I sanded 600 grit... then wet sanded 600... I couldn't find anything finer to sand with. After that I waxed the hell out of it.
Finished the boat and took it up on the Saco River in Maine for it's first float. Overall it did great and it really glided through the water...
Yes... trying to resist going for the "smooth finish" while sanding, keeping in mind those brush marks will fill in on the next coat. Just...
There's a few things I wish I'd taken pictures of... backing the hole, used some saran wrap and a some really tough heavy duty tape that around...
I've had this canoe since about 1997 when I graduated high school. It was a custom made boat I bought from a campground where they had a guy...