: Kayak frames are far more durable than the skins which cover them. It is
: common to put several skins on a kayak during the working life of the
: frame. Think of reskinning as a routine maintenance situation, and figure
: on WHEN you will reskin the boat. Nylon and polyester cost a bit more and
: last a bit longer, but they still wear out. Nylon tents are much more
: prone to UV damage over the years than canvas tents, so I assume you'll
: see similar wearing patterns with nylon vs canvas hull fabrics--if left
: exposed to daylight.

: Rot in canvas is usually a mold or mildew-related issue. there are plenty of
: good, inexpensive methods to protect canvas from this. Mildew
: preventatives which can be added to paints are available at most paint
: stores. A weak solution of borax (available in the laundry products
: section of most grocery stores) can be sloshed inside a kayak for a cost
: of pennies per treatment. It kills meildew and enough remains behind to
: continue the protection. They use it for soaking baby diapers, so it is
: pretty safe.

: A lot of paints work on canvas, so your coatings may be cheaper than with
: nylon or polyester. patching is as simple as gluing a piece of fabric over
: a tear, and repainting the spot. Some people use rubber cement or contact
: cement for the repair. Very fast and water proof.

: If a canvas skin--fabric, and coating-- prices out at 75% of a nylon or
: polyester one, then your costs over the years will be about the same-- but
: you'll need to put on 4 canvas skins to 3 synthetic ones in those 20 to 30
: years.

: The decks of Klepper kayaks are made form a canvas woven from hemp. (not
: cotton) and they expect the life of those skins to be 25 years or more.
: Natural fibers can be quite long-lived.

: The heaviest gauge clear vinyl material sold by Wal-Mart is about $3.50 a
: running yard. That is around $20 to $22 for a typical hull. Make the deck
: from two pieces seamed by the cockpit and youare in the $30 to $35
: range--maybe less if you can cut the hull in such a way that you leave
: very large scraps for the deck. With a new frame the clear skin looks
: awesome. You don;t have to seal it, paint it, or sand it. Just staple it
: on with Monel or stainless steel staples, and go paddle it. It should last
: a year or two. If it rips, patch it with a vinyl patch. They make clear
: ones for fixing swimming pools. When it wears out, put on another clear
: skin, or go for one of the more expensive options.

: Big advantage to using the truck tarp material Yost uses (Coverlite and
: similar brands) is that you don't need to paint it. The color and UV
: resistance are already there. Faster to work with, and some savings in
: cost.

: Hope this helps

: PGJ

UV issues shouldn't be a problem with Dacron or Nylon as they aren't waterproof on their own, have to be coated to achieve this and the coating should provide the UV protection too.

Bill H.