Re: [Paddlewise] Fiberglass laminate

From: "Jim" <jfarrelly5_at_home.com>

> I watched a show on the Discovery Channel Monday night about new bridge
> building technology.  They showed an interesting way to make a piece of
> fiberglass "board" by taking foam board and sandwiching it between fiberglass
> cloth and then injecting it with fiberglass threads in an x pattern. 

The x pattern fibers will pick up the shear forces that the foam is not
strong enough to carry.  This makes it significantly stronger than 
just a normal foam/fiberglass sandwich.

Quite some time ago we had a discussion on PW about using core materials
to make stiffer and stronger kayaks.  The problem is finding a core with
enough shear strength to make it work.  After that discussion, I thought
about using a 3D woven material (vaguely like the tricot lining in 
3 layer GoreTex) that combines two surface layers with a lattice of
crossed fibers internally.  Inject with foam and coat with resin and 
you're done.  I talked to a couple of folks about it, but it probably isn't
cost effective.

You wouldn't need a very thick core to create a stiff kayak.  However,
two groups would likely chime in.  The stitch and glue crowd will 
eagerly point out that glassed okoume kayaks are just as good, cheap
and easy to make and the skin on frame gang will point out that 
kayaks are best when they're flexible.

Mike

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