: 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?

Enamels and varnishes are similar in that they both skin over initially, causing extended drying time of the material underneath. IIRC, it's generally OK to put a breathable paint over a non-breathable one (lacquer over enamel) but no vice-versa. Doing three layers of non-breathable product (varnish/enamel/varnish) would seem risky, unless you allowed extended dry time between the finishing steps. I suggest that you consult the manufacturers of the finishes in question.