Sing- actually I don't have more experience. I've built one skin boat. Mabe I was lucky with mine. I also used Polyester and not Nylon - mabe that made a difference? You're opinion on this is as valid is mine. I used epoxy because I had it and when I built mine, people were always talking about all these exotic coatings that were hard to obtain and dangerous. The practice of using urithane varnish and simple things like that were't well known as successful but it seems like more and more people are doing that with no big expenses and hassel.

The weave on the polyester is quite open and the epoxy pentrated in deep because I could see in on the inside. I did a few test panels prior to trying it but epoxy hrdens over years and mine is probably more brittle than it was the first year. Still no cracks though.