Canvas

When talking about canvas, most think of cotton canvas. Cotton canvas for covering kayaks is obtained from a number of sources.

Because one normally must get paint or varnish to soak through and saturate the canvas, using canvas treated with water repellant chemicals can be a problem. Canvas available for use by artists is not treated in this way, as they usually want paints to adhere. (duh!)

Canvas can be less expensive than man-made fabrics and may have the advantage of being a little more natural. Others have disputed the "naturalness" of canvas, considering the processing the cotton goes through on its way to becoming canvas.

Morris recommends #13 cotton duck, which NOT 13oz canvas - it is much heavier than 13 oz.

Those who have used canvas report it is somewhat difficult to stretch, and sometimes leads to friction injury of the hands when pulling it. Many report success in getting at least a second person to help them with application of this fabric.

Canvas degrades if mildew organisms are allowed to begin digesting the cotton fibers. When a skin on frame boat is made of canvas, it is important to remove all flotation bags and seats after each use, allowing the fabric to dry completely. Storage in damp conditions can be harmful to such a boat.

Alternative canvases are:

• Hemp - hemp fiber is one of the strongest natural fibers, It resists rot better than cotton. Due to the mistaken association with a certain, generally banned drug, it can be difficult to get.
• Linen - not as strong as hemp, but stronger than cotton. Easy to find in smaller sizes, long lengths are a tad more difficult. Try art shops that sell linen by the meter (yd) to artists for making their own painting canvases.