Finishing, Second Edition
ISBN 0-924947-11-X

This book was written to make your life in and around boats easier. It has just been revised this year to keep it up to date. The tools, materials, and techniques used have changed little since then, but the use epoxies has become more widespread in boatbuilding, it has been updated to reflect that trend. It is comprehensive, based on years of first-hand experience with products that work and those that have failed to live up to the claims in their advertisers. It doesn't cover every product of every paint manufacturer. What it does do is discuss the products that work best in our shop, and in the process, takes you through preparatory steps, through application, and on to maintenance. In short, if someone was going to apply to our shop for a job as a finisher, this is the information we would expect them to know. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time it has all been gathered together between two covers. Two of the many topics included that you won't find elsewhere are incising a waterline and estimating--there's even information on gold leafing. Nearly everyone thinks they can paint; from a professional's viewpoint, nearly all of them are wrong. Here is the information you need to get the job done right the first time so you can spend more time where you would rather be–out on the water. At less than the cost of a good varnish brush, it's money well spent.

Chapters include...

About the photos...

Both of these photos are of a Pete Culler designed Staten Island Skiff. What a difference finishing can make. The boat in the top photo is painted inboard and out with oiled guard rails and rail cap used to accentuate the run of the sheer. The boat at the right is also cedar planked, but she is trimmed out with teak. She's oiled inboard and painted outboard. Transom and sheer strakes are bright inboard and out.