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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Tiller Finish

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Auburn80
1st Mate

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60 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/28/2005 : 21:18:12

Seems like this is the time for a bunch of tiller posts :-))

I just received my new tiller. My original was not broken; just beat up, water damaged and badly drilled at some point early in its life.

I'd like some suggestions on what to use for a final finish.

TIA Everyone

Edited by - on

TRogers
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2005 : 21:25:44

I used Cetol on mine when I did it last year. Seems to be holding up fine.

Edited by - on

Auburn80
1st Mate

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60 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2005 : 21:45:20

Tom,
was that the Satin or Clear? I have some Satin and I'm afraid the pigments in it might hide too much of the contrasting laminations.

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2005 : 21:48:28

I've finished mine with 3 coats of regular cetol followed up with 2 coats of cetol gloss. Beautifull and the grain shows very well.

Turk

P.s. Don't forget - no paint brushes - use foam brushes for a bubble free finish (yep, that's not dust, it's bubbles created by regular paint brushes).

Edited by - Turk on 06/28/2005 21:51:09

TRogers
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2005 : 22:05:55

After a trip to my garage, the can says "Marine Light".

It's a transparent coating so the grain does show through. Came out looking pretty good in my opinion.

Edited by - on

dhunt
1st Mate

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USA
83 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2005 : 22:10:39

Second and third the motion for Cetol . . . applied it last year to the exterior teak and hatch boards . . . just used it on the tiller. Great finish and it will last. I use better grade brushes and don't have any issues with bubbles.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2005 : 22:24:48

Polyurethane, 10 spray coats, last forever, people always compliment.

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2005 : 23:31:41

I have to agree with Frank. Polyurethane displays the grain much better than Cetol (which I had used the previous time on my tiller) I sanded it down to bare wood 5 years ago and applied several coats of polyurethane and it still looks gorgeous!
Derek

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 09:43:43

Cetol here... the regular stuff.

I like the boat to look nice, but I've never figured on entering her in a boat show... so I go with a finish that's easy to maintain. There's not a drop of varnish on her.

Polyurethane would probably work just as well on the tiller.

Edited by - on

Auburn80
1st Mate

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60 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 14:09:38

Excellent input everyone. There were mentions of polyurethane sprayed on and others that did not mention. Would the brush-on work as well? Will also consider the Cetol since I want to do my hatch boards, hatch railings and handrails.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5932 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 14:21:00

If you want to keep it looking nice and reduce your maintenance, keep it covered with a sunbrella or canvas cover when not in use.

Edited by - on

dhunt
1st Mate

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USA
83 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 14:49:15

I've found that several very light coats of Cetol provides better clarity to the finish . . . The label implies that it should be used liberally - but I find that it gets cloudy if a coat is too thick

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 16:49:54

7 coats of West Marine Skipper varnish

Brooke

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 17:04:39

Last winter I sanded down the tiller on "Brandy" and refinished it with three coats of Minwax Helmsman Spar "Clear Satin" Urethane, sanding between each coat. I used a brush and was very careful about
working out bubbles. It came out much better than I expected. This process and material was related to me by several individuals on the C250 forum.

Edited by - on

thaind
Navigator

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Canada
145 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 20:22:48

I refinished my tiller with several coats of brushed on spar varnish. Present day spar varnish is basicly a polyurethane with UV inhibiters. I used it because I felt that it was tougher for regular wear than an oil based finish and being a liquid it can be thinned for the first few coats unlike a spray.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2005 : 20:41:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 If you want to keep it looking nice and reduce your maintenance, keep it covered with a sunbrella or canvas cover when not in use.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hear, Hear!

I purchased a new tiller and the CD cover four years ago and it still looks brand new.

Edited by - on

mashedcat
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2005 : 22:54:27

I'm very new to this boat, but have sailed thistles for years and found in the long run that brightwork that i had always held up best when finished with good quality spar varnish. I'm not sure what the p/o used on my new boat, but it looks like some sort of shellac with pigment. It looks like it was applied with a broom. But more than that the overall appearanceis not nice. I don't know if that's Cetol, but i sure don't like the result. Most brightwork experts I've read say 6 to 8 coats of high quality spar varnish (epifanes, or equvalent) if you don't like gloss finish do the final coat with satin.

Edited by - on

John G-
Admiral

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793 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2005 : 00:32:15

This is one place I use spar varnish. I agree with Dave “MashedCat” that “…in the long run that brightwork that i had always held up best when finished with good quality spar varnish.”
I do cover the tiller with a Sunbrella cover. The one from CD is a bit more, $24, but it covers all the way over the rudder end. A light sanding with my Dewalt sander and a couple of coats of spar varnish and it looks new like the day I got it from Catalina Yachts.
I use "Armada satin" on all the other teak.

Edited by - on

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