Gene,

I would recommend using a product like Snow-Roof. That is what I used on my canvas kayak. It is very flexible. I used Elast-o-Seal as the base coat. I thinned it 50% with water for the first coat, to penetrate the canvas. The second coat I used full strength Elast-o-Seal to help fill the weave. I used the Snow-Roof on the additional coats until I could no longer see the Elast-o-Seal. Elast-o-Seal is the recommended primer for Snow-Roof. Elast-o-Seal stretches up to 1000% while Snow-Roof stretches 400%. It dries enough for light use in a couple of days, but I would let it dry a month before expecting FULL durability. You can also color coat it with exterior latex paint.

I had heard oil paint has a tendency to crack over time so I experimented with alternate coatings. I liked the Elast-o-Seal Snow-Roof combination best, but I will be testing urethane later this year.

Mike

: Some scouts, my son included, have built a collaspeable kayak out of plywood
: and heavy canvas.Contact cement was used to adhere the canvas to the 1/2
: inch plywood. On Previous kayaks efforts, all that was done to make them
: "sea worthy" was to prime inside and out and then paint with
: 100% acrylic paint. The leaders are planning to use them in seawater as
: well as fresh water.

: My first question is this sufficient water proofing? What kind of primer
: should be used? Oil or latex. I was planning to use a an Oil based primer
: suited for a latex top coat.

: I thought about using some bondo to transition the fabric edges to the wood
: for a nicer appearance. I've not used bondo before, is it flexible enough
: to resist cracking chiping or would there be a better material for this
: pupose.

: Any insights would be appreciated, especially if it can help prevent a bad
: judgement call on painting approach.