: Just did an initial coat of epoxy before glassing the deck.
: I tried to eliminate any and all drips or runs but a few developed anyway.
: Also, there are a few blotchey areas indicating the wood did not get its fill
: of epoxy, at least that's what I think it indicates = my first attempt at
: this.

: Question: Should I sand out any drip or run lines before adding the glass
: cloth or will they fill in on their own when I add and fill the glass
: cloth? If I sand should I add more epoxy to fill in the sanding and feed
: the still hungry/starved wood or will the epoxy fill all that in when I
: fill the glass cloth with epoxy?

: While I am on the subject of fiberglass do you feel the cost of S cloth at
: over $11 per square yard to worth the added strength and flexibility for a
: touring sea kayak over the cost of E cloth at $4.50 a yard?

: Hey, thanks for your help - I really apprecite your input.

: Joe Voutour

Hi Joe,
I'm on the final stages of my RBA. I wanted a light boat for fast touring/racing. I opted for 3/16" strips and decided I should get as much strength as possible. I went with 4 oz. S-glass, plain weave. The result (hull) appears to be quite stiff compared to my deck which I used 4 oz. E-glass. It remains to be seen if it holds up better for abrasion.
I believe the S-glass (plain weave) 4 oz. is an alternative to thin satin weave cloth used in multiple layers. Tight weave cloth is more difficult to work with than plain weave but offers a good resin/glass ratio.

In my case using the more expensive S-glass is worth it. For average building, the tried and true 6 oz. E-glass is the gold standard. I will probably use 4 oz. S-glass from now on.

.02
Larry C.