What is the "best" in the end depends on what criteria you consider most important. Resorcinol is very good stuff. It is extremely waterproof and makes a strong joint. However, it is mildly toxic, purple, requires mixing and kind of messy to deal with and expensive. Epoxy is not quite as waterproof, very strong, toxic, clear and requires mixing, and expensive but you need to buy it anyway. Carpenter's glue is not waterproof, stronger than the wood, relatively non-toxic, clear, ready to use, comes in a handy dispenser ready to use, cheap and widely available.

Most gaps will be filled with epoxy when you apply the glass so gap filling is not that big a deal. Carpenter's glue wins in most counts. It's only downside is not being waterproof. This is usually not a problem because water should not get to the glue because the whole boat is covered with fiberglass and epoxy. If you do rupture the fiberglass and expose the glue to water, it is a Bad Thing, but not catastrophic. Bring the boat home, try to let the wood dry out as much as possible and fix the fiberglass. When the glue dries it will harden up again.

If you want the "best", epoxy is probably slightly better than resorcinol because it is waterproof, but the overall improvement over Carpenter's glue will be slight, and you will more time and money to get that gain.

> I am planing on building a strip kayak. I have heard that carpenters glue
> is satisfactory, wouldnt resorcinol glue which is two part mix give me a
> stronger boat? Also I find it interesting that it takes so much time to
> build a strip kayak, I am an experienced wood builder and general
> contractor and am planning on building my Guillemot out of clear heart
> redwood and cedar, bead and cove, vertical grain. Any insight on the above
> questions would be greatly appreciated Thank you!