The difference between kayaks (whether s&g or strip -- they're both the same in terms of this discussion) and other boats is that our kayaks don't sit for long periods of time in the water. From what I've read, it is true that water can permeate epoxy and cause rot, but this takes a long time. We are not supposed to leave puddles of epoxy in the cockpit for this reason, and varnishing inside the cockpit helps prevent this water damage. The lable on the varnish we use on the exteriors of our kayak says "not for use below the waterline", but we use it there anyway because we pull it out of the water when it's not in use. The wood in our kayaks is perfectly preserved when hermetically sealed in epoxy and varnish -- no breathing necessary. If you want a boat that will sit in the water for extended periods, you need to paint or varnish it to seal the water out.

Dean

: I was reading on another board that when you epoxy-glass a boat, you deprive
: the wood of the ability to breath naturally. This was their thinking
: against building stich and glue boats. It is my belief that strip built
: boats also employ epoxy coatings. They contend that epoxy always leaks a
: bit, trapping some moisture and thus causing rot. Is any of this true?
: Does epoxy-glass leak a bit and does it cause some kind of rot? Is there
: any difference in this regard between a stripper and stich and glue in the
: way it employs epoxy and glass? I am trying to decide between these two
: systems and I want my end product to be long lasting.