The solution was to use a transparent dye in the final epoxy coat resulting in a finish I was much happier with…….and still am.
Used this......
To get from this......
To this.
One thing has become apparent though.
I’ve used the CF a fair bit and in a variety of locations and she’s performed beautifully.
Our adventures have seen her get her fair share of bumps and scrapes…Nothing major but she’s no longer in “show room” condition
Naturally what gets scraped first (beyond the varnish coat) is the dyed top coat of epoxy.
Because it’s the colour layer that’s scraped, battle scars stand out as more obvious because the bright wood shows through. With the benefit of hindsight it seems pretty obvious but didn’t occur to me at the time
I haven’t tried touching up these areas but I think it would be very difficult to colour match using small quantities of epoxy and dye.
The CF’s few scrapes and scuffs don’t really worry me particularly…….she carries them with pride.
But I thought I’d mention this point so that anyone considering this process is at least aware before committing to it.
Of course in my case, the dyed final coat was a rescue option to what was an early mistake in the build anyway and it’s not a method I’d choose in the planning stage…..too hit and miss.
The best solution is to establish the desired colour using a water based stain before the first epoxy coat hits the hull
Great looking boat 
