: 3. LOTS of glass and LOTS of fairing in.

: laying down layers of cloth and fairing them in is too much work for the
: thickness required. If you want 'draggability' then you gotta have
: thickness. ain't no way around it.

It is....but it's also the most commonly available solution to most builders/paddlers.

Cut the glass in staggered-width layers. The bottom layer can be 2.5", next 2", next 1.5", next 1". Wet them out on a piece of saran wrap with the bottom layer on top. You can fold the saran wrap over the epoxy/glass and squish the excess epoxy around with your fingers to move it into dry spots. Lay the glass on the stem, and use the saran (if it's not too sticky--or a clean one if it is sticky) to "poor man's vacuum bag" the glass. Lay 1.5" wide masking tape or 2" clear packing tape edge to edge and wrap the whole shebang well.

When the epoxy cures, there is very little sanding or filling necessary...this takes care of glass edges, protruding "hairs", and generally fills most pinholes.

Quick sand with your ROS, and a fill coat to even things out...

Note that this much thickness in glass will tend to give the boat a bit of a "bluish" tinge in that area, but it's going to turn "white" pretty soon anyway, right?! I've used this on wood, kevlar, and glass boats alike. Composite boats get painted over, wood boats get a fresh layer of spar varnish.

shawn