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Hi Tim
I haven't begun the painting on my ES yet but I have done many many boats and composite projects proffesionally and for myself. I like the US Paint's Awlgrip system but I suspect the other Linear Polyurethane systems are just as good. I've also used Sterling which is another nice system. The primers and gloss topcoats appear to be pretty similar.
You bring up a great point with pinholes. They are often dealt with by applying many layers of sprayed on paint but a technique I experimented with that I think works great, is to mix a little primer (the US Paint's 545 primer is really good but Sterling seems similar) and roll it over a few inches of surface, then immediately squeegee off excess with a plastic bondo squeegee. The squeegee glides beautifully over rolled, wet surface and will do three things:
1. It immediately shows any pinholes, and
2. It fills the holes without coating the other 99.999999% of the surface.
3. Sanding is almost non-existant since the paint is in the holes.
You will probably have to do this a couple of times since you tend to get a fair amount of shrinkage due to solvent evaporation and a tiny but from curing. However, your final topcoat should take care of the very minor depressions from what's left after sanding.
Just last week I filled the entire deck and topsides of my 37' racing sailboat using less than a quart of primer. That's about 550 suare feet used to fill a 5.7 oz 282 carbon fabric. Done right and that's the only filling you'll need to do. That is one HELL of a lot less work than spraying and sanding several times.
One thing I don't do is add any thinner. It goes on so beautifully unthinned and you want to reduce shrinkage. I've also used this technique with high build primer and it works just as well so probably any primer will work. Basically, you're using the primer as a very thin putty when you think about it.
I hope this helps!
Good luck!
Dan
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