: I'm building a skin on frame kayak from Brink's book. I'm wondering what to coat the frame with to keep moisture (ie rot) under control. The book suggests using linseed oil, but I live in Seattle, and will probably have to keep the boat outdoors. Would epoxy be a better choice for a protective coating?

: -Ross Murray

Ross,

I just applied my first coat of Linseed(1/3) and Turpentine (fake turpentine - TurpAtine - 2/3) to a deck-frame. The wood soaked it up really well. I also mixed in some Crimson oil paint which was linseed oil based. I put about two tablespoons of the oilpaint in about a pint of the oil/turpentine mixture.
The color ended up being more like a dense stain than a coat of paint. It looks like I smeared the thing with blood, which was, I believe, one of the constituents of the pigment that the Aleuts/Eskimos used. The mixture went on easily and soaked right in. Everything that I've heard about linseed oil would lead me to believe that
it will probably hold up fine, even in as damp an area as WA. Good Luck!