: I was given a Kayak. I was told it was built in 1935. It is 13foot long. Has
: wood strips held together by u-shaped metal bands. The canvas was held on
: with real small tacks. Does anyone know who made this Kayak and does year
: sound about right? Canvas needs replacing any sugestions on what type of
: canvas to use and how to attach? Wood is in good shape. Would like to know
: history of this type Kayak. Is it common? Thanks!!

If there are no ID tags then it would be hard to know if it was common. First we would have to know what model or make it was. If it was made to some definite plans then with a photo and careful measurements someone might be able to identify the design and designer. On the other hand, the odds are good that it was home made. If so, then the builder could have very easily taken plans for a longer or shorter boat and tweeked them while constructing your particular boat. If so, then it might be impossible to tell what the original design was.

Despite the question of ancestry and name, your boat can probably be re-canvassed with little effort. Clark Craft (www.clarkcraft.com) sells the canvas and bras tacks ou need to do the job. These materials are lsited in their free price list. Check their website for the phone number to call to get one of these lists, or, you can just ask for the materials over the phone without the list.

For a 13 foot kayak you would need about 14 feet long canvas. I'd order 5 yards. I don't have their current prices, but this should be in the $40 to $50 range. Use a solid piece for the hull. The overhanging pieces you can cut off and can sew together for covering the deck.

Pull out a few of the existing tacks that are holding on the existing canvas and measure their length. Get new tacks from Clark Craft that are the same size, or as close as possible. These are sold by the pound -- you'll probably need 1/4 pound of them (4 ounces). Modern builders use staples and a staple gun. If you can find stainless steel or monel staples then you might consider this option. Regular (galvanized) staples won't last as long as the canvas, so it is not economical to use them.

George Putz's book on canvas covered boats (check for "Putz" and "canvas" on amazon.com) has a couple of chapters on attaching the canvas, and painting it with oilbased paints to waterproof it. It is a good reference. Maybe your librarian can find a copy, or order one for you if you give them the ISBN number for the book (which you find on amazon.com's site).

Mike Hanks and I have used a waterbased elastomeric rubber roofing material that is available at hardware stores. $20 will get you a gallon, which should be enough for 3 to 5 coats. Search this board for references to "walrus" and you might see some pictures of Mike's boats.

There are other options for covering a frame. These include synthetic fabrics and natural or synthetic rubber compounds for waterproofing them. For example, George Dyson, the author of "Baidarka" sells heavy nylon cordura fabric that is about as thick as the seat belt in your car, and he also sells neoprene and hypalon materials to waterproof the fabric, giving an exceptionally strong and durable hull material. Look through the links on this website to find references to skin on frame building.

It only takes a couple of hours to put the canvas on the hull, and about the same to do the deck. After that it is painted or coated with the appropriate waterproofing compound. Your completed frame can be seaworthy in a weekend.

Best of luck on your project. Hope this helps.

Paul G. Jacobson