sealing cypress swings - problem

well my FIL bought 2 cypress swings and finished them with minwax polycrylic even though i told him not to. well the finish has begun to turn white so now he wants to redo them. a local hardware store owner suggested Hellman's spar varnish, which i agree is a good choice. the question is, does he need to remove all the water based polycrylic first or can the spar varnish go over it?

thanks for any help
chris

I can't answer the question.
But, that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion on the subject.
Cypress, as you know, being from Louisana, holds up quite well outdoors. I would have left unfinished and allowed to take weathered look.
For now, though, dunno. Either strip, a lot of work. Or leave alone.

well frank....that was my advice based on my previous attempts with cypress. but...ya know how it goes sometimes. i told him just to apply thompsons once a year. easy and works well. oh well.

is he blond or german irish cross? either way it sounds stubborn

I would skip the poly. Watewrlox has a extior oil thjat is better suited for this. Every few years it will need a quick wash followed by a new coat. Yes all of the old poly should be removed for best results.