: i have chosen ... raka ...
: ... no blush/five oz cloth.

: ... i would like anybody who has used either product to chime in
: with opinions for a first time user.

I built a pair of boats simultaneously, CLC Mill Creek 13 S&G from plans, using Raka slow cure epoxy and Raka 5 oz cloth for the hulls, and 3.5 oz on the decks. It was a first-ever boat/epoxy/fiberglass project for me, and went off without a hitch. I will stop short of saying it was easy wetting out that fine weave cloth, but the finished boats look great.

Next project, I will use regular 6 oz cloth just for the experience of it. I'm hoping it will be a breeze after the 5oz. After that, who knows? I think the 5 oz cloth made for an easier time with the fill coats, but we'll soon see about that.

Cheers,
Kurt Maurer