To do it right
I highly recommend taking a "class" put on by Sterling. It's a two part paint that, supposedly, the layman can apply. It's probably one of the better paints on the market, tough as nails & looks fantastic when done right, though a little on the spendy side ($200/gallon?? - and it's TWO part) I'd contact the company & find out if there is a class anywhere near you.You'll need to make sure that any imperfections in the gelcoat are fixed before painting or else they'll just pop right back out again. If there are any crazing cracks (hairline fractures in the gelcoat from stress), you'll need to grind them out with a Dremel (sometimes all the way down to the gelcoat but you'll see if you've "got" it) fill with putty (epoxy is the best but polyester will work fine above the water line) & fair. This is the toughest part. I recommend using a block or something along those lines so you can be sure of a perfectly fair finish. Any lumps will glare with the new paint. As for the gouges in the hull, I'd probably go with epoxy putty there. Make sure there are no cracks. Once all that is done, then you get the joy of removing every single piece of deck hardware - EVERYTHING - and sand the entire thing. It's amazing how big a 22 foot boat will get when you have to sand every square inch! You might take this opportunity to drill out all those holes double size & fill with epoxy before rebedding everything. Then and only then, will you be ready to paint. It's a long, tedious, laborious, frustrating procedure. I've done it & regret every minute! I mean, I'm certainly proud of my baby - she gleams like she's brand new, not 26 years old! - but for me the work was not worth it. I love working on my boat but that was overkill for me. And if you really want to do it right, you can't take shortcuts. You might get quotes from several yards & take the pressure off yourself.Good luck!LaDonna