: I've just started building my first kayak using pvc. How strong are
: they? I've watched videos of guys rolling them, but how well do
: they hold up to rocks and underwater logs? I'm planning on
: building about 7 of these with my Boy Scouts this Winter in
: hopes of taking them down the Wisconsin River in August. I
: really don't want to build them and then find out we should have
: used canvas. Any thoughts?

: John "Rock" Rockefeller
: Scoutmaster Troop 747
: Waupun, Wiscosnin USA

John, I still haven't covered mine with vinyl. Tom Yost is the man to ask about how tough they might be. He covers some of his boats with black vinyl that seems to be very tough.

I covered my first kayak with canvas. It was very tough. I hunted it in Alaska for years and never tore the fabric. I was careful to get in and out without grounding it, but other than that I never babied it. I used a very heavy canvas, actually sail canvas left over from the clipper ship days, and a lagging compound that combined to make a heavy boat, compared to the present day technology. Probably more in line with the weight of an animal skin covering.

I hope Tom Yost will chime in with a compare and contrast analysis for us.

Best

Michael