I tried using dried leaves under glass on the deck of my Night Heron a few years ago...it didn't work. The leaves will let go over a short period of time and it'll look messy. I sanded the mess off. My solution was to create a leaf template, trace the lead outlines onto the deck, tape the edges of the outlines (meticulous work), brush on a thin coat of epoxy inside the outlines, and then sprinkle metal foil pieces (Michaels purchase), then press them down with plastic sheeting and a weight on top. Once cured, I rubbed off any excess foil and put a coat of epoxy over top to seal it. The foil pieces were gold, silver and copper flakes...looks just like fall leaves. Once the top coat was cured, I removed the tapes (used electrical) and lightly sanded off any rough spots prior to varnishing the kayak. I did the work about 5-6 years ago and the leaves still look stunning. Sorry for the late post, I've been away for a while and I only just saw your post.

Robert N Pruden