Interior finishes

I haven't seen any mention of kayak interior treatment.  While UV protection may not be a factor on boats with small cockpits and/or likely to be fitted with spray skirts, the Wood Duck double (my work in progress) has this great open maw.  What is the optmum scheme?  Paint, perhaps... the idea of trying to varnish the inside is repulsive to tell the truth.  Any suggestions would be most welcome


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RE: Interior finishes

I stripped a pair of Wood Duckling for my kids and had similar questions- something about that wide open cockpit. I opted for paint and regret it. Initially it looked great in contrast with the bright finish of the deck exterior, but as you might imagine the paint has taken quite a beating and now looks terrible. Stripping the paint is pretty, pretty low on my to-do list, so it looks like I'm stuck with it. To another time I'd consider using black fiberglass or carbon fiber for the hull interior. Interior varnish (in my mind) need not be applied with the same care and perfection one might strive for on the deck, so I don't think that this would be very onerous.

Good luck- curious to see if you find a creative solution!

Patrick

RE: Interior finishes

   

Think you're right about some kind of finish, UV won’t be your friend in the WD cockpit. We use a couple of coats of varnish on our cockpit areas but always wear spray skirts. No more trouble than doing the exterior in my experience. Paint is fine too. When we paint interior areas we use a satin/mat finish and middle tone, usually gray. the non glossy gray surface really cuts down on eye strain from glare and won’t show scratches (as much). White is an eye killer, black gets really hot.

As an aside, inside the cockpit and hatch areas we stop epoxying after second coat and don’t fill the weave. It leaves a nice non slip texture we find helpful and it saves some weight. If you paddle barefoot you might consider filling the weave under your heels, texture there can be abrasive.

RE: Interior finishes

Fill it with people. Cover it when not in use.

     

RE: Interior finishes

   Do builders varnish inside the kayak that is only accessable through the hatches?

RE: Interior finishes

I don't.  No UV exposure to speak of so the epoxy will do ok without protection. 

RE: Interior finishes

No varnish inside of sealed compartments for me.

i do varnish inside the cockpit for areas that will see sunlight.  not the whole cockpit, usually just the floor and sides of cockpit from the back to a bit in front of the forward edge of the coaming.

 

h

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