: I'm nearly done with my second kayak, and I'm stumped. I'm painting some
: decorative (okay, flaw-hiding) lines on the deck, which has one sanded
: coat of varnish. Do I need to prime before I paint? (I'll be using an
: oil-based enamel) Also, will my white primer show up at the edge where the
: tape was? My plan is to put the second and third coats of varnish right
: over the paint lines, which will be red. Any thoughts? Thanks! Any other
: builders near Thousand Oaks, CA?

I wouldn't think that you need to primer but make a testing board from some scrap to be sure. Varnish the board, let dry, and paint. Just give the varnish a good scuffing with sandpaper or green scotchbrite first. Don't forget to apply varnish on top of the paint to test compatability and adhesion for those layers.

I'm in West Vta County but not building - YET!