It’s Varnish Sniff’n Time!

Wonderful Barrel Back at katzs Marina

On a brief trip to New Jersey for a client meeting I had a chance to pop into Katz’s Marina for a little life support. And man oh man it worked. One of the things that shocked me the most was how the smell of fresh varnish, mixed with the visual stimulus of stained mahogany did the trick. WOW.

Stunning

Take it all in!

So as a public service I captured the moment for you all. It helps if you open up a can of varnish and watch. This may not go over well with the Boatress in your home. If need be just watch. Maybe take a Q Tip and dab some varnish under your nose in the barn and watch. Enjoy!

 

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You can see some of the Goodies at Katz’s Marina HERE

18 replies
  1. Bilge Rat
    Bilge Rat says:

    It is amazing when our olfactory receptors are triggered by a smell that takes the mind on a pleasant trip, even if its just for a moment. In my early career, I spent a lot of my then single care-free days in heavy machine shops wiring up machinery. The smell of cutting oils and lubricants together with metal being worked is a unique experience. Now, whenever I am in my engine machinist’s shop, these smells instantly take me back to another place from my youth. Weird huh?

    Varnish does smell better though.

  2. Rick
    Rick says:

    Damn now I have to go out and stick my nose under Panther’s cover to smell her, AND I have to explain to my wife what and why I’m doing it. Sorry but I’m going to have to say “It’s Matt’s fault”.

  3. Old Salt
    Old Salt says:

    I keep some Coopertone sun tan lotion in the car next to me for my commutes in the middle of the winter. One sniff and it brings me back to the summers at the lake and takes me out of my winter blues.

  4. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.)
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.) says:

    Having grown up around outboards. The smell of mixed oil/gas burning in a 2 cycle, always makes me remember good times an smile.

  5. Dennis Mykols
    Dennis Mykols says:

    While loving the smell of freshly laid varnish, I like Matt, always stop into one of my favorite Restoration shops, near me. Macatawa Bay Boat Works in Saugatuck, MI.
    Also while in that town, I pop over to my other most favorite shop to smell fresh Fiberglass resin, at the Douglas Skater race boat factory. Over the past 30 years, the Owner, Peter, knows me so well, that I can just walk into the shop area, and take it all in, without an escort. Since this company was on the leading edge of Offshore boat design and rigging, etc, it was kind of top secret.
    Varnish and fiberglass resins, ah, the smells of heaven…

  6. Dennis Mykols
    Dennis Mykols says:

    I know this is a little off topic, but speaking of Offshore Racing, the new long-awaited movie “SPEED KILLS” is finally due to release next week, Nov 16th. It is the story of Don Aronow, the father of all things now considered a “Cigarette Boat”.

  7. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    nice pics of the Katz’ shop…..almost as nice as Eric Zelman’s!

    eat off the floor either place…..

    but NOT at mine….oh well….

    Going Boating….

    John in Va

  8. RIVA DELLA
    RIVA DELLA says:

    For those of us with other perversions as well, the aroma of fresh varnish is right up there with the sweet smell of castor oil (pre-war racing engines), and the acrid tang of nitro-methane (those 10,000 hp top fuel Hemi’s).

  9. Dave Nau
    Dave Nau says:

    Yes, how about that faint smell of styrene (from the resins) with an old fiberglass boat, plus the gas smell of an outboard. I know it’s not the same, but if it’s what you are used to… Just different Volatile Organic Compounds.

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