Hello,

I have a question about revarninshing. My father built me a CLC kayak (not sure of the model, about 15ft long, recreational use bat) as a Christmas present for me when I was only 10 years old. That was 12 years ago and the boat is still in great shape but it's time for some revarnishing. My main question is what to do about numerous spots along the rub rails where the varnish wore away and the wood (white oak) weathered. I have sanded and sanded and sanded some more, all by hand, with 100 grit paper which I feel has been pretty aggressive. The finish sanded away relatively easily but there are still many weather spots and I am afraid that if I just leave them alone and varnish over them it will look terrible and half assed. I should note that I am having the same issue with the rim around the cockpit (also white oak). So I'm open to suggestions. I'm wondering if there is a product out there that can penetrate the weathered spots and clear them out or even a wood bleach. I am very hesitant to go with a more aggressive grit paper or a power sander because I don't want to risk the shape of the rails. Any thoughts? Most of you guys probably have a better idea than me! Thanks for reading.

-Kevin