: I have built skin boats using the Putz skin system and the traditional skin
: system. I definitely prefer the traditional system of skinning. I have
: built 5 skin boats and have used canvas, nylon, aircraft dacron (3.7 oz)
: and polyester (10 oz). Jay used 10 oz polyester and epoxy, I used 10
: polyester and spar varnish. I think that the more durable finish will be
: epoxy, as long as the ultraviolet doesn't attack it. The varnish saturated
: the skin and did not adhere to my frame. My frame is finished with boiled
: linseed oil and turpentine. The aircraft fabric was heat shrunk on and
: then finished with the Stitts process that is used for aircraft. That has
: a step that adheres the fabric to the underlying structure. For my use the
: aircraft fabric is too light for my comfort, any stones are perils. The
: tacked seam along the shear of the Putz design (actually Mechanix
: Illustrated of 1960) would leak if I was in water that worked the frame of
: the boat (waves). For mill ponds the tacks would be fine. I also found
: that the tensioning and slacking of canvas through wetting and drying
: caused leaks along the seam. I prefer my seam as far above the water line
: as possible and as short as possible. The epoxy finish of Jay's boat is
: much tighter that my varnish finish on the same fabric. I don't know if
: Jay's fabric adhered to the frame but I prefer to let the skin work inside
: of the frame if it needs to.

: Pete Strand

Hi Pete

Thanks for your response. Great finding someone w/ experience of both.

If your Putz's were coated w/ epoxy and polyester, do you think you would have the same seam ripping at the tacks concerns? I would assume the idea would be to adhere(w/ soaked thru epoxy) to both upper and lower 'truss' stringers , thereby keeping the system as strong as possible.

Aside from the potential prior skin tightening difficulties, and assuming non adherence to the frame, what would be the relative benefits(and reverse) of using epoxy coating but on a 10oz satin(or whatever close)glass cloth instead of a polyester?

-mick