Hi Muttley and welcome to the forum.
First off, are you dissatisfied with the finish you have achieved?
Secondly. What sort of paint are you using?? A spray can finish always looks best straight out of the can.
If it is spray can paint, this can be rubbed down with fine paper ending with1200 or so grade wet`n`dry and T-cut afterwards. Other finishes are not so easy, although enamel paint CAN be rubbed down and T-cut but only after it has hardened.
I have found that if you need to T-cut one bit of the finish, you need to do it all….the shine is never quite the same??
Once you are happy with the finish then you can apply the various pinstripes and wotnot. How you finish them depends on the type of material you are using. pinstripe tape generally needs no varnish, water transfers WILL need varnish, vynil stickers probably not.
PERSONALLY. I dislike varnishing paint as it makes touching up very difficult. You should not need to varnish most finishes.
There is a guide to hull finishing i think on the home page somewhere.
Ashley
Edited By ashley needham on 03/08/2020 17:53:20