: To add to Charlies post about rot and cotton (which it is prone to)... Sea
: water seems to decrease rot as well. So if you live next to the ocean,
: swamp it after use. And if you paddle in fresh brackish water, wash the
: thing out after use with hose water.

You can also rinse the fabric with a solution of borax. This kills mold and mildew spores but is mild to people. (it is used for cleaning baby diapers, so I guess it must be pretty mild). a cup of borax in a couple gallons of warm water should be fine. Slosh that inside the boat for a few minutes, then dump it out and let the boat dry out.

Before painting the boat, get an additive for mildew prevention from the paint dealer, and mix it into the paint. This too will help to increase the life of the canvas and protect it from rot.

: It is very likely you will need to reskin it after a year or couple.

5 years is a good target to shhot at. It you take care of it, the thing might go 10 years before needing a new skin. If you leave it out in the rain, you might only get 2 or 3 years out of a skin.

PGJ