Skin on frame dory - why not?

I have used 10oz, non treated canvas on my 20' double for 10 yrs and it has heald up very good. when I put it on and got it sewed up. I put water on it and let it schrink up. after it dried I then sprayed it with thompson water seal. when that dried I painted it with water base exterior paint. I do keep it covered all the time when not using it and it has gone for 10 yrs. when I recover it I will use 12 oz loose fiber polyester dacron. heat shrink it with an iron then seal it with thompsom water seal then paint it with exterior semi gloss porch paint. I have to be very carefull with the canvas, although it is pretty tought the poly will be alot better.

Outlaw

 

I had a 1960's SOF which was skinned in Naugahyde. I saw the equivalent at a paint and upholstery supply place here in town. It was not very light, but it was tough and lasted a long time.
Not quite the local hardware store, but I hate them too. I keep running from one to the next looking for something I know exists, but no one carries any more.

 

It is interesting that you mentioned Naugahyde. I just started recovering an old snowmobile seat and I was just thinking about how tough and water proof the material that I am using is. It is even rather stretchy, which I think would help avoid wrinkles when covering a frame.

C.O.
http://whatsintheshop.blogspot.com/

 

Seems perfect, if heavier than nylon, but beware that much of it has a cotton fiber inner layer which would soak up water and be difficult to dry out. So you have to get the right stuff, the motorcycle seat cover I did some years ago was done without the cotton inner liner.

The old SOF I had was the most pleasant kayak / canoe I have ever been in. It was not aimed at high performance, but that suited me.

 

I have built many skin-on-frame boats using different skin materials. Heavy 9 oz raw nylon is the best, but have also used polyester, plastic sheet, cotton and synthetic upholstery fabric (fireproof surplus aircraft seat fabric-I hate it when fires break out in my kayak-it was real cheap). All can be made to work.

The heavy cotton drop cloths you can get in hardware stores work fine. I would never use Thomsons water seal, just use either water or oil based paint directly on the fabric. First coat thin down and get it to soak in good, than do 3 or 4 more coats unthinned, one coat on the inside if you can reach inside. I have used regular Latex paint and it is cheap and works fine, but requires touch-up since it does not have a lot of abrasion resistance. I like oil based polyurethane the best (4 coats, than a color coat of oil based paint), very durable, but oil based paint also works well. I have also used much more costly and toxic coatings and see no advantage.

For hardware store supplies I would recommend either cotton drop cloth or the outdoor awning fabric, hand selecet the lumber from the stack and rip it down yourself, Urethane glue or Tight-bond 3. Buy lashing cord of pure polyester (do not use nylon, too stretchy) from either Dyson or West Marine, or Tandy leather supply. If you use screws get either the coated deck screws or stainless steel. Do not use the brass screws from the hardware store, they will crumble away, they are junk. Also the rust proof staples (monel) are available in most big box stores, or from a marine supply. Do not use the regular staples, they will rust away pretty fast.

I would not use electrical conduit, it will be heavy and not hold up well in seawater (wood is actually more durable in seawater). Wood has a better strength to weigh ratio, costs less and easier to work with hand tools. All the lumber that went into a 2 man kayak was ripped from a single 16' 2x6, only cost about $12. if you do some salvaging and careful shopping, all the materials for a typical kayak or light rowing craft can be bought for about $50.

 

I love to use skin on frame kayak, its structure is very light and surprisingly durable. The kayak is light weighted, rugged, resilient and easy to maintain. It is a perfect kayak for you to get the ability to feel the water.

 

I hate to bump old threads, but have to. Went through this and the British thread detailing the build......but......

Can't find anywhere the splash!

Certainly it's finished, where is the water line? How does it perform? How is it holding together with the fabricated plugs and rivets? How did your cordless drill and prop work?

Please direct us to results.....what a cliff hanger after all the build pics....

 

There's a thread here somewhere with pics of the boat on the water, can't recall which one, but here are a couple:





The boat rows fine, very light so easy to get going, and tracks very well. The only thing I'd change if doing it again is the shape of the stem, I'd cut away the forefoot a little to allow the bow to ride up a little easier.

The cordless drill race with this boat was doomed, as the gearbox was broken by a spectator before the race started. I'd left the battery pack on the drill, with the prop resting on the ground, whilst I went off to get some lunch. Someone must have pulled the drill trigger which wacked the prop into the ground and broke the gearbox, so I never got to try it out.

I built another boat for the cordless drill race last year, a super lightweight foam composite sandwich duck punt, and that went pretty well, around 5kts or so on a single Makita cordless drill.

 

She poses well for your pictures in the water, that's a pin up!

Glad you replied, thanks.

I'm wanting to steal your ideas for a larger boat, like a freighter canoe.

Again, very nice job, well done!