Mike- yhh (that would be ,"you have homework)
http://www.yachtpaint.com/USA
Everything you need to know is here. Boat painting supplies usually go on sale in mid-March. Sandpaper never goes on sale! It is hard to know what grits you will need, it's more of a trial and error process. Get your hands on a random orbit sander, hook and loop model if possible ( sandpaper attaches like velcro to the sander). Remember, preparation prior to painting is 95% of the work. If you must buy paint, pick up a quart of primer which you can use to practice with if you get a section ready and get a nice day. The finish painting goes very quickly. For example, my girlfriend and myself could pant the hull of our 37' Egg in a couple of hours tops. In fact you can't move slowly as the one part poly starts curing in about 3 minutes. You need to keep a "wet edge" at all times.