Capt. B.
Good points.
The exterior woodfinish war continues in PS (Vol 30, #4) with, IMCO, some good complaints from Steve Smith (Smith & Co, 5 Year Clear) on PS's testing methods. So far as I know Steve was the first to come up with varnish over epoxy - of course he wanted you to use his Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer. I wonder if 5 Year Clear is a one part polyurethane? If it is, after 5 years, you'll have to start from scratch again!
PS comparative testing seems funky and meager sometimes.
These varnish tests were done in tiny panels on a single piece of teak. Remember the paint tests done in tiny squares on the side of a 16 foot(?) Boston Whaler? And if I remember the anchor test, it was in a sandy shallow slough doing the pulling from shore. Not exactly your real life conditions, classic "laboratory" testing.

Maybe PS should factor in reader's polls in their romparisons. Then again, that's what forums are for.

What West system epoxy did you use? Did you sand each coat as if it was varnish? How does the epoxy level, after 5 coats(!) you must have gotten something like formica? And what varnish did you use, and did it itself have UV inhibitors?

Since varnish is purely eye-candy. your method of touch up is a great idea. And only varnish gives you that warm feeling.