Message to "Old Guy"

[Glen Smith]

I am sorry, I deleted your topic.
A cloudy finish usually indicates a high humidity level in the shop/work area. Do you know the humidity level?

[Old Guy]

It was humid, but the varnish had dried for 2 weeks or so before I tried sanding it. The day I was sanding it was raining and I was using a wet sand paper. I was thinking the 600 grit paper was going to polish the finish not visibly scratch it.

[Glen Smith]

I normally sand varnish with 220 grit dry and no scratches are visible.
You can try running a hot air gun or hair dryer over the varnish to get it warm to the touch but not hot. This should displace the humidity if that is your problem.

[sedges]

I think that some of the later posts give a clue to the problem. Old Guy is expecting 600 grit to polish the finish, in other words leaving it glossy. 600 grit will not polish paint or varnish. It leaves a satin surface with not gloss. Old Guy needs to put on another final varnish coat and be satisfied with the results.

I suppose it might be possible to sand at extreme grits like 1200 and than a polishing compound with a machine buffer, then wax. What a lot of work that would be.

If bugs are a problem, spray the area before varnish(make sure none gets on the boat) and turn out the lights after you are done so as not to attract more bugs.

[Old Guy]

Thanks for the ideas folks. Looks like a stormy day here in the NE but got some paddling in last night. Maybe I'll try the 1000 grit wet paper to try to remove the scuffed finish I created. I'll wait to the end of the season before refinishing with another coat of varnish.

[Glen Smith]

As Sedges said, the last thing you do to the hull is to apply a final coat of varnish and do not sand it. This will give you the glossy surface you are aiming to achieve.

[Old Guy]

Good news and bad, weather in the NE finally got good in June so my wanting to fix my sanding mistake took a back seat to paddling. Now the bottom looks well use - which is great. Bad news hit a deer with the truck and needed to break out the skills of my youth to fix a fender and buy a new hood. While doing it I attacked the canoe again. Lots of work getting to look like new, but I won't sand the varnish again - unless I want to make it a piece of furniture.