Would recomend sealing the wood with expoxy, and then almost any paint, including latex house paint, should stick to it. See also:...
Russ, I also read and very seldom write. Several of my reading places specialize in small, wood, cartopable boats:...
Why don't you post a picture of what you want to build to get this started?
Kind of interesting question...and guess the answer is what do you want out if it all? Some PVC pipe markers on the shoal would be the first...