Ship Shape Nelson

04/10/2026

The bummer about doing a butt-ton (official nautical unit of measurement) of cosmetic work on your boat, is that all the previously minor imperfections, promote themselves from inconsequential, to glaringly obvious.

Such was the case on this Grand Banks. The owners took their boat out after we'd lovingly restored the teak decks & stripped and recoated all the varnish. On their return I got a one line text with the first photo attached. "Can you fix this?"

Short answer, YES. we went round the whole boat touching up trim, lockers, table legs, helm chair bases and the anchor windlass base. It felt like putting the icing on the cake.

Pro tip: if you have nicks, dinks and scratches that you know you want to fix 'one day' but not sure when you'll get to it, spludge a dollop of "she'll be right" primer on it. It'll protect exposed metal or timber from the damaging elements until you get around to it.

I can highly recommend International One Up primer- it's 1 pot, no mixing, thick, and comes in conveniently small 250ml tins.

14/09/2026

We have a lovely client in the marina who we've done a lot of varnish jobs for over the past couple if years - Galley, sole boards, tables, door frames, bulkheads....

I always listen to the directive - make it bullet proof, don't worry too much about aesthetic. So I do. I also always say that if I do touch ups and repairs, he should never hope to see his boats featured on ShipShape social media though - I love perfection way too much.

But here's the thing. These boats are part of the Sail Nelson sailing school, not super yachts. Sometimes having rot and water damage fixed, holes filled and a thick protective coating applied is really all that matters. The colour isn't even, but the finish is (if I don't say so myself) perfect and it is, as requested, bullet proof.

So I present to you, our most recent touch up and top coats refit before and afters!

29/07/2026

WINNER OF GREATEST DAD IN THE WORLD GOES TO....

I woke up this morning to this lovely, but totally fictional comment from my Dad. Dad lives in America, doesn't have a boat and probably didn't know what clears were until yesterday.

Dad, to coin a phrase I heard a lot in my teens... wot utter bollix! 🤣
I love the thought behind it though. You're grounded.

That being said, though it's not true for Dad, it could be true for you. Give us a call to find out!

ShipShape Nelson. Proudly supported by a looney old codger In the US of A.

Ship Shape is bringing Superyacht standards to the top of the South. Varnish, brightwork, stainless, decking, cleaning, provisioning, splicing... at home or on board, Ship Shape will help.

28/07/2026

It's a great time of year to restore foggy, stained clears. ShipShape have been hard at it on several boats over the past 2 weeks.

We use a three step method
- a soft wash to remove any surface dirt & grime
- a gentle chemical wash which removes hard water stains and blemishes
- a cream polish & protect to remove minor scratches and leave the surface glossy & protected from the elements.

Some top tips for getting the longest life out of your clears:
- Avoid contact with oily hands - engine oil, fish oil & sunscreen are the most common culprits!
- No abrasives! Use nothing more abrasive than a synthetic chammy or super soft microfiber (we recommend Mother's microfiber cloths, available at most automotive stores)
- No chemicals. This includes boat soap that contains wax and window cleaner. Dilute dish soap or white vinegar and water (20:1) is best if you need a cleaner. Definitely no Jiff! In fact, that stuff has no place on any boat, ever but don't get me started on that!
- Handle with care - many clears are designed to roll up. Take time to roll without creasing.
- Dry after washing. Dock water is hard water. Dry water drops away with a synthetic chammy or Mother's microfiber

Give us a call if you'd like us to bring your clears back to beautiful!

First photo is before, the rest are after...

26/04/2026

This morning, I woke up and decided, astoundingly, to take a day off work. It is Sunday after all, and I haven't had a full day off in weeks.

What did I do with my day? I restored a crappy old table of course!

Find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life :)

21/04/2026

It's fair to say, I love this table, but wasn't sad to see it go home today!

It came to me in a sorry state. Cracked varnish, lifting veneer, bare patches, dents...the works.

After an experimental test strip on the underside, I contacted the owner to let him know the chances of a successful strip were slim to none. The coating was thick and the bola veneer, tissue thin. A disaster waiting to happen. The owner's response? "Just go for it."

So heart in mouth, I did.

This was a complex job! I started with a strip and light sand. Then grain repairs to the cracked and exposed timber. Lifting veneer was injected & clamped. Missing grain recreated by hand. The outer lip re-stained, then coat after coat of varnish.

Possibly the most challenging project I've had in a while but the owner's reaction was worth it. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone hug a table before!!

04/04/2026

Hard to believe, but this varnish is less than a month old (photo 1).

It's a classic, if somewhat drastic example of why preparation & choosing the right product is vital.

At ShipShape Nelson, we understand the quirks and eccentricities of different timbers, the chemical composition of various coatings and can quickly ascertain which products have been used before, so can better recommend which product is best now.

So what went wrong here? A few things.

- choosing the cheapest coating, especially for exterior work is not always a great plan.

- the owners DID sand back the surface before applying BUT didn't realise the timber is deeply permeated with the oil that had been previously used and salt water.

Combined result- a lot of wasted time, product and frustration.

So this Easter weekend, I'm on board, taking her back to square 1! Watch this space...

24/02/2026

Are your fender boards looking a little worse for wear? These ones had been fitted at least 20 years ago and were leaving scuff marks where they should've been protecting.

The crew at In-Stlyle Upholstery whipped up replacements double quick time. ShipShape removed the old ones, fitted new and took the manky leftovers to the tip.

All done & dusted before afternoon tea!

07/02/2026

So, do ya remember that boat I was blathering on about before Christmas? Well the bloke who owns it has gone and stuck it on TradeMe with no reserve! Carpe Diem folks - there's a bargain to be had! Be quick though, auction closes tonight.

McDell Reflections 1100 *NO RESERVE*

DELIVERY OPTIONS AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE TRANSFERRABLE BERTH AVAILABLE CONTACT ME FOR MORE VIDEOS/PHOTOS AND PERFORMANCE AT CRUISE Mcdel Reflections 110...

18/12/2025

'Tis the season for sparkly, shiny things! Murphy is putting the finishing touches to a cut, polish & wax job to bling this beauty out. Added bonus, she's now sun-smart and protected from UV & salt water. Luverly!