: Hi,

: I'm looking at building one (initially...) of Tom's SOF designs (probably Sea
: Rider) with wood frame, and PVC or similar skin.

: I read a few other posts about epoxying the skins of boats. I assume this is
: just for certain materials, and that PVC (or similar) as described on his
: site doesn't require epoxy coating? What skins do?

: Also, it seems the wood frames are just oiled (apart from ply forms). Is this
: sufficient for long-term durability of the boat, and is there any
: upside/downside of epoxying the whole frame? I plan on using Paulownia, a
: wood similar to, but lighter and cheaper than, WRC. It's cheaper, a little
: less dense but still strong, and so should make a light frame (I have a
: few clear boards hand I can rip, so no extra cost too). Would flexing of
: rhte hull frame result in the epoxy cracking, or will a thin coat provide
: better stiffness?

: Thanks for your input (and I promise to post pics when done!).

: Regards,
: Darren
: Melbourne, Australia

You don't really need to oil or coat the frame at all, especially if you paddle in salt water. I really only oil mine because I think it makes the wood look pretty. I know nothing about Paulownia's rot resistance, though. WRC's is pretty good.
If you use marine plywood for the frames, then epoxy coating is redundant.
A thin layer of epoxy over your frame will not make it more rigid. It will make it more expensive, time consuming to construct and a bit heavier.

Epoxy coating, or not, of already waterproof and/or rot resistant wood is a subject with vehement supporters on both sides, each armed with a pile of anecdotal evidence. A quick search of the woodenboat forum will supply you with a lot of reading material.

Epoxy coating the skin of a kayak is, as stated, rare indeed.

The PVC Tom uses is ready to go as soon as it is attached to the kayak. An added bonus is that no extra step is required to get it the color you want - as long as you want one of the basic colors it comes in!

Other materials - canvas, nylon and polyester - are coated with a variety of substances such as oil based paint, or polyurethane varnish. Check out the qajaqusa.org forum for the many options and their applicability for each fabric.

Either way, I think you'll enjoy the process and how quickly you get a boat out of it!
Dave