Nowhere else in the marine industry is there as much
superstition, witchcraft and nonsense as you will find pertaining to
brightwork and wood coatings. The docks are covered with salty
old experts dispensing advice in every direction. Books have
been written and magazine articles have been printed that would give
the impression that the writer is both highly qualified and
experienced with all of the different coating products that are
available. This in most cases is simply not true- the author
is merely stating a personal preference- not an absolute
dictum.
We have written this page to help dispel some of the
myths surrounding brightwork, and to assist boatowners in making the
most intelligent choice for a coating product. The format is
actually the same as some of the questions that we've been
asked.
The local experts tell me these new
coatings don't work.
It seems that every
boatyard and marina has their "experts" who are always ready to
share opinions and advice in loud and forceful voices. In
order to best assign a value to this type of advice, it is necessary
to qualify these experts. First, does the person have a
background in polymer science? Second, does the person have a
background in wood fiber technology? Finally, does the person
have actual experience with the product being discussed?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then
you are receiving an unqualified opinion that could be
wrong.
Does Bristol Finish allow the wood
to breathe?
No, it does not. But
let's make one thing perfectly clear- wood does not have
lungs. It does not need to be able to breathe.
Bristol Finish is a waterproof coating, and
is purposely designed this way. Research has proven that if
wood is allowed to continually absorb moisture, it loses a
tremendous amount of it's structural integrity. It will also
be prone to rot. If rot spores are deprived of moisture they
cannot survive, and therefore will not destroy the wood on your
boat.
Aren't two part products difficult
to mix?
Well, let's look at it this
way. A cake is a a multiple part product, but your mother
doesn't have a problem mixing one. A simple measuring cup, a
recipe and an eyeball are all that is required. Bristol
Finish is much easier to make than a cake, or a good
martini.
Why is Bristol Finish a two part
product and not just one can?
The simple
answer is performance. Not just good performance, but great
performance.
The specific reason is molecular chain length, and
therefore the strength and durability of the dried film.
Comparing a cross-linked (two part) urethane to a one part product
is like comparing a bowl of spaghetti to a bowl of rice. The
longer pieces of spaghetti tend to intertwine, whereas the rice just
lies side by side. The greater the length of the molecular
chains, the more ability the coating molecules have to interlock,
and this gives the coating much greater strength. This
characteristic also greatly increases the ability of the coating to
dissipate ultraviolet energy, and therefore resist
degradation.
Over fifty bucks a quart?
That's way too expensive.
Hold on
there. It's really only $40 a quart. Let's look at all
of the facts-
First, price a quart of "popular orange- looking
stain finish" at your local discount marine chain store. You
will pay $30.99 for 32 ounces. Then price a can of Dutch
varnish at the same place. You will pay $23.99 for 34
ounces. The Bristol Finish Quart kit is $59.95 for 44
ounces. What's the cost per ounce?
The "orange stain finish" is 97 cents per ounce, and
Dutch varnish is 71 cents per ounce. Bristol Finish is
$1.25 per ounce. Bristol Finish is then 22% more than
"orange stain finish", and 43% more than Dutch varnish.
Now think about this- Bristol Finish will go
4 times longer than "orange stain finish" between maintenance
coats, and 10 times longer than the varnish.
So, compared to "popular orange- looking stain
finish", you spend 22% more in order to receive an increase in
performance of 400%. Compared to the varnish, you spend
43% more to receive an increase in performance of
1000%. If you calculate the ROI (return on investment)
for this expenditure, it would indicate that Bristol Finish
will pay for itself more than once.
If this is not justification enough, we can take
this even farther. Compared to a typical initial varnish
application, there is a tremendous saving for required labor.
Since Bristol Finish does not require sanding between each
coat, we have estimated that 75% of the labor required for an
initial application will be eliminated. Based on a typical
varnish job that would require 80 hours of labor at a cost of $25.00
per hour, the application of Bristol Finish will save 60
hours, for a cost savings of $1,500.00.
Just to make sure that we are analyzing all of the
true cost factors, assuming that you are in a 35.9% tax bracket (28%
Federal tax, 6.5% Social Security, and 1.45% Medicare) the $1,500.00
savings is really worth $2,038.50.
Even if you're retired and do your own work, the
above scenario will save you the 60 hours. Would these 60
hours be more pleasant on a nice cruise, or on your knees with
sandpaper in your hand and sweat in your eyes? Also, even your
time has a value factor- just adjust the numbers to suit your
situation.
Of course, we're not even considering the lesser
number of maintenance sessions per year that Bristol Finish
requires. Add that up, and there is a tremendous overall cost
savings!
If this stuff is so great, why
isn't everybody using it?
Maybe some
people are listening to all of that "expert" advice that we
discussed above. It can be confusing.
There is just no easy answer for this
question. Why doesn't everyone drive safely? Why do
people take dangerous illegal drugs?
Hopefully some of this discussion will help you in
determining if Bristol Finish makes sense for you. You
may be thinking that this was all prefaced with some thoughts on
"expert" opinions, and the ideas above are certainly based on
our opinions. What are our qualifications?
First, academic and practical use backgrounds with
both organic and inorganic chemistry. Second, extensive
research in both polymer science and wood fiber technology.
And finally, lots of blood, sweat and grief.
We have (as sort of a hobby) rescued several old
antique wood boats from the graveyard, and performed complete
structural and cosmetic restorations. In almost every case, we
have chainsawed away and replaced toe rails, cabin sides, transoms
and other parts that have been allowed to "breathe" (read "absorb
moisture and rot") with a porous coating applied. This is not
easy work, nor is it cheap. It is difficult to replace a toe
rail on a 35' boat for less than $5,000 and even small pieces can
set you back a few hundred each. Do we want to take the chance
of this deterioration happening again? Do we want the wood to
"breathe"?
Absolutely not. The only way to make these
boats last and provide enjoyment for future generations is to
completely seal them up.
Also, who has time to put on a coat of varnish every
3 months?
