Non-shiny wood finish..?

What are my choices for a NOT shiny (not varnish) transparent (not paint) wood finish for a boat?

There's the traditional boat soup -- easy and simple, but it darkens considerably over time.

There is Deks Olje, but it has been discontinued in the US (though it's still sold in Europe, is that correct?)

There is a variety of teak oils and such.

Any opinions on the above and is there anything else?

Kaa

 

There are a few non-shiny clear finishes you can use other then raw wood.

Traditional oil finishes, which do darken wood, thinner mixtures of oil (usually considered a sealer, rather then a finish), which take longer to darken wood (including Deks Olje), but eventually do and a glossy finish that has been intentional dulled.

The oil finishes are easy to apply, requiring considerable maintenance and of course change the wood's color.

You can add a flattening agent to gloss and semi gloss clear finishes, which will do the trick, but limit the protection from moisture ingress, unless applied over a full gloss base coats. I suspect flattening agents will also affect the adhesion to some degree too.

You can burnish the gloss or semi gloss surface with polish or cutting agents, which again limits it's effectiveness as a moisture barrier, but if applied over a full gloss base coating, works admirably.

 

Boiled linseed oil with Japan dryer added makes an inexpensive non-glossy finish. IT is not fully water proof but does provide protection (good for paddles, handles and such, not for full time underwater parts).

Also tong oil (darker than linseed oil) makes a non-glossy finish.

Both of these finishes are not as hard as spar varnish nor provide as much UV protection.

One "traditional" finish that was used on decks is one third boiled linseed oil, one third pine tar, one third turpentine (I would add Japan dryer to it too). Offers some UV protection, not slipperty, though not as durable as modern finish, but cheap.

Any poly "satin" finish.

Or just use your favorite gloss spar varnish (with UV protection) and after cured good and hard, rub over it with fine/med steel wool or 400 grit sand paper.

You can also use gloss spar varnish and add to final layer very fine saw dust, or similar aggregate.

There are all finishes I have tried or used on wood kayak paddles.

 

Intergrain 2000 ... low sheen (not to shiny?) great UV, housing product, water based, lasts well on masts (years) don't know about topsides.