> i saw a program on tv about a cheap kayak made from lath and painting drop
> cloths. the boat was waterproofed by painting it with 3 coats of marine
> paint. i would like to get plans for this type of boat to make a couple of
> kayaks for my kids. does anyone know where i can get these plans? has
> anyone built this type of boat? what luck did you have with them? how did
> they perform? ed

Generically these types of kayaks are called `skin on frame' kayaks, and can be made to varying degrees of finish with miscellaneous materials.

Take that rough lath and plane it smooth, stain, varnish, seal or paint it and you improve the looks and durability of your boat -- or leave it unfinished if you are in a hurry to get on the water.

You'll get a better looking boat if you put in more time, or use better materials. The materials you describe can make a serviceable craft, too.

The basic plans for almost any skin-on-frame kayak can be used. Clark Craft has several plans for sale. Their catalog is $5 and you can order it by checking their webpage www.clarkcraft.com I haven't seen their prices lately, but their plans used to be about $28 for these types of boats.

A good book on the subject of canvas covered boats (particularly kayaks) is the one written by George Putz. He has plans in the book for two canvas covered kayaks (similar style, different lengths). He estimates you can build one of these boats for under $250. It is a fair estimate, but if you scrimp and scrounge you might find that you can build one for half that. If you build two, the second one will cost less as you can reuse the building forms. The book is about $20 with tax and shiping from www.amazon.com, which is a few dollars less than the plans alone for similar boats from Clark Craft.

Canvas dropcloths that are sold near my home cost more than the fabric, so I buy the fabric by the yard. Clark Craft has a heavy (stronger than most dropcloths) canvas at a reasonable price. Call them and ask for their price list, which should be free. Dropcloths frequently are made from pieces which are sewn together. The seams can be annoying. If the cost of dropcloth vs. yard goods is close, go with the yard goods. Plastic dropcloths can be used, but they are thin, paint can flake off, and they don't seem as durable as canvas. They are much cheaper, though.

I suggest you spend your time on making a good frame which you'll be able to cover with any of these materials. Lath, or even a better quality of wood cut into thin strips, is not very expensive. Use the best materials here you can afford. Your big investment is going to be time, not money. These things can be labor intensive.

There are three basic construction methods for these types of craft. One is the method used by Putz which uses building forms. The long pieces are wrapped around the forms and then bracing material and floor supports are added until the frame is finished, and removed from the forms. The second method uses ribs which are made by steaming and bending wood. The longpieces are secured to these ribs by glue, screws, nails or lashing. The third method uses plywood panels which are cut to the shape of ribs, and building proceeds as above.

If you are making two boats the first and third methods may be better. For instance, with the third method, you can stack several sheets of plywood and cut the frames for both boats ( or even 3 or 4 !) at the same time. This is a real timesaver.

Metal and synthetic materials can also be used for either the frame or the skin. Modern Baidarkas are built like this. The skin can be held on the frame with copper tacks, stainless steel staples, or it can be stitched on, laced on, or zipped on.

Hope this helps

Paul Jacobson