Good virgin wood coating?

[LaPlaya]

I am in the process of re-doing a whole lot of my Georgian 23. It's all sanded and primed ready for me to tape off and paint the stripes to be followed by the hull above the waterline.
The original teak trim especially from the hull to deck joint has well.... gone south.. way south. I priced out teak at around 13$ a foot and could not make that happen. I purchased mahoganey instead. What in everyones (anyones) opinion is the best way to go for a good economical and "easier" to maintain coating on virgin wood. I have used various "can't be beat" products in the past and was left feeling let down. I am honestly tempted to just go with tranny fluid or something similar and keep oiling that . Cost is an issue cause I am approaching cut off point budget wise on this project. Anyone have any ideas?

On another subject while I am here I want to say that I was not overly impressed with the interlux precoat primer that I bought. I found that it dried (sprayed on) very uneven looking and gave the appearance of having orange peel when it in fact did not. I only hope that the brightside paint makes me happier. Got ALL my fingers crossed.
I also found out that I need to make a note to myself.....NEVER ever again wet sand in an outdoor enviornment where the sun can turn the tailings into well....concrete...or else have an assistant hot on your trail with a rag and a hose.
That was some nasty stuff to get rid of.
AL

[USCGRET1990]

The most protection for the buck for me is Valspar Gloss Spar Varnish.
It can be purchased reasonably at Lowes or Walmart.

[LaPlaya]

Thanks
I had tried that product b4 and it did not do well at all....but as the (brightwork?? LOL) was already pretty much dead already that may have had alot to do with it as it had mould issues & rot. I have a week or so b4 I need to make a decision on this so will wait and see what else may pop up. Again thanks for ur input.
AL

[BillCoolbaugh]

The cost may be a stickler but I'd bet Envirolon Clear Coating Restores and Protects from Vivilon Coatings would do the trick. They did my boat with its companion product Tough Enough Faded Paint, Metal and Fiberglass Restored and it not only restored the faded fiberglass gelcoat but it acts as kind of a non-ablative anti-fouling too. Great stuff! They put the picture of my boat on their website atFaded Fiberglass Gelcoat Boat Restoration

[USCGRET1990]

The problem with woods like teak and mahogany, is they are dense and oily. They do well against rot, but unfortunately things, other than mold, don't like to stick to them. That's why I believe in teak oil for my teak. I find it easier to re-apply it every other month or so still easier than sanding and re-varnishing it every other year. I've never tried it, but teak oil or something similar might work on mahogany. Just remember, oils have to be re-applied ever so often, but it's easy and a lot less messy. This is just my opinion as I am cheap and lazy, but still like things to look nice.

[LaPlaya]

Thanks again usc I am leaning towards oil 4 sure.
AL

[WuWei]

I use Captain's Z-Spar on Wu-Wei's brightwork. I used slmost every type of varnish before, and it looked like crap after a few months. I tried oiling the brightwork, but you have to keep on that. The Z-Spar was my last resort. It took a year and a half of Florida direct sun and salt until it was time to redo the whole process. More expensive, it is worth the $$$. All I had to do was sand, stain (I used Min-wax from Lowes), and apply a few coats. (Apply thinly- this stuff is like syrup.) I am completely sold, and even used it for teak bilge covers (which it has handled a ton of abuse better than any other poly.)

Chris
US 30' Wu-Wei
http://www.diysailor.com

[Sailormann]

Just oiling might be a problem with Mahogany. It is a much dryer wood than teak, and you're going to have to oil it quite often. Also, it's going to stain a lot more easily than teak if it is not protected. If you want to save money, I would suggest using a low viscosity satin-finish urethane. Apply it with a rag, rubbing it in well. Several very light coats rather than rolling or brushing on two or three heavier coats.

It's not the most durable stuff, but you'll find it lasts as long as most other varnishes, at less cost. The key is not to put on too much. You are basically just using it to seal the wood and leave a low sheen. If you cake it on, it's going to crack and peel when the sun beats down on it and the boat flexes.

[Anjin-San]

I am in the process of covering all the wood on my boat with epoxy. I did a test on a greyish 2x4 that was lying near my boat: sanded and putted some epoxy (clear) on it: marvelous. Epoxy turned an ugly peice of wood into a shiny nice looking one in only 5 minutes (sanding included). Epoxy being affected by UVs, I'll put 2 layers of UV absorbant/resistant varnish. That way, teak will be weather proof and maintenance free.