Skin on Frame

About to start skinning a 16 foot fuselage frame, touring style skin on frame kayak, primarily for light duty overnight tripping. Trying a few things to keep the weight down while ensuring respectable durability, and was thinking that I might shave a couple of pounds off by using a heavier fabric only on the bottom up to the gunnel (e.g. 9 ounce poly or 12 ounce nylon), and a light fabric (3 ounce Dacron) for the  deck, where presumably there wouldn't be much stress/abrasion risk. Would staple both top and bottom halves along the gunnel and cover with a lightweight cedar rub strip.

I have a 1980s era Folbot Super TSK (I'm pretty sure that's what it is) that I'm going to reskin and refinish, among other things. I've got some ideas on how to reskin but they're only ideas, so I could really use some help. I have limited funds but think I have the hand tools I need (hopefully). Here are my questions:

I was going to use heavy duty truck tarp material (it's a PVC coated polyester) for a new skin - will that work?

Hi, I am new to this forum.  My wife and I have a couple of skin on frame kayaks.  They are beautiful and are built in a very traditional manner with no perimeter lines. As we venture out into Puget Sound more, I think I'd like to install perimeter lines.

i am new to paddling and boat building.  currently building 2 sof canoes for the wife and i.  i run across from time to time videos from "mess abouts" or other gatherings where people gather to show the boats they have built and paddle around ect with other boat builders.  looking for events in the midwest region, although if there was a "can't miss" "super bowl"  event i would consider traveling farther.  any help or recommendations would be appreciated.  again brand new, so im sure i am not using the right terms. 

Hi,

I modified Tom Yost's lacing by looping the hull lacing over about 3/16" dia. trimmer line.  When the deck skin is complete, to remove the lacing, all you need to do is pull out the trimmer line and the lacing just falls away.

Trimmer line shown in green. 

Has anyone tried to make a gasket around the coaming similar to the one used on the Trak 1600? I am skinning the deck on a somewhat modified Tom Yost kayak and would like to use a similar gasket around coaming. I am most interested in the type material used for the gasket.

Thanks, Tom

I was wondering if anyone has tested the self-made kayaks in some weather conditions like in the Glacier Bay.

I found an article about Glacier Bay in Alaska and I am fascinated to do such a trip, If possible with a self-made watercraft.

I like the iqyax design, but do not have the right drawings. If anyone can assist I will appreciate it.

Hi,

   Has anyone tried using willow or red dogwood shoots on a SOF kayak? Hillary Russell shows them in his book on building SOF Double Paddle Canoes. The technique interests me since I have seen some red dogwood growing along our local roads here in Greene County, NY.

John VB

Hi guys, 

It has been a while...Hope everyone is doing well for the upcoming Christmas.  

Here is a copy of my experience building the Multi-Chine Skin on frame (wood and PVC cloth) Sea Pup.

So, I’m about to start a new skin on frame kayak build, and I’m really fascinated with the Mackenzie River delta kayaks that the Inuvialuit built. I’ve never built one because money has been tight and I wasn’t sure if they would be a particularly useful rec boat. Then, I found a review of the Rockpool Taran 16, which seems to have a similar hull: