return to section: Top Five Boatbuilding Supplies & Tools of 2016
Go to Top Five Boat Gear Items | Go to Top Five Boat Kits
While best-known for our boat kits and plans, for most of CLC's history the majority of our business has been supplying esoteric and hard-to-find marine grade materials like plywood and epoxy. We've sourced raw materials for every size project you can think of; the largest boat we've outfitted so far was a 45-foot ketch built in someone's backyard. Whatever you're building, we've probably got it, or can find it for you.
1. MAS Epoxies
The adhesive that binds the boatbuilding universe left our shop by the truckload in 2016.
2. Interlux Schooner Varnish
A fixture in the Top Five. This is the varnish we've used on our own boats for 25 years, give or take. Easy to apply, yet durable, what we like most is the warm, amber glow of this varnish when applied over epoxied wood.
3. Interlux Brightsides Paint
This one-part polyurethane paint is glossy, durable, and easy to use. Roll it on with a foam roller, tip it out with a brush, and everyone will think you’ve sprayed your hull. If you've done your sanding, anyway.
4. 
Foam Roller Covers
These are the acid-proof rollers that don't melt when used with epoxy. We cut them in half to fit on 3-inch roller frames, and they're the perfect size for coating small boats with epoxy, varnish, or paint.
5. Plastic Epoxy Spreader
All of that fiberglass cloth explains why these humble but essential plastic spreaders are #3 on the list. These are just the right combination of size and flexibility for "wetting out" fiberglass with epoxy.
