Hi Mike
I have used stainless staples for PVC clad sofs and they work well. I would have concerns about using them on a woven cloth, you would cut some fibres and may even create a tension point that might be the start of some serious pulls in the fabric. I would also point out that stainless staples are considerably more expensive than the usual type.
cheers
David
: Hey everyone,

: I just posted this message on Qajaq USA, but thought I'd ask here as well: I
: started sewing up my first kayak tonight and the bow/stern part went very
: well, and is nice and tight along the keel. I'm a having a bit of
: difficulty with stitching the deck though and had the thought, why not
: staple it?

: For kayaks with a deck ridge, you could use stainless steel staples along the
: ridge. You could get the fabric extremely tight. For cosmetic purposes, a
: strip of wood could be run over the stapled fabric afterward (I may try
: that even with stitching). If anyone has tried this, or thought of trying
: it, or is just curious, please please raise your voice. I might give this
: method a go. If there are any catastrophic reasons not to, though I'd
: prefer to not waste the time and material.

: Thanks,

: Mike