What to use to fill and fair a wood dinghy hull?

[Carl Schaefer]

Well, I've completely stripped the 1955 Wright Penguin woody I have and it's ready to be finished. The bottom is planked; the sides are marine ply. What should I use to fill and fair the wood before I prime and paint? I was thinking of using epoxy with lots of microballons -- will that be adequate? Is there a premixed, lightweight filler I can use? I intend to use a one-part poly similar to Interlux Brightsideds for the boat. I've enclosed a few pix.

Thanks, Carl

http://www.futurelinkinc.com/sailing/penguin/pen1.JPG

http://www.futurelinkinc.com/sailing/penguin/pen2.JPG

http://www.futurelinkinc.com/sailing/penguin/pen3.JPG

[Jay Greer]

I faired a hull with epoxy and red micro balloons thirty years ago and it is still as tight an fair as the day we first launched.

[Carl Schaefer]

Originally posted by Jay Greer:
I faired a hull with epoxy and red micro balloons thirty years ago and it is still as tight an fair as the day we first launched.Thanks, Jay.

[Buddy]

If you just need a small amount, WEST 407 is their product of red ( phenolic rather than glass "balloons") filler.

[corob]

HI pictures look good, 407 works fine, let it kick for awhile so it gets good and putty like 15-25 min. Pettit high build brushable primer works great to fill all those ply cracks. you can do 2-3 coats in a day without sanding between. then fair it all down and paint, done.
Also try Famowood instead of the epoxy filler. I find epoxy to be a great glue, other than that it can be a HUGE mess, also if you coat the hull in epoxy it will rot, ask anyone whose done it.