: All,

: A month or so ago I decided to embark on a journey - build one of
: Tom Yost's SOF kayaks; a Sea Tour 15 with a slightly raised deck
: for my giant feet and 8oz polyester skin (courtesy of the
: immensely helpful Jeff at Kudzucraft). It's been a great
: experience, and overall has gone smoother than expected... but
: now that it's ready for a coating, I find myself with a problem.

: Namely, nobody I can find (SE Michigan / Metro Detroit) has
: exterior oil-based tintable paint in anything but high gloss!
: So, I turn to the inexhaustible repository of knowledge here on
: the kayak forums... What's my best alternative for a tintable
: paint on an 8oz polyester? I really know nothing about the
: various types of paint, but I've gathered that oil based 'satin'
: finish is the ideal.

: Also, as a side note, how does one deal with water leakage from the
: painters? There's plenty of notes on how to put painters on out
: there, but nothing seems to mention any waterproofing where they
: pass the hull.

: Thanks!
: Andrew

Hi Andrew,
On the aside. A lot of builders use Lexel or the like to seal where the lines enter the hull. If the holes are a tight fit on the lines, wicking paint/varnish into the line where it enters the holes works fairly well.

Mike Savage
South West Cork