Welcome to PocketShip.net! This bulletin board is for builders of the Chesapeake Light Craft-John C. Harris "PocketShip" design, a 15-foot micro cruiser sailboat built from a kit or plans.
This site gathers PocketShip builders in one place. Here you can share photos, tips, questions, and---eventually---your sailing adventures in PocketShip! CLC will also post design updates and tips here as they come up.
We'll try to knock down spam as quickly as possible.
It will look nicer if you do. If you don't sand, the little irregularities, dust globs, etc. of each coat will accumulate. You especially need to sand the primer, since the main reason for using it is to make the surface smoother. On my boat, I wet-sanded the varnish and gloss paint (320 grit for the paint, and 400 for the varnish), since we-sanding doe snot generate dust, and it the sandpaper lasts longer.
Of course, it may be necessary to sand to get sufficient adhesion between coats, especially if more than a day or so has passed since the previous coat.