: I'd like to tint the epoxy white and was wondering what I could use for a
: tint that would be available locally (we don't have a boat building supply
: place around here), such as auto supply stores or hardware or paint
: stores. I know I could get the proper tint from a place such as Jamestown
: Distributors or some other place, but if I can pick something up locally I
: can get on with the job rather than order and wait.

The tints for epoxy and polyester resin are the same product. They have a neutral base and will work fine with either resin.

: One other question - will white-tinted epoxy be white enough, like white
: gelcoat?

Since epoxies are generally somewhat yellow or amber in color, you won't get the same bright white that you do with gelcoat.

: And, (this makes 2 other questions) will it still need to be
: painted over for U.V. protection?

Yes and no. The tint shields the underlying epoxy from UV, but the surface will still degrade over time. If you're going to paint it to provide UV protection, there's not much point in tinting the epoxy.

: There is a sunfish forum for questions on restoration of these boats, but
: those guys are all poly/vinylester resin/gelcoat guys. I have epoxy resin
: on hand from my stripper project and would like to use that since I'm
: familiar with using it, and it rolls on real smooth. I heard gelcoat
: doesn't self-level as well.

Gelcoat self-levels pretty well, but it also runs easily if you put it on thick enough to hide the surface underneath. With either epoxy or gelcoat, you should be prepared for doing a lot of sanding if the hull is badly scratched and you want to get it smooth again.