> What you have described is what I finally ended up doing too
> (except that by warming the varish in warm water for 10 minutes before
> application I was able to get the foam brush to work)... When I was
> all done 4 coats (with sanding between each) I still had a few dust
> nits so I wet sanded with 400, 600, 1000, 1500 grits and then polished
> with 3M's finesse it compound. This gives a very nice surface for
> those of us (like me) who can't seem to avoid a few dust grits in
> their varnish. I found the 3M finesse it at West Marine - they only
> sell it in the lifetime supply size, but it is worth it for the results.

What seems strange to me is that at the first stroke of the brush (foam or otherwise), if I look at the surface in reflected light, I see dust specks instantly. I've gone great lengths (well, some lengths) to ensure a low-dust environment: clean plastic tent over the entire boat, water on the floor, tack cloth the surface. I didn't strain the varnish, but this was a fresh can. Is this where I went wrong? It's not horrible, but like you Pete, I'll probably end up having to do the asymptotic sanding. Thanks for the tip on the 3M product; I'll look into it.

Ross