> I just finished glassing the hull of my Ches. 17LT. It went much better
> than I had expected (I had been dreading that one step) and only took 2
> hours. My question is: Is there any reason for me to run a strip of glass
> tape down the keel from stem to stern as added insurance against unforseen
> bumps? Will the benefit be worth the added time and potential frustration
> of sanding the "step" between the tape and the glass? Since my
> cellar temperature is around 55, the epoxy will still be tacky enough to
> add the tape tonight if it is worth it.

> Thanks for any opinions.

Mark,

I'm at the same point in constructing a Chesy 18. I put a four inch strip down the middle last night. Watch those drips! I had a very nice boat hull until I missed a few spots. They were all in the bow and stern where the hull is steepest in relation to the centerline.

Happy boatbuilding,

John