> I'm ready to skin a Greenland skin boat and did a lot of research. I went
> with polyester. Many people who are using canvas are using water based
> house paints because of the flexability. The oil based house paint seems
> to always crack in the second or third year.

> As far as linseed oil, the boiled variety is what is recommended rather
> than non-boiled because of drying -the non-boiled never seems to dry. Many
> people are using Thompson water seal and similiar things like that to coat
> the inside of the canvas after it's skinned - sprayed it in with a garaden
> sprayer.

> I don't want to deal with rot etc so I'm going with the polyester. It's
> not heat shrink but it won't losten with dampness like the shrinkable
> nylon. I'm getting it from Dyson Bardarka at $2. a running ft. x 56"
> I will coat the outside wih polyurathane. there's one available with UV
> inhibitors. Or I might go with spar varn mixed with a bit of linseed oil
> to increase flexability and some oil paint for color.

Jay,

I did a sample of #10 14 oz. canvas coated with spar varnish. I liked the look but it actually made the canvas MUCH easier to tear. It became stiff and brittle and I could easily tear it with my bare hands. Try a sample before you coat your kayak with it.

I still haven't had any problems with the Elast-o-Seal/Snow-Roof coating on my skin kayak. I thinks it would work better on a thinner synthetic than on the thick canvas though.

Mike