Hi Ed-- I put 3 coats on my Chesapeake 17 deck. The first one was quite heavy and the doorskins soaked it up completely. The second two coats were a lot thinner and I just covered the wood & sealed the grain. I basically just used them to fill the pores and make a smooth surface to varnish. As for protection, the first coat was probably all that was needed. To keep your deck from being excessively heavy and make for a smooth finish, I'd strongly recommend a light sanding between each coat, or at least between the second and third coats.

For the second and third coats, as little as 4-6 oz. can be applied with a foam brush. (I can't remember how much epoxy the deck soaked up, but it was a lot!) Maybe that's why my boat is a bit heavier than CLC suggests!

Shawn

> I'm at the stage of coating the plywood deck of my Chesapeake 17 LT. I
> plan to roll the epoxy on with a 1/4 inch foam roller, and add additional
> coats as soon as the preceeding coat has set up. I'm looking for any
> advice/suggestions on this critical phase. Most imporant, how many coats
> do most people use? Also, what pitfalls to watch out for, helpful tips,
> etc. Thanks!