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[peterpan]

Hi all

I have been dipping into the forum for some time and got some great help so have decided to sign up. I am not experienced at using forums and am not quite sure where to post my posts so I thought I would do a brief introduction and look for some guidance.

My name is Peter I am 69 and with my wife of 48 years live in Spain

I have never done any model making before but have a passion for boats and for most the past 40 years have owned a verity of different craft including motor boats and yachts of different types and with my wife have sailed extensively as far as Norway in the north and Gibraltar in the south. When I retired in 1999 we lived and travelled aboard a steel 12 metre ketch for 5 years which we had bought 3 years before in a very derelict state and had completely refitted. We finally moved ashore here in Spain 6 years ago.
Boating is an expensive pastime and not being blessed with vast wealth our boating has had to be very hands on and so I have an extensive knowledge of most aspects of the real thing.

About a year ago I was missing my boating and thought I would try making a model and after much searching bought a Bruma kit and I am now totally hooked. (My next scratch built project is already in mind).

I decided from the start that despite my total lack of experience I would try and achieve the highest quality of finish that I could and with due modesty I am very pleased with the results so far. I have now completed the double planked hull and the deck. I have painted below the waterline but the hull planking above looks so good that I am going to clear varnish it. (Trying to attach pics)

 I would like to get some advice on varnishing techniques and the use of sander sealer. I have also been following the posts on RC. Also in the future I intend to put much more realistic standing and running rigging on the boat.As you can see I am afraid the advice traffic is going to be mostly one way to start with.

I think it's probably best to post one question at a time which I will do when I sort out posting.

[Patrick Henry]

And that's your first attempt?


I'm taking up knitting...that's amazing workmanship.


Rich

[Peterm]

Rich, I thinl I will join your knitting club.  Pete

[DickyD]

Welcome to the forum Peter, be warned its very addictive.

Thats an excellent piece of work you have turned out there, as you say, too good to paint.

I myself would use a polyurethane yacht varnish on it, sanded with a fine wet and dry paper between coats till you get the finish you require.

I would use sanding sealer if I was using paint, but think the varnish will bring out the appearance of the grain better.

Polyurethane varnish will also darken the timber slightly.

Just my thoughts.

Now sit back and wait for dozens of different thoughts on this.

[peterpan]

Thanks for the kind comments. It really is my first attempt. Its very gratifying as at the moment I have nothing to compare it with. A lot is down to the info I picked up from the web site.

The deck and hull have had several coats of sander sealer each sanded back to wood,

My plan is to give the deck a final coat of sander sealer and leave it.

Thanks DickyD for the input re the hull. I was wondering about using a polyurethane varnish but was not sure how to rub it down between coats. Would you thin the first coat?
This sounds exactly what I am hoping to achieve.

One final thing. In the future I will have a number questions particularly about RC for this model and how to scale future projects and when I come to rig the Bruma. Is it best to start a new thread on the model boating section and can I link it to this post?

Thanks again

[DickyD]

You could thin the first coat Peter but if you have already used sanding sealer there is no real point as that has already done what the thinned down coat would do, which is sealed the grain.