Taping Seams

[Longbow]

I am planning to externally tape the seams of the skiff that I'm building and wanted to get some opinions on how to do it. What width of tape is commonly used 2" or 4"? I am going to be placing an order with Merton's, they offer 9 oz. tape is this a good weight to use or should I look for something lighter? I am not planning to coat the hull or to tape the interior seams, but I will be sealing the edges of the plywood with System 3 general purpose resin and doing all the gluing with T88. Has anyone used T88 in the calking gun type tube that's being sold now? I'm hesitant to try it, but if anyone has used it successfully I might give it a try.
Thanks.

[JimD]

I like using two and three inch. Lay down the three inch first. Then lay the two inch over it. Let cure. Sand off the stitched edges. I don't use four inch. Too wide in my humble opinion. I would likely use 6 ounce which works fine in two layers for the small boats I build. How big is the boat? What does the designer recomend?

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

On the boats I have built the epoxy/taped seams hold the boat together. There is only one layer of glass on each side of the seam.
If you are applying the tape just for the purpose of keeping water out you don't need two layers.
I use 4" x 9 oz. because sanding out the edges to conceal the tape will take away the better part of an inch on each extemity. If a transom may be required to take a small motor I put a layer of 6" over the 4".

[RodB]

If you already have the System III resin, just get some cabosil and some wood flour from System III and mix your own epoxy to meet the need at hand, its much more cost effective and so simple.

For straight gluing, just add cabosil only... to the consistency and color of Elmers glue... this is very strong and hard to sand....

For fillets, mix epoxy and add equal amounts of cabosil and wood flour... to a peanut butter consistency... this mixture will not sag and will make a great fillet in a joint...

Good luck,

RodB