Many skipper's choose to paint their Victoria's in their own personal color schemes and ignore the kit graphics. In addition to making their boats more easily identifiable, applying your own paint scheme allows your imagination to run wild. Here are a few tips to get the best possible finish.

The hull, transom cover, keel wing and bulb, and rudder should be painted separately. Start with the hull. The hull comes from the kit with a very smooth, shiny surface. This is ideal if it is to be left unpainted, but will cause the paint to run very easily if left unprepared, making for a marred finish. Remove the "slickness" by lightly sanding the hull with #200 grade sandpaper, just enough to rough up the finish. Wash the hull thoroughly afterward to remove any fine grit. It is now best to apply a coat of primer, I recommend Krylon, but you may use what you prefer. Cover the hull thoroughly with the primer and let dry. After the primer has dried sand lightly with #200 to #500 grade sandpaper smoothing and removing any imperfections. The hull is now ready to paint.

After some experimentation with other brands, I recommend Krylon spray paint because it is very durable, dries fast, and comes in many colors. Do not use the epoxy paint, it is too heavy and you do not need the weight (though it may be best for the keel bulb, which chips easily). If you are painting multiple colors start with the lightest color first and work your way to the darker color(s). For example, my own Defiant is white and blue, so I painted the whole boat white, then painted the blue over the white in the desired areas. Apply the paint in a reasonable well ventilated, dust free area. As you apply the paint, wait for it to look a little "wet" and glossy before moving the nozzle, while remembering that two thin coats are better than one thick one. Thin coats are also less likely to run. If you do get runs, wait for the paint to dry completely, sand them out, and re-paint. Allow the paint to dry overnight to a hard finish. If a boat is sailed before the paint is thoroughly dry, blisters, smears, and rough spots will likely form, so be patient!

When adding a second color be sure to mask thoroughly to avoid areas of over-spray. I strongly recommend "painters masking tape" because it provides for a cleaner line and less leakage. Press the tape down firmly, especially at the juncture of the two colors.

Once the hull is painted you may wish to add pin-stripping or decals. Pinstripes are best applied from tape-like rolls you can get from hobby stores. These result in much cleaner, sharper lines, than trying to mask. Most have a pretty strong adhesive, but can be clear-coated over for added security.

Speaking of clear-coating, it is usually a good idea to cover the entire hull in a thin gloss coat, it helps protect the paint from minor chips. A gloss coat can also be polished up to glassy smoothness, reducing hull friction. You might also consider a light sanding with a finishing compound, or #25 grain sandpaper to bring the hull to very smooth gloss.

Lastly, while paint will add some weight to your boat, if done properly the increase is minimal and it is unlikely you will find yourself saying, "I would have won that race if I had not have painted my boat!" So good luck and drop me a picture of your sailing pride!