On Varnishing

I am thinking about the well-known saying that painting the Golden Gate Bridge is a constant. You think any of those bridge workers have an interest in buying an old wooden boat?

Each spring I walk into the boatyard shed and marvel at how close to ready good old Factor X looks. All that careful prep and finish from the previous year finally has that sailboat to the point where she’s ready to splash into the salt with nothing but a single coat of bottom paint.

Then I step closer. I see a chip on the hull here and another one there. I get my fingernail under a little crack in the paint and a few more voids are revealed. Sure, she can go in as is, but what the heck, I’ve painted those planks so many times it won’t take much to sand them down, do some quick fairing, and lay on a fresh coat.

Then I get to the varnish. This one is especially tricky. Varnishing is very satisfying. That is, until it drives you crazy. I know all about the elements of good varnishing: sanding and prep, not applying too much at a time, working in a dust-free environment, mixing the right amount of thinner to match the temperature and humidity. But let’s face reality, the chance of laying down a good coat of varnish on a spring day in a dirt floor boat shed is about as likely as Sotheby’s issuing a news release that old wooden boats will now be auctioned-off as rare collectible art.

Fortunately, with each year I get a bit more proficient with painting and varnishing. I also grow less interested in striving for the perfect finish. Sure, I take pride in the work, but it’s also about time on the water.

My dad kept a small framed copy of a Winslow Homer painting on his desk at work, probably a reminder of summer days spent sailing a catboat. I love that painting and the joy it reveals, of beauty and pleasure that require no varnish and no yacht-like finish.

Yeah, I’ll play a bit this spring, getting our sailboat ready. Just not too much, though. And as for writing? Yes, there’s likely a lesson there, as well.

John Urban

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