> Paul, I had the same trouble locating varnish and got the same product at
> the local home depot. It goes on very easily and you won't have to worry
> about pearling or flaking since it comes off when exposed to water for a
> couple of hours. I put a coat on my yak and after an afternoon in salt
> water the bottom looked like it was shedding. Scared the hell out of me
> until I realized it was just the varnish. Bob

I would not recommend a product for use on a boat hull if it flaked off after an hour or two in the water. Seems to me like the time needed for recoating might cut into my recreation schedule a bit too much.

If local suppliers don't have the products you need, there are MANY places that will deal with you through mail order, or phone order, and ship these materials to you. Technically, you are supposed to pay sales tax on these types of sales, but in reality, if your supplier is out of your state they rarely charge you tax. That savings can frequently offset some of the shipping charges. If you buy varnish by mailorder, you will avoid some bubbles if you let the can rest for a day or two before you open it, and don't stir it before you use it.

I've been happy with a hi build varnish I bought from Clark Craft. I think it is made by the Pettit company. You can get a free supplies catalog from Clarkcraft at their website: www.clarkcraft.com They have their phone number there, too, so you can call for product, pricing, and shipping info, too. an internet search will turn up dozens of boating material suppliers. If they have online price lists you can do some shopping before calling to place an order.

Check your local Yellow pages for a boating store. If they don't stock marine finishes they will certainly know where some good ones can be obtained. Boats of all sizes need touch-ups regularly, and any boat paint supplier will have several good boat varnishes, too.

Hope this helps

Paul Jacobson