""""""""""When creating two curved surfaces that butt up to earch other and then exporting and rendering, I see thin gaps between the adjoining surfaces.""""""""""""""

Did you try to "Join" the surfaces before exporting??/

""""When creating a network surface it appears that how well the surface matches the curves is dependent on the number of control points on the related curves.
Is this true?""""""""""

I dont think so, but Michael will chime in with a for sure on how it works.... The network will act like "Draping cloth" over the curves, with some sag and tensions controlled by the curves.. Doing sweeps will have the surface more true to the curves..