: I am trying to get a really good varnish job on my new Return but I
: always seem to find a run or sag someplace. Is there a way to
: sand or scrape them out and not have to redo the whole boat? I
: may end up with the infamous 6 coats. Joe

Scarpe it, sand it and touch it with a rubber gloved finger tip of varnish.

I use Captain's varnish by Z-Spar. EVERY finnish is different. I don't use Z-Spar's "Flagship" varnish, which has more UV inhibitors (sounds good right!) but it does not brush as smoothly or easily as Captain's.

#1 problem. People load too much varnish on the brush.

Varnish is deceptive, a lot like epoxy. You can put on a heavy coat and it looks good, but gravity will make it run if it is too heavy, which you won't see until later. You won't get a good finnish until you can resist putting on a heavy coat.

I use only disposable foam brushes to varnish. The Plus, no cleaning, storing, grooming of expensive brushes. The Minus, they are a sponge so in tight places, especially around the cockpit coaming they will dump a load of varnish, so you must use a dry brush to go over these spots.

Rob's Brush Technique
Dip only the tip of your brush in the finish. Do not wipe off finish on the edge of the can, because this can add foam to your brush.

The toughest part of applying a finish is to put on the right amount, so you don’t get drips or sags and yet cover the area completely.

It seems easy to cover the boat with finish, but I never used to go without missing a few spots.

THEN, at a boat show, a finishing rep displayed this brush technique;
Brush a small area (about 16” sq.)

➤ ➤ With the grain (strips), then across the grain, and finally, with the grain, to spread the finish evenly and cover the area totally.

Do all 3 passes, one right after the other.

• When your brush comes out of the varnish container it's loaded with varnish.

#1 - Start the first stroke with the grain (strips) on the keel or high on the boat. This first stroke dumps a lot of varnish.
Successive stokes, with the strips, lay out less and less.

#2 - Then stroke across the grain (strips), ➤ from top to bottom, pulling the first stroke, that was heavy with varnish, down to the sheer to even out the varnish thickness.

#3 - Then the final strokes, with the grain (strips), smooth it all out and insure you haven't missed a spot.
A 1/2” dip of your brush tip into the finish will cover about a 16”. square area.

➤ To prevent missing areas divide your brushing into small sections. I use staples on my hulls below the waterline, so I brush from the staple holes from one station to the next.

➤ Overlap your brush strokes from one section to the next. If you don’t have a definite area marker, you will have to visualize your work area size.

Start with less varnish on your brush than you want to use.

Good luck!

Rob