This is my first post to Paddlewise, and I'm not even sure it will make it to the list, but... I've built a couple small boats, and have both varnished and painted wooden ones. Honestly, the bright finish is strictly aesthetic. Paint is more durable, provides better UV protection to the wood (and therefore improving the boat's durability). OTOH, you built her, and should be proud of her, so wanting to show the undeniably beautiful wood grain is perfectly acceptable. varnished accents. I admire the classic workboat finishes for both their practicality (maintenance) and their classic appearances. As noted, it's your boat, make her what you wish. Of the boats I've done, my favorite finish was the pram with bright white topsides, varnished gunwales and seats, a dark red sheer strake, and off-white interior. (I paddle her sometime for fun - can she qualify as an example on Paddlewise? The S.O.F. kayak I'm planning at will be painted also. Hey, it's your boat - enjoy, we'll all be envious you're paddling your construction. Matt *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> 1.. If you had a choice between a natural finish for a wood stitch & > glue > (Pygmy's Coho) or a painted finish (racing green on white hull, natural > wood > trim) which would you chose? > > 2.. If you had a skin on frame kayak would you favorably consider > painting > the deck? > Why, are you building it for me?!?!?!? All kidding aside, I know it's good to hear a variety of opinions, but the bottom line is always what YOU like. Nonetheless, here's my opinion. On the S&G boat, for me it depends on the grain. If I really like the panels I'll be using, I'd go natural. If the panels are just "okay", I'd probably do some painting. And, if you paint, you certainly aren't limited to a single color on the deck and one on the hull. Heck, you could paint pictures on it if you wanted to. Also, don't eliminate the possibility of both worlds.... paint the hull and leave the deck natural. For the SOF, I'm not sure. There are lots of choices of material that are pre-dyed. Rather than paint, I think I'd look at some of those. But, then the deck and hull are the same color. I don't mind that, but if you mind it, then you'd have to do something else. Not sure that's of much help. But, whatever you do, I think you'll love it simply because you built it. It's quite a feeling of satisfaction when you paddle a boat you built, isn't it. :-) Rick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
"Sam Davis" <sd.a_at_att.net> wrote: >1.. If you had a choice between a natural finish for a wood (S&G) or a painted finish which would you chose? Natural, or painted + natural. Wood is a beautiful finish, but an all-okoume kayak can also be a little overwhelming. Maybe I'm a little jaded by building strip kayaks, but when my S&G is sitting on the beach next to my stripper, the S&G gets ignored. So, my next s&g got a "hybrid" stripped deck. The hull went together quickly like a S&G, but I got to be fancy with the decking. I've seen some pretty paint schemes showing appropriate amounts of wood. Gabriel Romeu's North Bay, http://www.studiofurniture.com/diary/kayak/nb.htm#Back the Wet Willy kayaks (links don't appear to work), http://srmultihulls.com/kayaks.htm or http://www.kayaks.org and Ross Leidy's SK S&G Greenland Kayak. http://www.blueheronkayaks.com >2.. SOF:... would you favorably consider painting the deck? Absolutely. It helps make it waterproof. :D Melissa Reese <melissa_at_bonnyweeboaty.net> wrote: > One of the most beautiful modern "skin" boats I've seen was honey >colored, and slightly translucent Possibly nothing more than spar varnish or polyurethane over nylon or polyester cloth. Shawn __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I went to the last East Coast Kayak Festival with Ronnie and one of his strip built kayaks. At the time I had a plastic Avocet. I could not have bought a hello from anyone when he and I were together with our kayaks. It was like I didn't even exist. Every guy who liked to work with wood crowded in to ask questions. Their wives would have to pull them away after a 20 minute Q & A session. Another time we road together to go paddling. It was almost painful how many stares I received (I was driving) around town. I really prefer to be anonymous in life and the lime light was very blinding. Jim et al ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shawn Baker" <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com> >Maybe I'm a little jaded by building strip kayaks, but when my S&G is sitting on the >beach next to my stripper, the S&G gets ignored. > Shawn *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jim Farrelly <jfarrelly5_at_comcast.net> wrote: >Another time we road together to go paddling. It was almost painful how many stares I received (I was driving) around town. I really prefer to be anonymous in life and the lime light was very blinding. That's the wooden kayaker's dirty secret. It's damn tough to be anywhere on time. When I really want to get paddling, I make it a point to fuel my rig before loading the kayak. Then, I load the boat, drive straight to the put-in, dress, unload the kayak, and put it directly in the water. But if you're having a bad day, the attention is nice! :D You should see the goings-on at a wooden kayak rendezvous...one's jaws ache after 3 days of non-stop "talking wooden boat". Sometimes, though, it gets old hearing the "Big 3": "That's pretty. I'd be afraid to put it in the water for fear of scratching it" "Does it float?" "Did you make it yourself?" Shawn __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 07:52 AM 3/18/03 -0800, Shawn Baker wrote: >Jim Farrelly <jfarrelly5_at_comcast.net> wrote: > >Another time we road together to go paddling. It was almost painful >how >many stares I received (I was driving) around town. I really prefer to >be anonymous in life and the lime light was very blinding. > >That's the wooden kayaker's dirty secret. It's damn tough to be >anywhere on time. > >When I really want to get paddling, I make it a point to fuel my rig >before loading the kayak. Then, I load the boat, drive straight to the >put-in, dress, unload the kayak, and put it directly in the water. > >But if you're having a bad day, the attention is nice! :D > >You should see the goings-on at a wooden kayak rendezvous...one's jaws >ache after 3 days of non-stop "talking wooden boat". > >Sometimes, though, it gets old hearing the "Big 3": >"That's pretty. I'd be afraid to put it in the water for fear of >scratching it" >"Does it float?" >"Did you make it yourself?" Followed by... "You *made* that? How long did it take?" *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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