Lennart,

You've certainly been doing some deep home work! :^)

I admire your ability to dig into technical research and learn everything you can about a processes before jumping head long into a new project. However, building a kayak, or for that matter, any project that is being approached from an experimental and non-professional level should be not only challenging, but fun. What I'm saying is: Don't over do your research before having some fun.

Points 1-4 of your post are true and my guess is, that you've already acquired enough theory to now devote your efforts toward finding that work space and time, and get your hands dirty!!

Another option, while not a kayak builder myself, but very experienced with epoxies and wood, is to seal with a very thinned epoxy, using denatured alcohol as the thinner. I've thinned it to the point of being slightly more viscous than water. After this sealer cures, and within 12-24 hours of curing, do a light sanding, wipe well with denatured alcohol, and re-coat with a thin style epoxy, (no additional thinning). Keep your project well protected from UV light and try to make subsequent epoxy applications within a 24 hour period of the previous one. Always clean the surface well and wipe down with denatured alcohol just prior to a new coat.

Above all, remember that your objective is to build a thing of beauty and function; a work of art that brings satisfaction and pride. You're not building for NASA. Get out there and put your research to work, experiment, lean from doing, and look forward to building your second kayak better than the first. No true artist ever stopped after his/her first creation and perfection is an infinite integer that can only be divided, but never to the point of zero tolerance.

Go have fun!

Patrick