HELP..Garden fence/gate paint

As you see from the picture it is a factory made planed timber panel with a gate just to the right. It is secured to Oak posts cemented into the ground. It came with a dipped finish of some sort and since then I have treated it with a clear treatment. Now it needs some TLC.
I'm baffled over what to use. I read that most finishes are water based and for use on rough timber and not recommended for planed.......Help.
confused.Robert.

 

A bit different to your gate Capney but I have an oak plaque with my house number on it. The original coating on it bled and left stains on my house walls so I sanded it down and gave it a few coats of colour varnish, it worked a treat.

 

Gate looks like it needs yacht varnish, the stuff you need thinners to clean the brush,bit of a rub with sand paper med grit along the grain,jobs a gooden

 

Sound advise taken onboard.... Thanks guys.