We built a sea flea and tarped it with 18 gauge fabric re-inforced vinyl sourced locally from a truck tarp shop.
The Kayak is used in local rivers with no issues. The skin seem to bend and slide over objects that mark my woodstrip kayaks.
We stapled the vinyl to the sheer and then covered them with a 1 inch strip of vinyl. The bow has a bit of abrasion on the very tip, but I put a wear strip there for protection. Work with the glue outside! piscasa album http://picasaweb.google.com/ve9dt2/11FtSeaFleaKayak
Check out Tom's site. www.yostwerks.com

: I have a Yost Seapup covered in vinyl. It has help up fairly well.
: I reskinned it last year.
: Vinyl comes in various weights. I think boy scouts will punish
: anything you give them. I would try to find a heavy vinyl (boat
: will weigh more). If there are sharp objects you will get small
: cuts where the vinyl crosses the chines and keel. I patched them
: over and over, but patching is easy. Most of the cuts we got
: from oysters in the Hood Canal. I would also double layer the
: fabric on the keel and chines - that helps a lot. I just run a
: 2" wide strip for reinforcement.

: Are the boys helping build? I would let them. It will give them
: some respect for the boats and they will treat them better.

: Good luck!

: Foster
: The picture is my nephew in a Sea Flee we finished last July. I got
: the vinyl at a local tarp manufacturer. It pays to look around.
: Price was good and availability way great.
: P.S. Two part urethane over nylon is the best (easy to put on,
: reasonable price) covering I have heard. Vinyl might be less
: expensive, but not as tough.