Many penetrating stains work well for staining Okoume and are compatible with epoxy. We recommend staining the seats on our Wherry to contrast with hulls. It is always important to test a stain prior to applying it to any of your boat parts. To do this, find a couple scraps of wood. Stain one of them and let the stain dry thoroughly. Next, mix some epoxy and spread it on the surface of the stained wood and clamp your second piece of wood to it. Allow the epoxy to cure fully and pry the two pieces apart. If in this process you tear wood fibers, you can be assured that the stain is compatible.
There are some concerns with staining panels of boats. In order for stain to take to the wood it must be applied to bare wood, prior to epoxy. This means staining before you begin construction of your boat. When a boat is wired together and the seams glued, all of the chines are rounded to help the fiberglass cloth lay flat against the boat. During the sanding of these seams, it is likely you will sand through the stain that was applied to the panels along the seams. The result is lighter stripes running the length of your boat along the seams. Going over these areas with stain and getting a good color match can be difficult. Because of this reality we do not recommend staining hull or deck panels of multi-paneled boats.