> I am very excited to see this excellent series of posts.

If it were possible to charge you money for this excitement, then our legislators would either make it illegal or tax it. Enjoy it before they find out!

> 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.

Most artists who work on stretched canvas mount their own canvases. A one person job. Some caveats, though. A canvas pliers helps, but is not essential. A stapler allows you to fasten the material with your one free hand. In the days before staplers, the canvas was attached with nails or tacks. These were steel, or brass coated steel. The tack hammer was magnetized and held the tack loosely on one side of the head. The first light tap would seat the tack in the material, then the tack hammer would be rotated and the tack driven in with the other side of the head. When driving Brass or Bronze tacks you have to use a hammer that will hole the tack. Use a bit of putty, wax, chewing gum, or double stick tape to ahdere the head of the tack to the tack hammer so you can start the tack. Or, stretch the canvas and use a few staples to hold it temporarily in place. Drive tacks between the staples and pull the staples, leaving the rust resistant brass or bronze tacks behind.

Hope this helps.

Paul G. Jacobson

> 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