> I am very excited to see this excellent series of posts. I too am
> considering making my next boat a skin-on-frame and have gotten some great
> info from this thread. One question I have is whether it is feasible to
> canvas a kayak by yourself. In one of the web sites I was reading, it
> indicated that it is extremely difficult for a solo builder to canvas a
> boat without recruiting some additional hands. Is this true, or are there
> ways around this. I was unsure if the stapling and special pliers and so
> on allow a solo builder to do this or not.

> Thanks alot, Dave Walker CLC Chesapeake 16

Dave,

I did a lot of the canvasing by myself but also had my wife help me some. If you build the Putz Walrus, it came easily be done by yourself using staples. I think it would be much more difficult with tacks (one hand to hold the canvas, one to hold the tack, ond one to hold the hammer? I guess you could hold the canvas and the tack in the same hand, but the plyers wouldn't help then.)

The Putz is very doable by one person. I had help occassionally, (from a mostly understanding wife) but usually it was just me holed up in my basement.

All this talk about it makes me want to start my next one. Should I skip my wife's Spring Run and go straight to another Walrus for myself. Nah, I think not. I already have 2 plus I'm just finishing the plywood Walrus for my brother. She thinks I should build a kayak to the specs I want, but NOT before hers.

Actually I'm thinking about doing a skin kayak based on the Annas Acuta (actually the skin kayak that inspired it). Not sure weather to use Putz or traditional inuit construction methods.

Mike