> I looked in my copy of the Putz book but can't seem to locate the
> specifics on the linseed oil etc. mixture. Could you tell me in what
> proportions the ingredients are best mixed, and any hints on application
> etc? Here in Japan, kerosene heaters are commonly used and I just hate the
> smell...How does your paddle rate on a 'stink scale':)

> As far as the skin goes, I am doing this on a budget, in a very 'inland'
> town with few, if any, marine supplies. My wife saw some canvas in a local
> store as she was getting some material...If it looks 'heavy' enough, I was
> going to go with that. Coatings, I am wide open to any suggestions.One of
> my friends suggested auto undercoating that he bought in a spray
> can...Anyone gone that route and care to comment? I saw a posting recently
> in which roofing materials/coatings were discussed. What do most people
> find works well and does not cost too much? Kelly T

In the book putz says to use one part of each, I assume he meant 1/3 turpentine, 1/3 kerosene, and 1/3 linseed oil, it worked for me. It does stink especially at first, but it does fade with time and I am sure will eventually go away.

Try checking tent and awning suppliers. The one near me has shown me what others have used when building kayaks. #10 14 oz. cotton duck canvas is popular at $7.60 pers yard, 60" wide. Any lighter canvas than this he thought would tear easily. He also showed me a polyester that has been used for baidarkas, I'm not sure of the weight, it was much lighter than the canvas but just as strong. He only had coated balistic nylon. He recomended kevlar but at 10 times the price of canvas.

If you want real cheap you can go for two layers of butcher paper followed by one layer of muslin, coating each with three coats of asphaltum varnish. This was used to build canoes 100 years ago with good results.

I have read about snowroof in the baidarka mailing list archives. It is water based (no toxic fumes) and after about a month of curing it resembles hypalon. You can use it before that but it doesn't have full abrasion resistance yet. It should be dry enough for careful use in a couple of days, from what I have read. Hypalon is supposed to be the best but I think it is more expensive and has very toxic fumes. I think the traditional oil based paints take weeks to dry, but have no experience on any of this. I should soon though. My Putz frame is about half done.