: I was talking to my Dad about skinning my boat and he recommended using
: Dacron from www.aircraftspruce.com and dope like a homebuilt aircraft.
: (He's big into private aviation and all his planes have had dacron skins)
: One big good point in onsite repairs. With dope only on the Dacron, you
: can make a patch onsite in about 30 minutes of drying time.
: I can't think of a reason this wouldn't work using 2.7oz dacron. Has anyone
: gone the aviation route???
: Also, do most ppl fill the weave completely and put a smooth finish on or, do
: they allow the weave to be seen? Seems after that much work, you would
: want to show the fact that it's fabric. Jsut curious.

I would recommend going with the "heavy duty" 3.7 oz dacron from Aircraft Spruce. I used it for my SOF, and it is holding up very well. The heat shrinking properties make it easy to use - just get it sort of tight, and watch the wrinkles disappear as you iron.

I would recommend against using dope - unless you have a VERY GOOD air filtering system for your lungs. I used water-based polyurethane (Varathane), mixed with an acrylic enamel paint (Red Devil, mixed about 95% urethane, 5% color) to give it the desired color (the color will darken as it dries, I learned this too late). It takes about 6 coats to get it watertight - which also fills the weave (the cloth is quite light, not much weave to fill). Coats can be applied two hours apart. Not the quick repair times you can get with dope, but that's what duct tape (and float bags) is made for. And permanent repairs are quite easy. Just cut a patch of material, lay it over the hole(s), apply one coat of urethane to hold it in place, and let it dry for two hours. Then get out the iron, and iron the patch. The patch will shrink normally, and the heat will soften the surrounding urethane, effectively sealing the edges of the patch. Then just apply a few more coats of urethane, and you are done.

As for the naysayers on the board, don't let them scare you. I made a number of test panels before ordering enough material for the boat. After some unscientific tests involving a hammer, screwdriver, and corner of the workbench, I succeeded in destroying the wooden frame to which the material was attached. The material survived with only superficial scrape marks. And the boat has survived some rocky beach landings without a mark.

I finished my SOF last fall, and it has only been in the water a dozen times. So I can't speak to how well this fabric will hold up with extended use. But the fabric and urethane cost a total of less than $100, so I figure it's worth taking the chance. If it doesn't hold up well, I'll reskin the boat with something else in a couple of years.

Good Luck.
Ken