Tom,

My experience with varnishing a strippe: First, tell your wife she is right. Second, make sure your epoxy is fair and blenish free. All pock marks (half a bubbles) and waves will show ten fold when epoxied. Fill all the lows and pocks with epoxy and use a fairing board if you want it perfect. Varnish does not build enough thickness to fill any blemishes. Next, clean all the sanding dust and grit of the final sanded epxoy with soap and water. I use ammonia and water less chance for residue. Fourth, I apply varnish with a foam brush, no roller. I don't like cleaning brushes and new brushes won't heve any dust or residue in them from previous use. Fifth, create a dust free shop. Sixth, start wetting at the keel (bow or stearn ) and brush horizontally 2 feet wide down to the shear. Then move over and apply the next adjacent 2 feet lapping half way into the first area. Thin the varnish only enought to avoid draging when lapping into the adjacent area. I thinned Captains about 10%, the hotter the air temperature the faster it drys the more you will need to thin. Use Z-Spar's thinner. Next, I wet sand between coats (outside). It keeps the dust out of the shop and doesn't gum the sandpaper Eighth, takes about five coats. Last, it takes at least a couple weeks for the varnish to harden.

Read:

http://www.greenval.com/FAQvarnishing.html

: I'm almost ready to varnish my Osprey Double. After sanding, should I wash
: the entire boat (soap and water)?

: I've read that some thin the varnish. I am going to use Captain's varnish.
: Does this need to be thinned, if so with what?

: What is the best method for application, foam roller or foam brush, or is
: there another method that works better?

: What is the process between varnish coats? Steel wool, those 3M pads?

: I will finish this thing sooner or later. I have to admit that I am getting a
: little sick of sanding at this point. My wife tells me not to be impatient
: and that I will be sorry if I rush and don't do the job I want to do.
: She's probably right.

: Thanks,

: Tom