: Seems sound to me, and doubling along the dart, plus adding an extra layer
: inside and out, should give me added strength along that vulnerable line.
: Unfortunately, I already cut a lot of 'extra' out from the top, so will
: have to improvise. Anyone else tried this technique already (seems like it
: should work for coated as well as precoated fabric).

: Tomorrow should tell!

Steve,

I recall mentioning to you in an email that making a one piece PVC skin was
going to be difficult.

In addition, I recall discussing with you the process of making a two piece PVC
skin and supplied you pics of the skin being made. In this process,the deck and
hull are seperate and joined at the gunwale. The goal here being no glue seams
below waterline. Have you tried that method ?

The standard PVC skinning method is making full length panels that are
defined by the keel, chines, and Gunwales. In that way, you greatly reduce
the occurance of wrinkles. However, you also have several full length sewn
and/or glued seams below the waterline. Something I wish to avoid.

I'm also having difficulty uderstanding exactly what you did in trying to make
your one-piece skin. Please clarify ?

The achilles heel of a kayak is usually defined by it's skin. On a woodstrip
or S&G, the fiberglass skin has the potential to make or break you, and as you
have experienced, the folding kayak skin is also capable of causing numerous problems.

The good news however, is that you get a second chance on the folder, not always
so with fiberglass.

Perhaps, rather than attempting another unproven one-piece method,
it might be wise to use one of the two proven multi-piece methods
described above. As always, I will provide you with all the info/pics
you require.

Also, why did you not simply contact me "directly" when you began
having problems ?

Good luck,

Tom