: :...I got to thinking

: I use it for every build. I once wrapped it too much and was able
: to paddle for 45 minutes and could have gone longer. I now put
: on just enough to stay out 5-10 min. There is no danger of it
: breaking a frame (or if there is, the builder had better start
: over!) and BTW, we SOF builder lovingly call it the "saran
: wrap test". You can find some images on my website
: http://paddleandoar.com but my favorite one is where the game
: warden came down to check what the heck was going on!

There is I think some confusion of nomenclature. Shrink wrap is a polymer plastic film that is used for packaging and it shrinks when heated. Commonly the film is applied and then goes through a heat tunnel, although for small applications a heat gun can be used. Sometimes used to wrap boats for transport. Can be applied as one piece with no joins under the waterline.

Cling wrap was originally created as Saran wrap and is a polyvinylidene chloride. It sticks to itself and is commonly used in the kitchen. The formulation has changed and the product is now a low density polyethylene. Still popular in the kitchen and still sticks to itself. Doesn't heat shrink however and wrapping a kayak means lots of joins.

(My wife postulated that we would have less arguments if I was not so pedantic. I replied that surely she meant "fewer" arguments.)

Jon Mortimer