Varnish Problems

I just joined the site today and I am glad to be aboard. I finished building my 16ft. Tatman in October of 2008. The sides are meranti plywood. I used 2 coats of West System epoxy( and sanded in between coats) on the sides and I sprayed 2 coats of Z Spar Flagship to finish. It looks very nice. I keep the boat stored outside under a car port. I use the fitted canvas tarp that I bought from Tatman in addition to a Home Depot blue tarp that covers the entire boat to shield it from any indirect sunlight. I have used the boat 3 times on the water since October....I know - I have 2 kids in Diapers, work full time and am working on a PhD. Not much free time these days. Anyway, I pulled the cover off the boat the other day and noticed a discoloration in the varnish on the outside of the boat. The interior seemed unaffected. The discoloration appears to be below the surface. The surface is still smooth and glossy. It almost seems that the lighter, discolored areas are composed of micro bubbles - however they are so small I may be not be seeing the problem correctly and they may not be bubbles at all. Nonetheless, it is unsightly and I have no idea what the problem is. The temperatures have fluctuated dramatically here in north Georgia - 15 last week, 68 today. I'm not sure if that would have any affect. Any thoughts, suggestions etc. would be great. I suppose I could sand and re-revarnish, but I want to make sure that I am correcting the problem.

Also - any suggestion on the best way to store a boat outside would be great. I have since moved and will not have a car port any longer.

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Permalink Reply by Tiernan Roe on February 11, 2009 at 3:39am
hi Rob,
It looks like the piece of damage on the far right is shaped like a 5. Could this be the remnants of some lumber crayon or paint used to mark the ply. If so perhaps it penetrated very far into the top veneer and wasn't removed when you sanded the ply before epoxying. The lack of use and the comprehensive covering precludes uv damage. The change in temp. may have accelerated the problem. Just my guess. Hope it is helpful. If I'm right it's sand back and do again.
regards,
Tiernan
Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on February 11, 2009 at 9:38am
For storage of the boat outdoors I recommend the following..

1. Try not to do it. If you can beg, borrow, or rent a indoor space you won't regret it. That is always the first choice. Getting the boat inside will significantly reduce the possibility of water from condensation and narrow the temperature fluctuations that can cause wood movement to work on your joints.
2. Make sure the boat is not sitting on the ground.
3. If you know it is going to be some time before you are going to use the boat again layer the boat up as if you would dress for the outdoors. First layer is a cotton canvas cover, this will wick condensation away from the boat. Don't let this canvas touch the ground. It will wick water into the canvas from dew or rain. Second layer is a heavy waterproof tarp that covers all the way to the ground and is secured so the wind cannot blow it free. It's ok to put the sharkskin boat cover between canvas and the water proof tarp but remember that a shark skin boat cover is for a more temporary "cover and go" time of year. It will not wick as well as a cheap cotton canvas and it doesn't protect the outside bottom areas of the boat from the sun.
4. If you are going to put the boat to bed for the winter I recommend turning the boat upside down on supports that will keep it off of the ground and then following procedure #3. It seems a storm always comes up to blow the tarps off the boat. If the boat is upside down it will be much easier to wipe down and replace tarps. If not, it's a giant bucket that collects rain and snow.
Permalink Reply by Rob Dussler on February 11, 2009 at 10:44am
Thanks for both replies. I will see what I can come up with regarding indoor storage possibilities. If I cannot locate indoor storage - What about summer months? I have heard that having a cover on a boat that is in direct sunlight can really promote high temperatures under the tarp - and possibly damage the wood. Would it be better in this instance to suspend the tarp over the boat (much like storing it under a tent) so that air can flow freely inside the hull?
Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on February 11, 2009 at 7:15pm
A tent is good in summer but condensation is usually a bigger problem than heat in the Pacific Northwest.
Heat under a tarp does not usually cause as much damage as the sun; but remember, I live in Oregon.
Direct sun is damaging. When a boat is stored in the summer in the same location you can often tell which side faced the sun from the UV damage to the finish. A light colored tarp will usually do the trick.

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