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Author Topic:   40th Anniversary Mahogany Care?

CTnewblue posted 04-13-2002 09:02 PM ET (US)
I just brought home my first whaler today, a 1998 13' 40th Anniversary edition. I'm real excited to have found this boat. The boat and 40 HP Merc are overall in pretty good shape. The mahagony, however, could use some help...due to sun damage. I've read that in '98 BW put a special UV inhibitor finish on the wood for this model. Does anyone know the best way to care for and/or refinish this mahogany?
P.S. This is a great website. I've been following it, and educating myself from your input for many months as I searched for my boat. You all provide a great service to your fellow boaters.
browning20ga posted 04-14-2002 11:04 PM ET (US)
Hi "CTnewblue" and welcome. I've not heard of a special finish on the '98 boats but it might be worth a call to Boston Whaler and see what they have to say about it.
Good Luck, Darrell
Bigshot posted 04-15-2002 02:04 PM ET (US)
I heard they used some new varnish and it went to hell in months. Not much you can do but strip to bare wood using a stripper and start varnishing. I use the West marine brand in gloss...nice color. I currently have 7 coats and counting. Do a light sand between every 2 coats with a 150 grit or so just to smooth it out.
BOB KEMMLER JR posted 04-15-2002 02:40 PM ET (US)
I think the problem BS is referring to,was the delamination problem.I was told by a whaler dealer that BW had to replace just about all the wood on everyone of those anniv. models they sold.It cost them a bunch to fix it.Im still not sure if they corrected the problem or if they just put the same problematic wood back on.
Bigshot posted 04-15-2002 02:49 PM ET (US)
Could be! I saw a leftover at Cannons and it was peeling like it was 8 years old. He said all the wood went to shit on them...I assumed varnish.
BOB KEMMLER JR posted 04-15-2002 03:02 PM ET (US)
Seems like a real shame,they(BW)must have tried to cut costs and it bit them in the ass.
CTnewblue posted 04-15-2002 09:49 PM ET (US)
Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like I'll be stripping and re-varnishing at the end of the season. My mahogony is showing the peeling problem that Bigshot mentioned. The wood is still dark in color, no bleaching, but it sure doesn't look good. (Probably that special BW UV inhibiter finish will just make it harder to strip) It really is a shame to see something like this on such a good looking boat that is only 4 years old.
I can't complain though. The rest of the boat looks great. I'm looking forward to getting it in the water this weekend for my first "sea trial".
P.S.: I have a call into BW. No response yet.
dscew posted 04-16-2002 12:09 AM ET (US)
Actually the problem was that BW didn't use varnish at all on the 98 Anniversary (and also the 11' Tender); their vendor used a resin based, very thick coating that was hardened and cured under UV light. The finish was mirror-like, but was so brittle that if it flexed even slightly, it cracked. I actually heard that once when Bigshot's fade meter hit number 5, the finish on a brand new seat cracked right down the middle. It was then that Boston Whaler knew they had a problem, and many of the parts were replaced.
lhg posted 04-16-2002 02:47 PM ET (US)
I remember seeing a 6 month old Anniversary 13, and the "coating" was already beginning to go.
There is a lot of past information here on varnishing. Take the time to search it out.
Basically, it's three things. A good grade of UV inhibiting varnish, sanding between coats and a dust free work area, and a foam applicator brush.
CTnewblue posted 04-16-2002 09:01 PM ET (US)
Today I received a return call from the BW factory. I must say the guy I talked to was very friendly and quite helpful. He confirmed, as you guys told me, that they did use a special finish on the '98 wood...a UV curable urethane, not a varnish. He thought BW had put an eighteen month warrantee on the finish. That's where they probably lost a lot of $ in claims.
He also shared a bit of trivia: Jerry Seinfeld bought the last 40th anniversary model built(#250)in '98 to add to his BW fleet. I'll bet BW makes sure the wood on his boat still look's like new.
lhg posted 04-17-2002 12:15 AM ET (US)
I remember reading an article in Newsweek about Seinfeld's retirement from the series. One of the things he said he first wanted to do was get a 24 or 25' Whaler!

