Warning: Building kayaks is highly addictive. Before long, you will find yourself on this BBS, raving like a fellow lunatic about some boatbuilding topic, (like the rest of us); ignoring your significant other when they want to discuss something non- boat related; and skipping meals in favor of making small curlicues of wood with a block plane. Ya gotta love it!

> Ques 1 - Is it necessary/advisable to sand the plywood while its still
> flat, before beginning the stitching process?

In general the plywood is sufficiently smooth from the factory. You don't want it too smooth (sanded above 120 grit) or you won't have a rough enough surface for the epoxy to "bite" into.

You will want to lightly sand after your initial and subsequent coats of epoxy (after it gets hard [1-2 days], but not fully cured [5-10 days]) when you glass the hull. You will also have plenty of opportunities for sanding in between varnish coats. Don't worry, you'll get to sand plenty on this project--don't add any more sanding than necessary! ;0

> Ques 2 - Should I apply tape on both sides of epoxy seams (e.g., on both
> sides of the butt-joints) to minimize the amount of epoxy that gets on the
> surface (as opposed to in the joint itself) - and, if so, what type of
> tape (duct, strapping, masking)

A lot of the epoxy will soak into the wood. The remaining epoxy can be planed or scraped off when it is green. (Not tacky, but not hard either). You could also tape it, but I wouldn't worry about the extra effort. If you get a little epoxy on the surface, you can lightly scuff it with some 100 or 120 grit sandpaper to let the epoxy "bite" better when you later glass the boat.

> I'm sure I'll have lots more questions - thanks in advance for your help!

Happy building!! Shawn