Handrails and window frames on modified A27

[Vic K]

I finally solved my quandary in regards with what to cover the handrails and window frames. It's a four letter word, "PAINT". Good old fashion oil base alkyd enamel paint. On the Gulf Coast with high heat, humidity etc varnish takes a lot of attention. And I might add skill to apply it properly. That is one of the many skill I do not have( I have to thank goodness). Paint outlasted varnish by 3 to 1. Even when it needs a re-coat, paint doesn't peel or curl.
I think it looks pretty darn good if I say so myself. You can't see the handrails on the roof in the picture.
I did leave polyurethane,not varnish, on the four small handholds and the anchor platform.

No one appreciates the beauty of a boat with glossy, well tended varnished wood work more than I. It's that I'm just too old and lazy ( and lack the skill) to do the work.

I might add that I just purchased a Honda 2000 generator. So my wish list is complete. Now it's time to go forth and boat.

Vic

[Beta Don]

Nice looking boat Vic - When are you leaving on your boating trip and where are you headed?

Actually, 'paint' is a 5 letter word

I like the look of nicely kept brightwork as much as anyone, but if it lives outdoors and you want to varnish (or paint) it, you should pick a better wood than teak, which is oily and eventually causes any finish to peel off long before the finish itself breaks down. My thinking has always been that if they put an oily wood on the outside, the proper finish is to just coat it with teak oil every 6 months or so and just leave it at that

Not a problem on our current A27. The previous owner replaced all the exterior handrails with ones made from brown starboard, which has other problems, but keeping them varnished or painted thankfully isn't one of them

Don

[Vic K]

Don,

I meant that 'paint' was a four letter word in a metaphysical sense. Could even be construed to be a joke...play on words. But I'm not real smrt.

Our weather has just turned cooler for doing any traveling. Planning on a short trip to Galveston for a couple of days just to see how things run. Then if all goes well head further south to Rockport and maybe Port Isabel. Hoping that this spring to head to NO and maybe over to your neck of the woods. A couple of years ago I delivered a trawler to Fairhope and was really shocked at the amount of damage the last storm did to the barrier islands along the Mississippi Sound. I haven't been there in a while and was taken back by what I saw. Still the Sound is one of my favorite places.

Since I'm an old geezer I have to play it lo and slow. Right now really enjoying the 'Mary Jo' as a day boat. Being a optimist I've started building a dinghy for her.

Vic

[sail149]

Vic I have been thinking of the same solution but also can up with STAINLESS STEEL hand rails. one piece polished 28" long for under $10 on sale! Where I'm replacing or repairing anyway the wood will be GONE!
Warren

[Vic K]

Good idea. What grade stainless?

[Beta Don]

I found a gal on eBay a couple years ago who was selling stainless handrails - Actually, I think they were probably towel bars she had salvaged from an old barracks they were tearing down . . . . she had a BUNCH of them!

One inch diameter and two different lengths - One about 20 inches and the other about 30. Brushed finished stainless, not sure what grade . . . . maybe hospital grade. 2 1/2 inch diameter bases with 3 countersunk screw holes. I made a deal with her to buy about a dozen of them and I think I got them for $ or $5 each

I used eight of them on top of my extended hardtop which is now about 15 feet long. 4 down each side (a short, two longs and another short at the front) so you can easily walk the length of the deck with something to hang onto. The only downside I can see is they do get HOT under the mid-day sun. We're thinking about wrapping hand holds on them in white nylon cord. We'll see how that works out

Don

[Vic K]

Don,

Kool.

Vic

[sail149]

Good idea. What grade stainless?

Hi
I don't know SS grade but I got them from Defender marine clearance bin online.
The 6 I bought cost less than one new teak.($5.60 each)!
The heat might be an issue but it's what they install all over the place
on Hi end boats so I'm not going to worry for now!
W

[Vic K]

Looks like you got a great deal. Wish I had'em.

Vic

[Schooner]

Have been doing some refreshing on an '88 that I bought in the spring. Unlike my younger days, the work involves exceeds the satisfaction of well-tended teak. Also went with stainless.

Jack

[sail149]

Jack
Looks great, the teak is defiantly not needed!