: I originally bought MinWax Helmsman Urethane only to be told by the company
: not to use it on boats. Then I check out Z-spar's Captains's varnish which
: is liked and used by many on the board and it says not to be used under
: the waterline. Z-spar's Flagship doesn't say this. I read in the archives
: that Spidey used a $6/gallon WALMART closeout spar varnish with UV
: protectant. This is all confusing. Any thoughs why these companies have
: these cautions and does it make that much difference???

: John

John,

I've used Helmsman for two boats now and it seems to work well with 5 coats applied. I haven't used others, so it's difficult to compare. I read a note somewhere that mentioned other products such as captains and z-spar have more UV protection than Helmsman and probably takes less coats. I agree with the others that have responded with regards to below the waterline - I believe it applies to boats that are kept in the water.

Regards,
Bill