Don't epoxy or use varnish or another hard coating. You won't be able to adequately seal it, and water will get under the finish it an make a huge mess.

Go ahead and use oil. Here are the things to watch for- coat the frame with oil, then let it sit for a while, and tip it so that he ribs are down. Where the oil usually gets onto the skin from places like rib or deck beam mortises and pegs. It usually collects there when you apply it, and it will stay wet in there for a while after the frame is dry.

On the other hand- when you coat- depending on what you're using it might not matter if some gets on the skin. It happened to me and I was really worried about it. On mine, the oil softened up the bee's wax on the artificial sinew and made kind of a gooey mess at my lashings and got on my skin. I dabbed the skin with mineral spirits, but I don't know that I would even have needed to do that. I coated with skin boat goop, and it was fine. If you're using oil-based varnish or paint you won't need to worry about it anyway because the oil will be compatible with the finish.

m