: Well, I'm ready to paint my canvas kayak. I've had conflicting reports as to
: what to use. Someone told me marine paint. Also remember being told boiled
: linseed oil and oil base paint. Which is better?
: Thanks,
: Marianna

Paradoxically, I'd suggest you stay away from the marine paints. My one experience with them is that they are not very flexible when dry, and they will definitely crack if poked -- and you don't have to poke very hard. I just jabbed at my test with my finger about 6 months after it was painted. While this may not cause a leaking problem, it becomes unsightly.

For the record, I put three coats of Snow Cote (elastomeric roof coating) on, straight from the can, no thinning. After two years of exposure (all day, all night, outside, and under snow and rain and sun) it was stil fine, but the canvas under it was getting attacked by mildew. By the third year the canvas had rotted in some areas near where it was attached. I suspect that mooisture was trapped in the area where the fabric folded over the sheer.

After the 2nd year I painted over part of the skin with a primer for marine enamel and a coat of white marine enamel. This is the stuff that cracked, or "crazed" if you prefer that description.

If you like the color, you could just use the white elastomeric coating as is. I believe it can also be tinted with any tinting colors suitable for latex paints, which won't give a very deep color, but more likely a pleasing pastel.

The UV resistance of the roof coating is supposed to be exceptional. I've certainly seen no deterioration from light. But then, this stuff is supposed to last at least 20 years on roofs, and those get LOTS of UV exposure.

Oil based paints are frequently suggested as it is rather easy to add additional boiled linseed oil to increase the flexibility of the dried paint film.

If you are using cotton or linen canvas, regardless of what you use to waterproof the skin, be sure to add in a mildew preventative. Either that, or slosh some liberally on the inside and let it dry. If you go with the interior sloshing, you can use a simple solution of common borax, which is far more toxic to mildew than it is to humans.

hope this helps

PGJ