It sounds like you are taking your time and really having fun with it.

: A few frustrations so far: 1. How the heck does anyone do epoxy work without
: gumming up their hands beyond all hope? I haven't figured out how to
: handle and place saturated tapes without using my gloved fingers, which
: means it then gets transferred to everything else I touch. AAUUUGGHHH!
: Maybe there's an assortment of wet-fiberglass-handling tools I haven't
: figured out yet. Maybe I can make a big pair of tweezers from a couple of
: tongue depressors. Have to work on that.

Get a box of 100 gloves from a restaurant supply, automotive paint or surgical supply store. I like powder free latex. I stay out of the goo as long as I can but, on a big glass job, the time inevitably comes when I get messy. When I can't stand it anymore, I chuck the gloves, dry my hands and put on a new pair. Also, it is better not to handle the wet fiberglass too much; lifting it up after it is already wet may trap air bubbles. I think that's what happened in one area of my coaming and I am a little PO'd about it.

: 2. Is there a way to keep all the loose strands of glass threads from
: unraveling off the ends of the tapes? They come off when I place the tape
: and try to smooth it down so I have to dig them out of the wet epoxy with
: a little stick, and transfer more wet epoxy to my shears when I pick them
: up to trim the wet threads off the tape. DOUBLE AAUUGGHH!!

Ignore the loose strands; picking them out is futile. You can scrape them off later or just let them get covered by the fill coats.