Gap Tape? Electrical OK?

I know that this is going to generate a long thread but --- what is so
great about $10/roll super thin, super flexible, super-wide gap tape?

I had it in my mind once that thin was the important part to prevent
seperation of the laminar flow or something equally distructive.
However a friend of mine made perfect sense when he said that this
would only affect performance if it was cross-ways to the air flow.
Obviously the wing root seal tape is not cross-ways.

Maybe the adhesive is distructive to the gell coat? If you left the
tape on all season I could see that this might be a factor but we
generally only leave it on for part of a day. 3M tape's adhesive is
good but not like duct tape or something.

Let's me know what you think.

- John

Any tape that doesn't come off is just fine. On a painted metal
sailplane, the adhesive is a bit more critical, but on gelcoat, it's
not as much an issue.

Some tapes have better adhesive, so the tape doesn't come loose under
temp changes and start to buzz - very annoying if it happens at the
beginning of a 6-10 hour flight.

Some adhesive leaves gunky residue. Some tapes split in cold weather.
Some sailplanes have some compound curves that require a good stretchy
tape.

There's some "religion" in picking the right tape

I like Mike Bowlus' "Maxi Tape". Not the cheapest around, but it
sticks wery well, stretches and goes around corners very well, and
doesn't leave nuch residue when removed.

-Tom

Even masking tape can be used - best take it off the same day, though.
Chris N.