Skinning is not hard! Work, yes, but not hard. Here is a write up one of my builders made on my skinning method. I'm no expert, but here it is. Corey at the Skinboat school says the nylon stretches in the cold... I have lots of pics, but not ready for a general release yet. email me direct & I can send you a link to the current hodge-podge of pictures.

The write up does not cover stiching, yet. Basically, make it tight! The holes are easy to fill later.

Happy skinning!
Chuck

Chuck’s Skinning Method

Chuck says that the nylon stretches in cold, humid conditions and shrinks in warm dry ones.* Some of the steps here are his suggestions based on experience (they are NOT in the book).

1. Lay fabric on inverted boat (boat on clean floor is best but Chuck did this on plastic covered saw horses), fabric should be centered and a bit on the bias.* The bias will help with stretching around curves.
2. Put pushpins along the keelson at the bow end.* Pushpins should angle toward the stern (like tent stakes) and be placed every 2-3”. Pin about 3 feet from the front of the boat.
3. Get yourself in a comfortable position at the stern with your feet braced on a deck beam and your gloved hands able to pull the fabric to stretch from the bow. Pull like hell…the fabric will stretch…when it stops stretching yell to your faithful helper to put push pins in the keelson at the stern end…once again angling them…and placing them every 3” or so for the first 3 ft from the stern.
4. Put push pins along the unpinned area of the keelson, every 6-8”. Check that the entire length of the boat has tight nylon stretched over the keelson, from bow to stern. If it is loose, re-do!
5. Tip the boat over and place across saw horses making sure not to put the saw horse where there is a push pin.
6. Beginning at the midpoint and working to the bow…stretch fabric from keelson over the chine and gunnel. Pull snug and have faithful helper pin on top of gunnel, every 3” from midpoint to bow.
7. Repeat process detailed in #6 from midpoint to stern.
8. Move to other side of boat (starboard to port or vice versa), begin at midpoint and pull like hell to stretch fabric over the gunnel. When stretched as much as possible ask helper to pin top of gunnel every 3” moving from midpoint to bow.
9. Repeat step #8 from midpoint to stern.
10. This is IMPORTANT.* Switch sides again and RE-DO the side you did first! You should be able to stretch a little more if you pull like hell. This time your helper will pull out only 2 pins at a time, you will pull hard, then they will replace the pins.
11. CHECK for any loose spots. I was flicking my finger to get a drum sound on the stretched fabric…also look for any place where there are wrinkles and re-do the stretching to remove.
12. Leave the boat to set for a while and check to see if the fabric has loosened. If so, re-do.

: I have been offered a frame for a skin on frame kayak. The kayak needs a new
: skin. My question is, is this something that someone with very little
: knowledge of kayaks could do? Thanks.