Painting

I am ready to start cleaning up the boat for next year. The gel coat is oxidized and scratched, and crazed below the waterline, I have read lots of threads on this topic and plan to attack the problem like this:

Clean, sand and polish the gelcoat below the gunwales, touch up the scratches with gelcoat repair. I think that the boat will look great unles viewed up close below the waterline.

I would like to paint the surfaces of the boat above the gunwales. I am thinking that I will paint these white for two reasons. The existing mahagony red gets very hot in the sun, and white paint will be the most forgiving color, eventually I would Like to have the interior and carpet done in white with accents in the mahagony to match the boat.

Who has rolled and brushed two part polyurethane in the past and how were the results? There is a fair amount of cracked gel coat to deal with, around the lifting eyes, on the motor cover, at the tight radius inside back corners, I will grind out all the cracks and repair with epoxy filler.

I don't think spraying the paint on is an option. I can do the paint myself if I roll it on, and would have many less dollars in it.

Currently the boat is stored in a heated warehouse. My father in law will allow me to work on the boat there, as long as the mess is kept to a minimum, and there are little noxious fumes. So spraying is out.

I'm not worried about the process, I'm sure I can make the finish look sprayed on even if I have to wet sand and buff the final coat, It will just be more work.

The next question, how to paint the waterline on? By the time I get the gel coat looking good enough to put the paint lines on, I'm afraid they will be too slick to accept the paint.

I'm also thinking about a set of sixties style stripes running over the entire length of the boat, Red mahogany stripes over the white deck, over the motor box, etc.

Any tips, suggestions, advice or opinions greatly appreciated.

Gary