: Greetings: I went into a clothing store Friday with the boss (aka Wife) and
: saw some cloth that would look good under the glass and epoxy on the canoe
: I am currently building. Has anyone tried this? Would you put the cloth on
: top of the glass? What fibers should I avoid to decrease the chance of
: delamination?
: Would a good spar varnish decrease the fading of the fabric?

: Karl

Fabrics will definitely fade when left in the sun, so a varnish wiht a good UV protection should increase the life of your fabric.

I'd put the fabric on last. On top of the glass.then I'd have no concerns about compromising strength. With the cloth on top you can use a variety of adhesives to secure it. the top ones which come to mind would be a layer of epoxy resin, or a layer of urethane spar varnish. I'd paint on a layer of whatever and lay the fabric into it while it is still wet. that should soak into the fabric and glue it on, kinda like decoupage. A bit more varnish or epoxy would be used on any dry spots--it would need to completely wet out to eliminate blotchy areas--then I'd let it dry before putting on a second coat, and maybe a third coat. The varnish is going to protect the epoxy from UV, and the colors in the fabric will add to that protection--but in future years, should you decide to remove the fabric, you may find that the underlying epoxy has "tanned" more or less depending on how much light the fabric above it blocked. If you are using a print, you may have a ghost image of it permanently in the underlying epoxy. Of course that is no problem if you put on a fresh layer of fabric!

I'd avoid 100% nylon fabrics (they don't like UV for more than a few years) and go with 100% polyester, 50/50 poly cotton, or 100% ctton, in that order.

Some polyester fabrics will shrink when heated with a heatgun. That may make them follow a curved surface very nicely, and eliminate the need for darts. Try a sample.

You may find that a layer of white paint under the fabric makes the colors appear bolder than when they are placed directly over the glassed wood. Just paint the area where the fabric will go.

Of course test the materials--fabric, varnish or epoxy resin--and whether a white base improves things--before you commit to covering the boat.

Some sailboats with wood or fiberglass decks have a layer of canvas glued on so that the sailers can get better traction on the wet decks. The top surface of the canvas may, or may not be painted. Boating stores have the paint or glue which is sued to hold deck canvas on. I guess you can use a heat gun or a paint stripper to remove the stuff when the fabric gets grungy and needs replacing. This may be a good adhesive to research.

Urethane and p[olyurethane finishes seem to get a good grip on polyester fabrics. They are used for coating Dacron polyester on some s-o-f boats. I'd try one of those first for adhering the fabric, and as a topcoat.

PGJ