I completed my latest build a few months ago, but I held off its announcement because I used a few different materials in its build. Figured I'd try them out a bit before I discussed my opinions. Good thing, too...

Anyway, I went with Kudzu Craft's recycled 8 oz polyester for fabric. It's got a nice tight weave, and I didn't experience anything in the way of pull holes. However, I was able to snap the weave in one spot, pulling the sewing "twine" too tight. It wasn't a big deal due to my covering technique, but it's something I felt I should mention. I've also had a few spots wrinkle back up after I ironed it flat; again, it wasn't that big of a deal. I had no problems with the fabric fuzzing up, once I treated it.

Now, the treatment... usually I use Locktite's S10 Polyurethane Concrete Crack & Masonry Sealant. My biggest issue with it has been its tendency to bubble up a bit in spots. Maybe I'm applying it too thick, maybe that spot just had a little more moisture on the fabric... I can guess, but it's an annoyance if you're looking a perfectly smooth appearance. I'd done a bit of research, and there's a few folk that noted that the PL Concrete sealer is similar, but doesn't have the tendency to bubble up.

So I used that instead. I did apply it to a test scrap first, and it didn't bubble up. Seemed pretty flexible and tough. The S10 was very stretchy, maybe 200% to 300%. I spread one spot fairly thick, to see if it bubbled at all. I could grab that spot and yank... and it stretched. A lot. It did have a light texturing on the small scrap I used.

After I applied it to the boat, I wasn't happy with it. It definitely forms a texture as it cures, pretty close to concrete. Little ridges over the boat. Doesn't seem to affect the boat's paddling performance enough for me to notice, but it does impact its appearance.

Since the colors I wanted to paint the kayak in weren't available in Rustoleum, or really hard to find, I opted to try Valspar's latex paints. Their Reserve line wasn't available locally in anything less than a gallon, so I picked up a quart of Duramax for the deck. They didn't have semi-gloss white available in the Duramax, so I used Ultra for the hull. Despite both claiming to be paint & primer in one, I did apply two coats of Valspar primer to the entire boat first.

The cure time for that paint killed me. It dries quickly, but it'd scrape off really easily until it fully cured (a week, at 50% humidity and 70 degrees). Even afterwards, I can still scrape off parts of the deck with my thumbnail. I suspect the underlying S10 might be stretching more than the paint above it, forcing the paint to give and scrape off.

Needless to say, I'm not the happiest with it. At the end of the season, I expect to order a length of Jeff's 11oz polyester, and go back to the Construction Adhesive. I might try out the latex paint again, since it'll have all winter to cure (if I can talk the wife into letting me hang a 17' kayak from the ceiling again).

Other than that, she's a great boat. A bit more tender than my skills are up to, but I have not flipped her yet. Come close a few times, so I'll be taking rolling classes next spring. I don't want to wet exit if I don't have to. She's speedy, too. Very very happy with the design.