I recently took possession of my late grandfather’s 1960s era Folbot. It hasn’t been used in over 40 years. The wooden frame is in excellent condition but the skin is stiff, cracking, and unusable. Any recommendations on where to go for a replacement skin? I’m located in Victoria, British Columbia.
Folbot folded a few years back. I often see used Supers for sale on Craigslist. Another option might be to checkout the old Yostwerks site. He has how yo make vinyl skins for kayaks. This link might get you there.
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://yostwerks.com/
That skin is naugahyde, a plastic upholstery material…
The boat was constructed by laying a layer over the frame with the cloth side out. Then it was coated with what smelled like liquid rubber.
While it was wet, the outer layer was added.
To answer your question, look at heat shrinkable nylon, which is used on skin on frame kayaks now.
After it is fitted to the frame, and shrunk to fit, it is coated with a 2 part urethane that is tough as nails.
There is more info on line.
@string said:
To answer your question, look at heat shrinkable nylon, which is used on skin on frame kayaks now.
After it is fitted to the frame, and shrunk to fit, it is coated with a 2 part urethane that is tough as nails.
There is more info on line.
That will make it no longer foldable. But is a viable way to make a useable boat.
It could be possible to make yourself a new skin if you are somebody who has the patience and confidence to attempt a manual project. Companies like Seattle Fabrics and DIY Packrafts sell the vinyl coated materials and adhesive (H-66 vinyl glue) – some of the fabrics can be heat-sealed as well, using a hobby iron (I use a Coverite Black Baron). If you cut the skin apart along the seam lines you can use the pieces for a pattern.
There is also a European company that has been known to make replacement skins for other manufacturer’s vintage models. But I’m drawing a blank on the company. I’ll do some searches on the folding kayak forum and post it if I find it.
IF it is a folder . Mine was not
Good point, String. If Hillfish has a non-folder constructing a new skin would be easier since it could be done with either the nylon ballistic cloth + 2=part urethane skin-on-frame materials OR using heat-sealable or glued vinyl coated dacron. Some folks have even used dacron canvas coated with oil-based paints. The drawback to both the ballistic cloth and canvas based processes is that they require sewing. The coated dacron just requires the pieces to be cut out, aligned and glued or melted together. Though getting the skin to be sufficiently tight would require some imaginative techniques.