> I am building an Alaskan recovery kayak using the SK article as a guide.I
> plan on buying Cordura nylon ~7oz. for the skin.I noticed that the fabric
> was marked "waterproof"; the salesman at the discount store
> didn't know what that meant. Question#1 Can this "waterproof"
> fabric be painted? #2 Can a water-based paint designed for painting
> inflatables be used? (West Marine sells this paint in gray only.)

I have heard that you shouldn't use any fabric that has been preciously coated. My understanding of this is because:

1) A coated fabric may let the paint stick to the fabric.

2) The coating would probably stop the penetration of the paint

3) The coating my not be completely waterproof without painting it.

4) The coating may rub off easily when drug across a beach.

These are things to be aware of when choosing a fabric. The coating may work fine, but it might not, are you interested in being the one to test it out?

I was willing to test Snow-Roof paint and have been very happy with the result. I used canvas though and will use a synthetic skin on my next skin kayak. The canvas stopped the penetration of the paint (due to swelling of the fibers), and is more prone to rot than synthetics.

Mike