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Author	Topic: 40th Anniversary Mahogany Care?
CTnewblue	posted 04-13-2002 09:02 PM ET (US) I just brought home my first whaler today, a 1998 13' 40th Anniversary edition. I'm real excited to have found this boat. The boat and 40 HP Merc are overall in pretty good shape. The mahagony, however, could use some help...due to sun damage. I've read that in '98 BW put a special UV inhibitor finish on the wood for this model. Does anyone know the best way to care for and/or refinish this mahogany? P.S. This is a great website. I've been following it, and educating myself from your input for many months as I searched for my boat. You all provide a great service to your fellow boaters.
browning20ga	posted 04-14-2002 11:04 PM ET (US) Hi "CTnewblue" and welcome. I've not heard of a special finish on the '98 boats but it might be worth a call to Boston Whaler and see what they have to say about it. Good Luck, Darrell
Bigshot	posted 04-15-2002 02:04 PM ET (US) I heard they used some new varnish and it went to hell in months. Not much you can do but strip to bare wood using a stripper and start varnishing. I use the West marine brand in gloss...nice color. I currently have 7 coats and counting. Do a light sand between every 2 coats with a 150 grit or so just to smooth it out.
BOB KEMMLER JR	posted 04-15-2002 02:40 PM ET (US) I think the problem BS is referring to,was the delamination problem.I was told by a whaler dealer that BW had to replace just about all the wood on everyone of those anniv. models they sold.It cost them a bunch to fix it.Im still not sure if they corrected the problem or if they just put the same problematic wood back on.
Bigshot	posted 04-15-2002 02:49 PM ET (US) Could be! I saw a leftover at Cannons and it was peeling like it was 8 years old. He said all the wood went to shit on them...I assumed varnish.
BOB KEMMLER JR	posted 04-15-2002 03:02 PM ET (US) Seems like a real shame,they(BW)must have tried to cut costs and it bit them in the ass.
CTnewblue	posted 04-15-2002 09:49 PM ET (US) Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like I'll be stripping and re-varnishing at the end of the season. My mahogony is showing the peeling problem that Bigshot mentioned. The wood is still dark in color, no bleaching, but it sure doesn't look good. (Probably that special BW UV inhibiter finish will just make it harder to strip) It really is a shame to see something like this on such a good looking boat that is only 4 years old. I can't complain though. The rest of the boat looks great. I'm looking forward to getting it in the water this weekend for my first "sea trial". P.S.: I have a call into BW. No response yet.
dscew	posted 04-16-2002 12:09 AM ET (US) Actually the problem was that BW didn't use varnish at all on the 98 Anniversary (and also the 11' Tender); their vendor used a resin based, very thick coating that was hardened and cured under UV light. The finish was mirror-like, but was so brittle that if it flexed even slightly, it cracked. I actually heard that once when Bigshot's fade meter hit number 5, the finish on a brand new seat cracked right down the middle. It was then that Boston Whaler knew they had a problem, and many of the parts were replaced.
lhg	posted 04-16-2002 02:47 PM ET (US) I remember seeing a 6 month old Anniversary 13, and the "coating" was already beginning to go. There is a lot of past information here on varnishing. Take the time to search it out. Basically, it's three things. A good grade of UV inhibiting varnish, sanding between coats and a dust free work area, and a foam applicator brush.
CTnewblue	posted 04-16-2002 09:01 PM ET (US) Today I received a return call from the BW factory. I must say the guy I talked to was very friendly and quite helpful. He confirmed, as you guys told me, that they did use a special finish on the '98 wood...a UV curable urethane, not a varnish. He thought BW had put an eighteen month warrantee on the finish. That's where they probably lost a lot of $ in claims. He also shared a bit of trivia: Jerry Seinfeld bought the last 40th anniversary model built(#250)in '98 to add to his BW fleet. I'll bet BW makes sure the wood on his boat still look's like new.
lhg	posted 04-17-2002 12:15 AM ET (US) I remember reading an article in Newsweek about Seinfeld's retirement from the series. One of the things he said he first wanted to do was get a 24 or 25' Whaler!