: I am past the stage of worrying about durability. I guess everyone has to
: that fear. Abrasion is more of an issue than anything for me but some run
: strips should fix that.

Hey there-

Ceconite is probably the only thing I've heard of people using that isn't all that durable, especially when it comes to abrasion. If you search the Qajaq USA site for postings by Jeff Bjorgo you'll find a lot of information on it. It is super tempting, especially when you pair it with one of the dopes that shrink fabric, but stretching fabric isn't really all that hard. Or, at least, it's over quickly and the bloody knuckles heal in about a week...

Every skin/coating combination has its drawbacks. Here's the basic scoop-

Nylon is stretchy. That's why they use it in bullet-proof vests. It's tough to break. But, you give up abrasion resistance, and there are very few coatings as stretchy as nylon, so you have to pick the right one. And, it does tend to change its tension with the weather. Last week there was a lengthy thread about this on the Qajaq USA web site.

Polyester is not as stretcy as nylon, but it's really abrasion resistant. It doesn't change with the weather. Here, stretchiness isn't the biggest problems for coatings, it's finding something that will stick to polyester.

Canvas is cheap, easily available, kinda stretchy and kinda abrasion resistant, won't change dimensions with the weather conditions, and it takes coatings very very well. It's been used as a medium for artwork for hundreds and hundreds of years because it is so stable when covered with oil-based paint. Canvas will tend to mildew and rot, especially if you're not careful about drying your boat out after use, or if you paddle primarily in fresh water, or both. Don't think people don't use it anymore because it's "old school," it's used a lot in Europe and Greenland as well as here. If you search the Qajaq USA web site for Orgen Karlsen you may be lucky enough to find links to photos of his canvas-covered kayaks and info on the coatings he uses. They are beautiful.

Yost builders can definitely give you more information here- but there are also the waterproof fabrics, like clear PVC and fiber-reinforced PVC.

You've got to pick based on what you're comfortable with, and where you intend to paddle. Scan the Qajaq USA archives. Don't just read topics- look at the posts that have photos of boats and see what they're covered with and which ones appeal to you. Remember- in general- no matter what material you choose, there is a pretty good chance the skin and coating will cost more than the frame- sometimes WAY more- so put some good thought into it. Also- don't think of the coatings and skin as separate things, you have to make sure that the two you choose work well together.

Also- the two main distributors for nylon are Skinboat School in Anacortes, WA (they just redid their web site a while ago, and they have a lot of information) and George Dyson. If you email him at gdyson@gmail.com and ask for a current price list he can send you a .pdf file that includes a little tutorial on nylon v. polyester, shrinkage, and coatings in addition to prices and descriptions. Any type of coated nylon or cordura is a bad bet for kayak skin, so you're better off ordering from people who know what you need and have it in stock.

Good Luck!

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