Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
By:Dale Summers
Date: 7/15/2017, 10:42 pm
In Response To: Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth (Kiliii Yuyan)

I thank you for your advice, but you know the old saying…"My mind is made up; don't confuse me with facts"…lol. Having weighed the merits and demerits of both fabrics, I chose to use polyester because, 1) I want a very light kayak. I am 78 years old and need a kayak I can easily pick up and load onto a rack on top of my truck. I know that nylon is not a lot heavier, but there are other considerations such as... 2) I will be using it mostly on small lakes here is south central Florida where there are no rocks or snags to worry about. I plan on making a test frame to cover and coat with varnish and paint to see how much rough treatment it can take before it punctures. If necessary, I have some very light glass cloth that I can put on the bottom and sides over the polyester. This is a technique I have read about. 3) the polyester is easier to attach, stretch and heat shrink for a tight, smooth cover. Like most of the "toys" I build, I'll probably use it a few times then sell it as I have done with another kayak, a sailboat, and two tiny travel trailers that I designed and built. I just love the challenge of building something different for the fun of it. I also design and build RC planes and airboats. I may put my build photos on my WEB site later on where I already have RC build photos.

Today, I almost finished the frame of my kayak. I had everything done except for the keel, a couple of stringers and the coaming. I put the stringers inside the frame and weighed it…18.5 lbs. With the coaming, stringers and keel installed, ready to cover I estimate that the finished frame will weigh about 22-23 lbs. the cloth should weigh about 4-5 lbs. I don't know how much the varnish and paint will weigh, but I think finished, without the boat seat I'll use and floor panels, the total weight will be around 30-33 lbs, a weight I can handle loading and unloading. The seat and floor panels will be put in after unloading and I am ready to get in and start paddling.

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth on a SOF kayak
Dale Summers -- 7/2/2017, 12:29 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
anewhouse -- 7/2/2017, 5:54 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/3/2017, 7:07 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
JohnAbercrombie -- 7/3/2017, 10:52 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/3/2017, 1:58 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dave Gentry -- 7/3/2017, 9:59 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth *PIC*
Dale Summers -- 7/4/2017, 6:51 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Brian Nystrom -- 7/4/2017, 10:34 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/4/2017, 11:36 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Bill Hamm -- 7/5/2017, 12:11 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/5/2017, 6:58 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Marc Upchurch -- 7/6/2017, 5:40 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/6/2017, 7:09 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Marc Upchurch -- 7/6/2017, 7:22 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/6/2017, 7:49 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Bill Hamm -- 7/7/2017, 12:10 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth *PIC*
Dale Summers -- 7/11/2017, 8:27 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/30/2017, 11:49 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Brian Nystrom -- 8/1/2017, 9:03 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Brian Nystrom -- 7/7/2017, 8:22 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Bill Hamm -- 7/8/2017, 12:07 am
Canvas pliers
JayBabina -- 7/6/2017, 6:10 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
Marc Upchurch -- 7/6/2017, 7:24 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
Bill Hamm -- 7/7/2017, 12:14 am
Re: Canvas pliers
JayBabina -- 7/7/2017, 10:16 am
Re: Canvas pliers
scottbaxter -- 7/7/2017, 4:04 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
bsoderholm -- 7/7/2017, 4:51 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
JayBabina -- 7/7/2017, 7:55 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
Bill Hamm -- 7/8/2017, 12:13 am
Re: Canvas pliers
bsoderholm -- 7/8/2017, 4:58 am
Re: Canvas pliers
Bill Hamm -- 7/8/2017, 7:46 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
bsoderholm -- 7/8/2017, 7:58 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
Bill Hamm -- 7/9/2017, 11:04 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
bsoderholm -- 7/10/2017, 8:41 am
Bill- quick question
Curtis Fisher -- 7/10/2017, 7:44 pm
Re: Bill- quick question
Rich D -- 7/10/2017, 10:48 pm
Re: Bill- quick question
Curtis Fisher -- 7/18/2017, 1:22 pm
Re: Bill- quick question
Rich D -- 7/19/2017, 10:28 am
Re: Bill- quick question
Bill Hamm -- 7/18/2017, 4:35 am
Re: Bill- quick question
Bill Hamm -- 7/18/2017, 4:38 am
Re: Bill- quick question
Curtis Fisher -- 7/18/2017, 1:16 pm
Re: Bill- quick question
Bill Hamm -- 7/19/2017, 1:33 am
Re: Canvas pliers
dave koslow -- 7/7/2017, 4:52 pm
Re: Canvas pliers
Bill Hamm -- 7/8/2017, 12:09 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/8/2017, 8:13 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Bill Hamm -- 7/8/2017, 7:49 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/9/2017, 3:43 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Kiliii Yuyan -- 7/15/2017, 1:25 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: how many laters of glass cloth
Dale Summers -- 7/15/2017, 10:42 pm
Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
Brian Nystrom -- 7/16/2017, 2:54 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
Kiliii Yuyan -- 7/16/2017, 7:09 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
Brian Nystrom -- 7/18/2017, 1:19 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
Robert W -- 7/20/2017, 2:05 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
David -- 7/20/2017, 2:52 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
Brian Nystrom -- 7/20/2017, 5:40 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
bsoderholm -- 7/21/2017, 9:10 am
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
JohnAbercrombie -- 7/20/2017, 7:57 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
Bill Hamm -- 7/20/2017, 11:57 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
scottbaxter -- 7/21/2017, 11:04 am
Huh?
Curtis Fisher -- 7/21/2017, 5:05 pm
Re: Dont' worry, polyester is plenty strong
M A Bielski -- 7/20/2017, 3:41 pm
Sorry, you're all wrong. *PIC*
Dave Gentry -- 7/24/2017, 8:53 am
Re: Sorry, you're all wrong.
bsoderholm -- 7/24/2017, 9:23 am
Re: Sorry, you're all wrong.
Rich D -- 7/24/2017, 10:29 am
Re: Sorry, you're all wrong.
Dave Gentry -- 7/25/2017, 9:43 pm
Re: Sorry, you're all wrong. *PIC*
anewhouse -- 7/25/2017, 12:35 am