> Hi. I'm building a CLC Chesapeake 17 and having a lot of fun doing it.
> This is my first boat. I have a total of 4 (lightish) coats of epoxy on
> the hull -- and I've got some runs here and there despite being obsessive
> compulsive about such things. My questions are these: how smooth can I
> expect to sand down those runs, and how smooth does the hull have to be
> for a good paint/varnish job? (I haven't yet decided whether to paint or
> varnish the hull.) What should a final sanded epoxied hull look/feel like?

> Thanks to all who respond!!

> John John, random orbital sanders are worth it, I went through a lot of sheet sand paper before I got a sander with the holes and velcro like discs. It is almost as controllable as hand sanding with a lot less dust floating around everwhere. A sheet of sandpaper wrapped lengthwise around a 2 by 4 makes a decent cheap sander for ensuring fairness. You can sand down those runs untill they're gone,80 to 120 grit should do it, the problem is whether you can keep from going deeper into nearby areas, my best run remover is a 1/4 sheet of sandpaper wrapped around a 1x2inch stick of wood. I have got to admit that I love being able to bash my boat around knowing that the cosmetic damage is easily repaired. enjoy. You can get away with a lot less sanding initially if you varnish the boat. Lee G.