I completed a Arctic Tern 14 in the spring and have an Osprey Std ready to glass. I sanded the panels prior to doing the butt joint and that helped alot. I then sanded off almost all the tape on the outside of the hull.

There is no color difference.

On the Osprey I sanded as prior to doing the butt joints and that worked as well.

Make a sign right now and put up in your work shop. "This is a boat not a coffee table."

I had a friend who told me that the first thing everyone should do with a new car is drive to the store and smash a shopping cart into it -- it cuts down on the "first scratch" tension.

Think back on this stange in boat building the first time you have to beach the kayak or scrape the dock.