: new to the varnish. Ive read some previous posts on varnishing. very helpful.
: More complicated than I had thought. Is the goal to get as thin as coat as
: possible? That way there are no sags/drips. Should I be stroking the brush
: fast or slow? Can I apply a coat on top of a still soft coat that is no
: longer tacky? Thanks

The goal is to maintain a wet edge as you go. Varnish tacks up very quickly, and if you don't maintain your edge, you will get odd streaking or lines in your finish.

Personally, I find the disposable foam brushes work the best. Sand your surface, and then clean it with water and finally denatured alcohol. When you start applying your coats, it works best to use a pattern. Apply downward first, and then draw out the area with lengthwise strokes. This will help you avoid missing areas and thins out the coats to minimize drips.

You must wait overnight to sand and re-coat, or at least five or six hours. If you start wet sanding and find the grit filling up, it is too soon. I recommend using 400 grit wet/dry paper for sanding between coats. Also, make sure you clean between coats with the alcohol. Normally you can expect to be working on finishing for a week or two. I normally spend a week on a hull and then a week on a deck.