Many thanks to everyone!

Last night I actually got a tip from a friend of a friend about a place around here called Pontiac Paint Company. I gave them a ring and they had exactly what everyone is recommending... an oil-based polyurethane enamel formerly marketed as a marine coating and now as a general coating, available in satin and completely tintable!

For anyone who finds this post later and is looking for the same thing in the SE Michigan / Metro Detroit area, they are on the southwest corner of Woodward and M-59, southbound side of the Loop.

Regarding thinning out the first coat - how do you go about thinning oil-based paints? Unless I'm mistaken, mineral spirits or paint thinner will work, but how much?

(and thanks a bunch for the tips on the Lexel / painters)

-Andrew

: All,

: A month or so ago I decided to embark on a journey - build one of
: Tom Yost's SOF kayaks; a Sea Tour 15 with a slightly raised deck
: for my giant feet and 8oz polyester skin (courtesy of the
: immensely helpful Jeff at Kudzucraft). It's been a great
: experience, and overall has gone smoother than expected... but
: now that it's ready for a coating, I find myself with a problem.

: Namely, nobody I can find (SE Michigan / Metro Detroit) has
: exterior oil-based tintable paint in anything but high gloss!
: So, I turn to the inexhaustible repository of knowledge here on
: the kayak forums... What's my best alternative for a tintable
: paint on an 8oz polyester? I really know nothing about the
: various types of paint, but I've gathered that oil based 'satin'
: finish is the ideal.

: Also, as a side note, how does one deal with water leakage from the
: painters? There's plenty of notes on how to put painters on out
: there, but nothing seems to mention any waterproofing where they
: pass the hull.

: Thanks!
: Andrew