The Cutty Sark Technical guy said spirit wiping would just be smearing any grease over the surface and on the steam boats that was true because there was a lot of grease from the long propshaft bearings, but on my boat there isn't any grease and spirit wiping just makes sure that you have no contamination on the steel prior to painting. On my boat I spirit wipe the steel with clean cloths dampened with Thinners 17 before painting. There's no real substitute for an angle grinder and wire wheels (eye protection, leather gloves and a dust mask). Sweep/vacuum all the dust away afterwards nd get it as clean as you can.

If you mix small quantities at a time you won't have a problem with pot life and it starting to go off before you can use it - but you will go through a lot of pots and brushes. Either is fine this time of year but perhaps the winter grade hardener would be better for painting cold steel which is sitting in the water. You can choose between standard and winter grade hardeners - part B. If you need thinners it's Jotun Thinners No 17, but mix A & B in the correct volume before adding any thinners - not more than 10%. You really need to mix it well so have plenty of containers and mixing sticks.

I use a calibrated plastic jug and water to mark the volume on each soup pot before drying the containers out and putting in the paint.

I mix the paint in those plastic fresh soup pots which you see in the chiller cabinets of supermarkets. Mix A & B by volume.

Mix part A thoroughly in the can before taking any out to put into a separate container to mix with part B. If you do want a shiny top coat then I think the recommended one is Jotun Hardtop. This paint will be fine for priming and if you put down a few coats there is no need for top coats. I think the standard one would be fine - no real need for the abrasion resistant aluminium grade which is the one I used on my hull.

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