: I just bought a boat and it is all gray's and ivory. I'd rather
: have high visibility colors for the boats I use in the ocean.

: There are some spots that need gelcoat repair. Patching small
: gelcoat sections isn't a big deal, but re-gel coating a full
: hull (and deck) would be another story...

: I'm not that familiar with paint. Is applying it really as simple
: as it sounds? The boat has lots of gelcoat cracks - small ones -
: do these need to be filled before painting? I've read some
: paints actually add strength, but is the main purpose just UV
: protection? How does this change the maintenance of the boat?
: There is still gelcoat under the paint. If the boat takes a hit
: and needs a repair does this mean all future repairs will
: require re-gelcoating then painting or can I just match the
: gelcoat to the paint in the future for small repairs?

Hi,
An alternative to re-gel coating or painting would be retroreflective tape. Run some along the sheer line and along the deck, if it's a strong contrast (orange-yellow range) with the deck colour, it will stand out quite well on the water during daylight and reflect at night/twilight.

Mike Savage
South West Cork