: "A friend" once told me that it is recommended to wait a few months
: before finishing epoxying and varnishing, to let all of the reaction
: finish etc. I have not heard about this anywhere else, and have closely
: read system3's book and directions on their varnish with out seeing this.
: therefor question is "is this BS?"

I've been mentioning this concept, too. The reason for the varnish is to protect the epoxy from long-term UV exposure. It takes a LONG time for the UV to degrade the epoxy. Several YEARS of part-time exposure. You might see some clouding or color changes after a year or two of unprotected outdoor storage, or if you live by the equator you might see some damage sooner.

But there is no big need to rush out and oat the stuff with varnish. A few weeks (r a few months) constant exposure won't hurt things. And if you store your boat under a roof or inside, you would not get very much UV exposure at all.

Build the boat, paddle it, and varnish it when you get a chance.

One other advantage of deferring the varnish: Invariably there are places on the hull which will attract scratches like a magnet. these could be spots where the boat rubs against a pier while launching, or the keel where the boat hits that sharp-edged rock they call a beach. Whatever, the cause, After a month or two of paddling you'll find areas that cry out for reinforcement, or maybe repair. since there is no varnish to remove, you can quickly slap on a big (or small) patch -- another layer of glass cloth and resin -- and feather that into the existing glass.

Eventually you'll sand out the light scratches and varnish.

: My next boat will be a morris designed greenland SOF. I am planning to use KD
: Fir for the long members (keel, stringers, and sheer) (are there problems
: with this?) and am thinking about cedar or ash for the ribs. I can get
: green cedar at the local Home Despot. It seems to me that ash would be
: better (as in harder and stronger), but it is a lot more difficult to get
: around here. thoughts?

You don't need a lot of wood for the ribs, and it does not have to be long pieces -- so in this case it becomes feasible to buy a few boards by mailorder and have them shipped to you. Go for the ash. It would be stronger.

You can use cedar for the stringers, though. It would be a little lighter than the fir, and strong enough for the task.

Just some thoughts.

PGJ