Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 12:48:00 -0600
From: PPierquet@us.teltech.com (Patrick Pierquet)
Subject: [baidarka] Re[2]: Heatshrink dacron for skin material???
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Thanks for the info, Dan.......
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Subject: Re: [baidarka] Heatshrink dacron for skin material???
Author: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net at Internet
Date: 3/17/98 11:47 AM
At 08:39 AM 3/17/98 -0600, Patrick wrote:
> described in Dyson's book. I'm intrigued with the possibility of
> using heatshrink aircraft dacron instead; it's very light(3.7
> ounce/yd), tough, easy to work with. Has anyone used this material as
> a kayak skin, and can you comment on its durability, etc? Can it be
> coated with 2-part epoxies, or must you use the aircraft "dopes" to
> seal the material? Thanks in advance!
I've not used it on a skin boat yet, (will be soon), though I know of several
builders who use it on canoes and kayaks. Various ways I've seen to fill it
on canoes include Blue River airplane dope (designed for heatshrink dacron,
$20us/qt), and latex paint followed by marine oil-enamel paint (one canoe
came out
great, the other has a tendency to develop puckers. The skin yak builders use
either spar varnish, spar varnish followed by paint, or simply paint to
seal the
fabric.
I recently learned of a builder using Gluvit (a two-part epoxy product) on
canvas that supposedly remains somewhat flexible, and I'm planning to
experiment
with that both on canvas and dacron.
It's been brought out in this forum previously that the heat shrink dacron may
not be as resistant to puncture as several of the alternatives, so yyou may
want to consider that. In the case of the canoes, the fabric is fully
supported by the hull, so it isn't quite the concern as it is with a skin-on-
frame. However, the folks that have used it on that type of craft around here
haven't complained (at least not yet...).
Cheers,
Dan
---
Daniel Miller - 5lakes@itis.com
Five Lakes Wooden Boat Center
http://www.paddlin.com/fivelakes/canoe.htm
"So many boats, so little time..."