: What kind of options does one have if they opt for a canvas cover for a skin
: boat? I have found a local source for #10 duck at a really cheap price and
: I hope to find out this afternoon if they have poly duck. At $4 a yard for
: 78" fabric I don't know if I should pass this up. Pros and/or cons of
: canvas?

It is a great deal, if what they are selling you is indeed the right product.

All too often people confuse 10 ounce cotton duck with #10 cotton duck. Both are also called canvas.

#10 cotton duck is what you want. according to the specs I found at www.utrecht.com, an art supply store which handles large canvas materials, #10 duck weighs 14.75 ounces per square yard. That is about 47% heavier than the 10 ounce duck or canvas. Utrecht sells it for about $8.50 a yard for 60 inch width, depending on how long a piece you buy, so if you really do have the heavy stuff, then you have an excellent buy.

Jo-Ann fabric,(www.joann.com) is selling 60 inch wide unbleached duck which is 10 ounces per square yard for about $5 a running yard. Since the price you are getting is so close to this I'd be careful and double check that this is not another case of confusion.

But if the material is really #10 canvas, then go for it. The price is very good for such material and if you buy some extra you can have enough on hand to re-skin the boat when it needs it in 5 to 15 years.

Cotton canvas has a long history in covering kayaks and canoes, and it is a common product to use. You will have to take care to dry the boat well so that you don't get a fabric-weakening mold growth, or rot. you will probably wish to use some sort of mold preventative mixed in with your paint or waterproofing coating to protect the fabric. Paint supply stores and the pain departments at hardware stores have these materials at very reasonable prices. (I saw a package for treating a gallon of paint selling for $2.50 at Home Depot last month.)

After the canvas is stretched over the frame it can be dampened, and as it dries it will shrink tight. When it is then covered with a waterproofing material it will stay tight in use.

Polyester canvas is much more resistant to rot, but not completely immune. some types of polyester can be shrunk tighter by the gentle application of heat from a heatgun.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your project.

PGJ