: -Malcolm

I don't know if you know this or have thought of it, but.....

One possible cause to this problem is that, as you work the resin into the cloth, air must come out of the cloth at the same time.

There are ways to minimize that from causing problems.

The most difficult way is also the best. Apply the resin first using a brush or whatever and then lay the cloth down. The cloth soaks up the resin from underneath as the air goes out the top side. The cloth must be exactly where it needs to be cause it won't move now. Often, even if there is a bubble in the resin, it will pop when the cloth soaks the resin from it's perimeter. If you put the right amount of resin on you can get a quality, very evenly wet out, layup with a minimum amount of resin. Adding more resin after this is not a problem if you add the resin next to the area which needs more and work the resin to the dry area in such a way the cloth soaks up the resin.

The idea is that you let the cloth soak up the resin. Don't force the resin into the cloth or you will force air into the cloth along with the resin! Then when you remove excess resin, you have foamy resin you are trying to work with. Also, Don't re-use the resin you remove as excess even if it doesn't look like it has bubbles in it. Use a paper cup with a slit cut in one side to remove resin from the squeegee and throw out the excess resin.

The second way is easier on large projects but doesn't work as well.

Poor the epoxy onto the cloth along the an area of the keel (for example) and work the epoxy down toward the sheer line allowing gravity to assist. I use the squeeges (brushes seem to trap air in the bristles and force it into the cloth as you work the resin). Try to work the resin so it wets out the cloth spreading from were you poored allowing the resin to be absorbed into the cloth as you work.

Hope this helps!

Doug K.