[quote=tominpa]The biggest part of the work will go into preparation. My boat was fully disassembled, and I painted the hulls while suspended from hangers. Others have used saw-horses. The boat needs to be carefully masked to protect surfaces and hardware that won't be painted, then cleaned and dewaxed BEFORE sanding. The hull parts t be painted are sanded with 180-220 grit paper and all defects fixed or removed. The hull gets wiped down again with a slow-flash solvent to ensure that the surfaces is dust and wax-free. The primer has to be totally smooth, and any orange-peel or defects will be seen in the top-coat. The primers are sandable, but to get the smoothest finish possible I thin and spray. The primer in the can can be very thick, and it can be hard to get a smooth result that does not take lot of sanding. The epoxy Primekote will work for 2-part or single part top side paint, and it is tougher and more waterproof than the original gel coat.
Single-part top paint is easier and less expensive to use, and if you have no prior painting experience may be a better choice. Lots of information on this on JamestownDistributors and videos on using the Roll and Tip method of painting. 2-part epoxy and polyurethane finishes are more difficult due to need for special thinners and the fact it just eats foam rollers. 2-part poly emits isocyanurates which are toxic, so roll and tip is the way to go if you are not a pro.
Research this on the internet and watch some videos of surface preparation and painting, and read the application guide of the paint you plan to use, then read it again. Several of us on the forum have done this and gotten very good results, and the boat can look like new, however there are no shortcuts and it takes time and the right weather conditions during painting. We can answer questions here as they come up, but you need to really equip yourself with more information and not just take my non-expert suggestions alone.[/quote]
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