I don't brush varnish, I roll it and tip with a brush, much faster and easier to maintain a wet edge which is a requirement for a good varnish job. That said, I like Zspar's Captain's Varnish. Easy to apply, dries hard and holds up well and is relatively inexpensive. Was recommended by Rob Macks. I've tried just about everything, for a simple varnish job, this works great.

If you are in a hurry and still want a quality job, you can start with Interlux's Jet Speed varnish, you can put on several coats in a day, quick to build up a decent base. But..it's not UV resistant, so needs a couple coats of the Captain's varnish to provide that once the base is done.

Bill H.