While investigating why my 85 runs poorly, I was making sure the
spark plug wires were all seated properly, and I noticed that when I
put my finger on the coil wire and left 1/8 in between my finger and
one of the cylinder wires, a spark would jump across from my finger
to the wire.  I could barely feel or see it, so I don't think it was
a significant portion of the coil's output.

This did not appear to affect the running of the engine at all.

I had recently replaced all the wires  with the  "super premium" kind
(from FLAPS).  I also put some dielectric gel around the boots when I
installed it to keep water out.

I live about 100 yards from the ocean, so it is very likely that
there is a fine layer of salt covering every part of my engine.  In
fact, the local utility companies routinely come by and wash the high
voltage wires with distilled water to prevent noisy arcing that
occurs from the salt deposits.

So I'm thinking this is from the salt, but I would also be open to
the idea the the wires I bought are crap, and/or putting the
dielectirc grease on wasn't a good idea.  Stupid question:
Dielectric grease is an insulator, not a conductor, right?