Not a kayak, but I spray finished a stitch and glue sailing skiff using a HVLP spray gun. Applying the paint was a lot faster than brushing, but cleaning the gun afterward more than used up the saved time. Since then I varnish and paint my boats with a low-nap roller, tipping it out with a foam brush. It's faster, easier and the result is just as good. I still use the spray gun for big jobs like painting my garden shed. -Wes

Wes,

Not to hijack the thread, but when you "tip it out with a foam brush," do you use a dry brush or is there paint/varnish on it?  Not there yet but I plan to use the roller/tipping method for mine.

Unrelated, I sprayed an electric guitar body/neck with lacquer, gives a nice finish but requires LOTS of hand polishing after the finish is on.  The fumes from the spray were annoying and the cleanup, as you said, is pretty time-consuming if you want to ever use the gun again.

Thanks,

Larry

When you tip out the rolled paint or varnish you start with a dry brush, but it doesn't stay dry long. I usually scrape it across the edge of a clean container regularly to keep it as dry as I can. I recently finished a hybrid this way, using marine urethane enamel on the hull and clear marine urethane on the deck. The result came out at least as good and maybe better than it would have if I had sprayed. -Wes

Here's the inside of my dinghy done with a roller tipped out with a $30 bristle brush. I tipped the outside with a CLC disposable foam brush and it looked about the same. This was System 3 LPU paint. Based on these results I'd never bother with a sprayer.

Laszlo

That looks awesome!  I'll be happy with 50% of that finish. 

Larry

Shame you made such a mess of that finish, Laszlo.  What you need is a practice boat to build up your skills.  A Sharpie would be a good boat to do because it's so much bigger than a kayak, more chance to improve.

In fact, I might know of one you could use for this, and the guy wouldn't charge much, maybe a couple hundred bucks and some crabcakes because this guy's boat is in Ohio where they don't have crabcakes.

You're absolutely right, Camper. It's actually Photoshopped. :-)