Varnish on Epoxy Time Line

[wilded]

How long do I need to let epoxy cure before I start to varnish the boat? Do I have to sand it? Everytime I sand the epoxy it loses some of its clearness.

How long does the varnish have to cure before I can paint a stripe and the bottom with yacht paint?
Thanks guys this is my first go at all this. ET :roll:

 

[oldsparkey]

You could varnish it anytime but most companies say it takes a full 30 days for the epoxy to completely cure and three days to fast cure then it is a slow cure for the rest of the 30 days. ( Thats with the epoxy I use )

Personally I like to use mine for a while and then lightly sand it and varnish it. Any scratches it gets from the trial period , vanish with the varnish. Varnish tends to cure in just a few days.
Unfortunately no matter which way you go a light sanding is recommended , especially if your epoxy has an tendency to blush.

As far as the stripe , either before of after the varnish , I like to do it before the varnish.