: I would like to add graphite to my final coat of epoxy on the
: bottom of my kayak.
: How can I get a very smooth finish (sanded) to match the rest of
: the hull and still have a shiny black finish?
: Have any of you had experience with whether it really protects the
: hull bottom much better than clear epoxy?
: Thanks
: Randy

I did the 'graphite bottom coat' (once-never again) on the bottom of a canoe- WEST Graphite + WEST epoxy.
After sanding (your 'coal mining experience' if you don't wet-sand) the graphite will probably be an even dull grey/black.

If you want it 'shiny' you will probably need to varnish or spray on some sort of clear coat.

Most (marathon canoe and sailing dinghy) racers will tell you that a smooth sanded finish is faster than a glossy varnished one.

If you want a hard coating on the hull bottom, mix in some fumed silica (Cabosil) with your epoxy/graphite mix. That stuff is hard, and hard-to-sand as well.

IMO, graphite/epoxy is mostly cosmetic. You could always save that for a few years, when the hull bottom has accumulated some scratches and repairs, and needs a covering.

Just my 2 cents worth...
John