Re: Carbon Fibre in the U

Posted by J.Schott on Jun 27, 2005

Try contacting epoxy suppliers over there first. A lot of companies that supply fiberglass cloth also carry carbon cloth or can get it. I would think that shipping cost from the U.S. would be cost prohibitive. If you like the look of carbon, beware there are some drawbacks to consider before you make the commitment. you need to take into account how you are going to use your kayak. If you are going to be using it in any type of rough conditions where the cockpit is put under a load from hitting anything, you may want to reconsider. Carbon fiber cloth has poor impact resistance in comparison to fiberglass. In an impact test using 4mm okume as a core, 6 oz glass with either 5.8oz carbon or 4 oz glass on the oppisite side, the carbon sample failed at roughly 60% of the all glass sample. So by using it you will have a very stiff boat but will actually loose impact resistance where you need it most. The reason I used it in my boat is because it has 3mm side panels and I wanted to give it the extra stiffness that carbon offers. Since it is only going to be used in sheltered waters the pros outweighed the cons for me. The weight savings are minimum, only a few grams per sq.ft..

In Response to: Re: Carbon Fibre in the U by CLC on Jun 27, 2005

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