: This question is for Bill Hamm, and I thank you for your thoughts.
: You use a layer of 4 oz glass cloth over your 4oz dacron. Why
: not use just 8oz dacron as Dave Gentry uses, and coat it
: directly with epoxy resin?

The fiberglass, even very light cloth is much stronger than the Dacron used alone it's much stronger in tear resistance specially in a composite (which the skin is). Also the light Dacron is designed to be heat shrinkable, which the heavier material isn't. It'll easily shrink around 15% makes getting a tight cover very easy. Originally I thought to use the Dacron (trade name) as a base to apply the fiberglass over, after doing it I've found the two materials turn into one very strong and flexible material that's very damage resistant while being fairly light weight. Downside is you have to cover the boat twice, though the second cover (with fiberglass) is pretty simple.

Coating Dacron with epoxy alone works, but if you catch something sharp it'll tear fairly easily. The doubled material is much stronger that way.

Dacron's also a sponge used raw, it'll suck up an amazing amount of epoxy if you allow it, to combat this you need to coat it more than once. The first coat to just seal the fabric and after that's set then a heavier coating cam be applied. Since you're coating it twice (or more times) anyway, might as well just add the glass layer.

Bill H.