Mick,

I sewed the skin on my 'yak. It takes alittle time to get the hang of it and you build up your hand strength and finger toughness a bit - but it gets fun and rewarding after awhile. I think it is more in tune with the flexibility theme as the fabric can slide a little bit. I used Varathane as a coating and it didn't seep all the way through - so it's just tension that holds the skin in place on mine. I've heard of various coatings soaking through - but in general you can still peel the skin off if necessary without damaging the frame.

BTW - bent wood ribs are strong, strong, strong too - in my limited experience. Also - boiling or steaming wood and bending it is quite a kick once you get everything set up. Also - no nasty gluing.

Either way - the boat will come out great.

PC