Abstract: The inventors provide herein polymeric vehicles effective for depositing a coating composition that is curable upon exposure to the atmosphere and which has a low content of a volatile organic component, a high content of nonvolatile materials, a low viscosity, and a short drying time determined under common atmospheric conditions. The polymeric vehicle of the invention contains a polyurethane obtained by combining a polyisocyanate and a polyol having pendant hydroxyl groups, a polyunsaturated resin, oil, and a drier component. The inventors also provide the coating compositions themselves. The compositions have sufficiently low viscosities as to be readily applied to a surface, and which dry to hardness in less than 4.5 hrs.