: Daniel.
: Thanx much for your advice and the fotos, except your post dated daniel --
: Sunday, 27 April 2008, at 3:19 a.m. with PIC -- the foto does not
: download. The others did without a problem. What kind of paint did you use
: on the Night Heron? I would like to paint my Auk though I may try a mix of
: carbon and epoxy for the strip bottom as there has been some good reports
: of its toughness on-line. How is your paint resisting scratches and
: gouges? How many times have you repainted it in 9 years? The CLC 17 after
: a year of hard use: Everglades shell beaches and oyster beds locally
: needed a re-poxy of just the bottom.
: I will think about the extra glass layer instead of doubling the doorskin it
: should be the simpler solution. I do plan to put a bulkhead behind the
: cockpit so I will have a permanent "broomstick". The hull I will
: use the 5 mm cedar strips 4 oz. fiberglassed one layer In/Out. It appears
: from from McFadden's bar graphs [see link in my first post] there is not
: too much difference between strip thickness.
: Dank U
: PS I have not paddled in The Netherlands, but used to lead Youth Hostel trips
: in Europe and remember fondly the hospitality and fun pedaling there. I
: usually went south from Amsterdam to Lise and then east wandering to
: Arnhem/Velp where I have friends.

Ernie,

The second post has a broken link because of a wrong filename. The third is the picture I intended to show with the second post.
It is not a Night Heron but a Guillemot S&G. My next kayak will be a strip built Night Heron. I have the plans already 4 years but did not have the time until now.
The paint is a two component DD-lak from factory 'De IJssel'. It is poly uretaan based and very glossy and strong.
The first time the kayak got two layers. Five years later again. In between I repaired scratches with polyester based filler and DD-lak.

The problem with PU-based paint is that you can't repair with epoxy without a primer. Polyester based works find.

The DD-lak is very strong bot rocks and stones give scratches. On the trip I always use tape to repair deep scratches temporarily.
I always regret that I did not make bulkheads and hatches but I was impatient and did not take time to make them and later I always hesitated to put the saw in the deck, so I always use those roll tight bags.
It is amazing how much luggage you can take with you.

This year I will give the kayak a new finish in the same green colored DD-lak.

I did not yet paddle in Noord-Holland but it is on my list for this year

Daniel Daniels
Heerenveen
The Netherlands