Re: [Paddlewise] Kevlar vs. Full Carbon Fiber?

From: Steve Cramer <cramersec_at_charter.net>
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 11:25:21 -0400
Steve Brown wrote:
> My CF paddle blades get unbelievable abuse and never seem to break or
> chip. They are gradually wearing away at the tip, but I'll tire of
> the paddle before the wear becomes serious. I did break a small dia
> shaft once, but I think that was a CF/glass blend. 

When pure CF shafts break, they tend to do so catastrophically. I saw a 
Canadian slalom paddler break a paddle in half catching an eddy on the 
Ocoee River. The shaft looked like it had been hacksawed in two. Of 
course, that was a racing layup, so perhaps not as robust as one would 
use for cruising.

Whetstone (RIP) put a layer of glass inside their carbon paddles to give 
them a little more resilience.

-- 
Steve Cramer
Athens, GA

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Received on Thu Oct 09 2003 - 08:25:33 PDT

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