"Joe" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey Gaz, or anyone else who uses or likes wooden blocks.

How do you care for and maintain the wood?

I painted some wood blocks and it destroyed them from the inside out
due to water trapped inside. Rotted the wood around the sheeves.

Just leave them plain ol wood? Oil the wood?

Was it was just a fluke my painted block went to crap?
Maybe it was bad wood anyway and lasted 5 yrs on deck so I sould be
happy.

What is your opinion?

Joe

Wooden blocks are fine for display, Joe, but substandard for use. That
said, a number of older boats still use them. Painting any load-bearing
wood on a boat is probably not a good idea. Spars, blocks, bowsprits,
sampson posts, etc. fall into that category. Varnish is a better
alternative--if rot begins it can be seen, not hidden by paint. I replaced
all the wooden blocks on my previous boat with Harkens. The wooden blocks
now hang decoratively in my den.

Max