Why paint over epoxy?
The presumption is that epoxy will give a good, impervious,
watertight, coating that will protect whatever is beneath it. In a book on
the subject of repairing blisters and other glass fibre anomalies that develop
over time, the point was indelibly made that there will always be minute
pinholes in an epoxy coating that eventually leads to degradation beneath.
The recommendation... paint! Water based, oil based, makes no
difference. If you want it to last... paint it, and keep your painted
surface fresh. That practice will avoid subsurface degradation for
decades. Most all of us know of well maintained wooden boats, and other
structures that have passed the century mark to prove the point. BTW,
paint isn't perfect either, but the combination of paint over epoxy is essential
in a boat you wish to enjoy for a lifetime... or, at least, a generation.
Epoxy alone isn't sufficient. The most important 3 attributes of a good
paint finish are prep, prep, and prep.
Sorry, I can't find the damn book, right now. I can
never find anything when I want to, and especially if I need it! MEK
fumes? Old age? Probably, the latter.