: The frame is almost done and I am now considering what to use as a finish. I
: would like to use teak oil or Thompson's. Does anyone have any thoughts or
: experiences with these?

My test kayak frame, which is now in its 5th year of exposure to the elements, looks practically brand new in htose areas where it was covered by a single coat of epoxy resin. The resin was not varnished, by the way. Adjacent areas which received a coat of varnish instead of the resin are very weathered. It takes just as long to apply a coat of epoxy resin with a foam brush as it does to apply any other finish, but the stuff seems to do a permanent job. Oils that can soak into the wood can also leach out. This can either reduce their protection, or stain the skin, or both. Oils that polymerize and harden won't leach out, but they typically take a longer time to dry.

: It looks like we will be using canvas for the skin. I am looking for
: suggestions on sewing the skin on. If anyone has a method that worked well
: with a tight fit I would like to hear about it.

For about the same money go with a synthetic. It will last a few years longer. If you cut it with a hot tool it will fuse the threads to keep them from unraveling. While mold will grow on it (mold will grow on anything if you let it) the mold won't eat up the cellulose (none to be found in polyester of Nylon) and weaken the fabric, so it won't rot through. Since you don't need to worry excessively about mold you can use less toxic mold preventatives. A solution of common Borax, found as a washing aid in most grocery stores does jsut fine. Many synthetics will shrink a bit when heated. This removes small wrinkles that you can't remoe by otherwise stretching your fabric. You can do the same with water on your canvas.

: As for sealing the skin I have a marine enamel that I would like to paint on.
: Will this work to waterproof the skin? Any help would be much appreciated.
: Thanks.

I have areas of the test kayak which were painted with a marine enamel. This went over a layer of my original hull coat, an elastomeric latex rubber based roofing material. (look for Snow-cote or Snow-roof or Snow-Wite (yup, there is no "H" in it)) When the fabric is flexed, as it would be when bumping into a dock or a shore on landings, the paint cracks. Water can seep into these fine cracks, and the underlying canvas (unless it is sealed with something else) will soak it up like a wick. A latex paint flexes better than a marine enamel. An oil paint can be made more flexible by adding boiled linseed oil. A thin coat of a marine enamel may soak directly into the canvas and flex better when used by itself than my experiment where it sits on top of the waterproofing. A small patch of fabric painted with your desired coating will serve as a rapid test. Wait until the coating dries, then crumple the fabric. If it cracks, try another coating.

Slosh a borax solution, or a commercial mold preventative, over the fabric before you paint it. Some mold preventatives are designed to be mixed into the paints. Ask at a paint store for these products. They are fairly common additives for housepaints used in damp areas where mold growth is expected.

Hope this helps.

PGJ