to allow the boat to breath. So wouldn't paint hold in any moisture that may get in through a crack/drilled hole/etc., thus causing a problem with rot? Or will the paint breath enough to prevent this?

Also, I remember reading something on here a while ago about sealing the end grain of your ply wood. Cant remember what was decided, to epoxy, paint, oil, leave alone?

Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on February 25, 2013 at 5:45am

Ben: We have 2 boats that stay on moorings(salt water) from late May to early October.   The skiff is made of "lumber yard" PW and  Spruce 2x4 ripped to size.  It is painted with  Pettit.  The "Annie"  is about 10 years old and still in good shape with no signs of rot.  She gets a new coat of paint about every 3-4 years, alternating inside one year and outside the next.  The peapod "Iris" made of Merranti and Douglas Fir  is about 5 years old and finished with Kirbys( 4 coats). Last summer I did the outside and this summer  will do the inside .  After each rainstorm or big waves  I bail them out.  Letting water stand in a boat is bad.  The Iris is in excellent shape.

There should be no problem with rot with a painted boat if it is maintained and not let to sit out in the yard uncovered.  As to the paint "breathing"- I don't  think paint acts like "Goretex" keeping rain from getting you wet while letting your body moisture pass through the  parka.   Paint seals the wood.  Our boats get used - clamming,sailing ,fishing,etc and have held up well without rot.  When you paint the boat you will be sealing the end grain of the PW.

I doubt there is a driftboat in the country that sits on a mooring all summer long-even if you don't "garage" your DB- keep it well covered.  Do a good job of preparation and painting and don"t get all bunched up in the knickers over rot.

Just one mans  experience -others may differ-Good luck

 

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