Are you using a spray gun? I did and it turned out OK. First I sanded the hulls to a very smooth mat finish. Second, I cleaned them up with acetone (or nail polish remover) using a clean absorbent cloth. Third, I used a polyester marine paint that I had to mix with thinner and hardener. I then sprayed one thinly applied base coat and let it dry. Then without sanding I sprayed on a second coat kind of thick and let it dry. Nothing professional but it has a smooth glossy finish and looks a whole lot better than before. If you are not spraying paint on, check out the last post on this topic link.
http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=106
If you want some before and after pics just send me an email.