: The basic rule of MOST epoxy as I understand it, is that once it is
: cured it's 'food safe' and almost inert. I love epoxy.

: I just Googled Bisphenol-A and West System Epoxy (my personal
: choice) and found a data sheet for West 105 Resin which
: confirms,
: like most epoxies (source Wikipedia) it contains bisphenol-A. Not
: at all surprising, Bis-A is often found in hard shiny plastics.

: Bisphenol-A acts like estrogen (aka the 'female hormone' -- is this
: why we all wear skirts? and most of us wear lady's PFD's Ms-Fit?
: just kidding.)
: It's definitely not good for fetuses, babies and children, and
: probably bad for the rest of us--not today bad, like swallowing
: gasoline, but long term risk if ingested (like not having tuna
: every day because of mercury). In our 'old man' sport it's bad
: for the prostate.

: I tell my 8th graders not to chew on their pens--some of them just
: look at me and keep chewing.
: Stainless steel water bottles are better than plastic ones, I own
: three, but continue to tie on my deck refilled 1 liter plastic
: bottles.... (I'm probably getting a higher Bis-A dose from the
: hot water running through my almost entirely plastic coffee
: maker I haven't microwaved in plastic for 15 years).

: I'm rambling. My point is epoxy is still wonderful stuff, and it's
: almost inert after it's cured, but I think if I was sanding
: cured epoxy I'd definitely wear a respirator. And if I dropped
: my energy bar on the surface of my kayak I wouldn't hesitate to
: eat it, though I might snicker and put the video I have of a sea
: lion bellowing then taking a dump in the ocean.
: And I wouldn't want to see a baby or a pregnant woman gnawing on my
: kayak. It's becoming the current panic chemical. But I think
: we're a bit more rational than the people who ask us, 'Aren't
: you afraid of sharks?'

You need a nice round cockpit like my NDK Greenlander, then you too can wear a mini-skirt .

Bill H.