It was a good choice from an aesthetic perspective, but was very difficult to apply. We had an extremely wet spring, and even with a lot of thinning, I had a tough time getting the varnish to flow. A couple times I ended up with pools of varnish that just wouldn�t brush out correctly, and had to sand them back.
My normal varnish is Interlux Goldspar, which used to be called Clipper Clear. It is lighter in color, but very easy to handle. I have varnished my big boat in 95-degree heat and 80% humidity with no trouble. It always flows beautifully and is loaded with UV blockers. Were I to start over on Wee Rob, there�s no doubt in my mind I would use Goldspar. If I really were going to use the boat a lot, I would try Epifanes Wood Finish or even Sikkens Cetol. They are not varnishes, but are getting better and better looking, and quick application and no sanding between coats makes them very simple to use. I am gradually switching all high-wear areas on my motorsailer to Wood Finish. Harry Bryan uses a lot of Cetol.
I have switched to foam brushes from badger hair and can tell no difference, and have cut clean-up time from hours to nothing. My other trick is to use artificial steel wool (Scotchbrite) between the last couple coats instead of sandpaper. Much easier on the hands and very easy to use.
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