[Markwesti]

Hey StormBay , I really like your Cetol job with the natural . Makes me wish I started with the natural , as I use the Cetol light . And yes it's orange . I think I'm going to buy a can of the natural, thanks to your nice pics. Thanks!

 

[bljones]

LOL- Cetol recommends recoating annually:

http://www.yachtpaint.com/LiteratureCentre/cetol-marine-guide.pdf

 

[bljones]

Maintenance aside, I honestly can not see that much difference between an amateur application of Cetol natural teak and an amateur application varnish even if the varnish is applied correctly. It just looks like a different band of varnish. No one at our marina that has seen our teak has guessed it was Cetol, and I put it on with the $0.75 brushes from home depot. Ours has been roasting away in the florida sun for 2 years and is showing no sings of quitting any time soon. We have acres of teak; it takes a full quart and a good half of a day for one coat. Its hard to see from the crappy cellphone pic but all of the ribboning shimmers in the light, Cetol does not obscure it al all.

Looks great.
How many coats?

 

[StormBay]

Looks great.
How many coats?

3 initial coats of natural teak followed by 1 maintenance coat of gloss every 7 to 10 months ( I aim for every 6 months as the sun down hear is brutal, but I haven't been on schedule yet) so 6 coats total in 2 years. The gloss is what really makes it pop compared to the semi matt finish of the plain natural teak.

 

[StormBay]

that's why I use Bristol Finish elsewhere. Cetol got hard and brittle and flakey and horrible. I swear I still find cetol dust in little nooks and crannies and I've had it fully removed for three years.

I also think bristol finish looks great and it should last a long time if done right, however don't expect it to come off any easer than Cetol if you ever have to refinish. removing-bristol-finish-from-teak-

 

[StormBay]

Hey StormBay , I really like your Cetol job with the natural . Makes me wish I started with the natural , as I use the Cetol light . And yes it's orange . I think I'm going to buy a can of the natural, thanks to your nice pics. Thanks!

Thanks! The natural teak is defiantly a better color compared to the older formulas.

 

[Minnewaska]

I also think bristol finish looks great and it should last a long time if done right, however don't expect it to come off any easer than Cetol if you ever have to refinish. removing-bristol-finish-from-teak-

Yup, stripping brightwork isn't fun. However, I find Bristol Finish will knock down with 60 grit and then finished with 100. If you want to try to remove a coating that is nuclear proof, try to sand Interlux Perfection Plus. Hard as nails. This two part coating is incredibly hard, but is also so toxic when applied, you may not live long enough to need to remove it.

That link tells a story of it failing. Having tons of experience with this, I will attest that any coating failure is always pilot error. I've sworn it wasn't me at times, until I finally figure out what I was doing wrong.

 

[bljones]

Bristol finish doesn't like sharp corners or edges.

 

[Minnewaska]

Nothing likes an edge that water might get under. Its the number 1 cause of brightwork failure. I can't say I've notice BF any tougher than any other finish on sharp corners. None are great.

 

[hriehl1]

The only threads more entertaining than varnish are about anchors.

I will not claim one is better than the other... they have different merits; choose your medicine. Varnish (generally) requires more coats, sanding between coats, is finicky to apply and needs more frequent attention... but it does look better. Cetol takes less work (no sanding between coats is BIG), is more forgiving to apply and generally more durable but does not match varnish for lustre. [I cite several Practical Sailor studies for claims that Cetol is more durable.]

Having used varnish on a previous boat, I do believe it is a fair statement that Cetol may be an aesthetic compromise but takes WAYYY less time to apply and maintain.

 

[bljones]

who says you have to sand varnish between coats? This is one of the big myths of brightwork. if you are re-coating inside of 24 hours, there is no sanding needed, unless you have finish imperfections, like runs, drips, bubbles, etc.

 

[bljones]

[I cite several Practical Sailor studies for claims that Cetol is more durable.]

Like this one?:
Exterior Wood Finish Test Two-year Update - Practical Sailor Article

"....The Cetol Natural (with gloss) test panel fell from a Good coating integrity six months ago to being dropped from testing...."

"...As this test has shown, when it comes to long-lasting protection and gloss, two-part varnishes just can't be beat. They may be a pain to apply-and should you let the coating fail, you had better invest in a heat gun-but their durability is unmatched...."

 

[hriehl1]

From Practical Sailor, September 2011, at the 2-year mark of their coatings test.

"The Cetol products are still at the head of the pack, albeit a somewhat mangy-looking pack. The cloudy, opaque look of the Cetol Marine and Marine Light products may not appeal to everyone, but the fact they’ve maintained their color for more than a year is a good example that higher-solids finishes tend to offer better UV protection.

The Cetol Natural (with gloss) test panel fell from a Good coating integrity six months ago to being dropped from testing. Its performance mirrors what we’ve seen in the field: Give it a little loving once a year with a scrubby pad and a fresh coat, and it’ll last the long haul."

Yes, the 2-part varnishes were the stars of the class, and one can look down one's nose at Cetol's aesthetics. But it gives good protection with far less effort than varnish.

 

[bljones]

But it's not FAR less effort. that's my point.
Cetol does have an advantage- it dries faster. So, you can do your two annual coats in a single morning, rather than having to do one coat of varnish in the morning and one in the evening.

 

[bljones]

The only threads more entertaining than varnish are about anchors.

On this we agree. maybe the ultimate entertainment thread is "What anchor should i use to hold the best bluewater boat I can find for under $5000 in one place so that I can refinish the brightwork while my bulldog watches for pirates with a gun. Oh, and what boat, gun, coating and beer should I buy?"

 

[Seaduction]

My Cetol can says 24 hours between coats; never tried 2 coats in 1 morning.

 

[KeelHaulin]

I'd refrain from putting down 2 coats of Cetol in one day, the solvents may not escape the first coat quickly enough causing problems with the second coat. In fact 24 hours might not be enough in cool climates, I put down a second coat yesterday afternoon and in spots where the first coat was a little heavy I got some wrinkles in the second coat. I'm going to wait a week, wet sand and put one more on.

In regards to two part varnishes, I would tend to agree on their superiority, last winter I put in hardwood floors at home and used an acid curing conversion varnish called Glitsa. Awesome stuff but special safety precautions required (acid absorbing niosh cartridges, pilot lights off, etc). Two parts are in another category than standard spar varnish, but also much more finicky than single stage finishes.

 

[Classic30]

My Cetol can says 24 hours between coats; never tried 2 coats in 1 morning.

Don't. Not many products out there allow "multi-coating" and Cetol isn't one of them.

Uroxsys is one system that does and produces an amazing finish also, but it's horrendously expensive.

 

[hriehl1]

Agreed... that would be the ultimate entertaining thread... but wait... it must be posted by one who's been lurking on the site and has never sailed before.

 

[jimgo]

Um, you forgot to add the discussion about rebedding - Since I'm going to be redoing the finish on everything, I'm also going to rebed the brightwork. I'm planing on use silicone caulk because everybody says not to buy "marine" versions of stuff since it's just overpriced BS. Although, I've heard good things about something called 5200, and might use that instead.


Back to the original point of the thread...I've used Cetol, and I've done 8-coat varnish finishes. I did Cetol on the hatch boards on my old boat, and varnish on this one. I'm not thrilled with the way the varnish is holding up. Maybe its the brand, and maybe I'm just being rougher with them this year, but the varnish is showing much more wear than the Cetol versions did. I'm also dreading refinishing the varnish. That being said, I think Cetol is easier to apply, especially for someone who is new and might be intimidated by woodwork. I do prefer the look of the varnish, but it's not such a huge difference that I'd steer someone away from Cetol.