The key to any finish looking good, whether varnish or paint, is surface prep. The varnish or paint only cover what work you've already done. Shoddy surface prep will never be made to look good no matter how many coats of varnish you add.

Getting a good surface on a kayak is similar to getting a good surface for painting a car. If you're not familiar with that process read up on it a bit. We're usually in such a hurry to get on the water that many overlook this part, but if you're painting a car you really want it to look good, and this is the step where that happens, not the spray booth. I sprayed my boat and a lot of people think that spraying is the magic that makes it look good. It's not. It's just a different way of applying the finish. You could also brush or roll it on. That said, the truth is, you could spray a pile of dog poop. It wouldn't make it look like anything other than a pile of dog poop, you know?

Take your time, do careful fill coats, sand carefully, and you'll end up with a good finish. It looks like you're right on track or you wouldn't have asked the question.

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