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From: avi z <aviam.zinkin_at_gmail.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Feberglass VS. Kevlar/Carbon Kayak
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 17:36:02 +0200
Hello,

After selecting the kayak model, having the issue of the meterial:

Feberglass or Kevlar/Carcon?

What are the prons and cons of the two options?

Thanks,
      AZ
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From: Michael Daly <mikedaly_at_magma.ca>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Feberglass VS. Kevlar/Carbon Kayak
Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 16:07:40 -0500
avi z wrote:

> Feberglass or Kevlar/Carcon?

Fiberglass: affordable, solid, easy to fix, a bit heavy.

Kevlar: expensive, strong, tough, a bit harder to fix and definitely lighter 
than fiberglass for a given level of strength.

Kevlar/Carbon fiber blend: expensive, light, interwoven K/CF not necessarily the 
best way to use the two materials.

Carbon fiber: Very expensive, possibly fragile, a bit harder to fix, very light.

Personally, I prefer Kevlar only if the price is not objectionable, fiberglass 
otherwise.  Carbon fiber is for racing only.  I don't think the interwoven 
blends are a great idea.

The quality of construction can change all this.  A well-made fiberglass kayak 
can be better than a poorly-made Kevlar kayak.

Mike
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From: Derek <glamourpets_at_yahoo.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Fiberglass VS. Kevlar/Carbon Kayak
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 16:49:41 -0800 (PST)
[Please remove all old content that is not pertinent to your reply
including old headers and footers.  It's list policy.... 
this post was modified to meet policy]

--- avi z <aviam.zinkin_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> After selecting the kayak model, having the issue of
> the meterial:
> Feberglass or Kevlar/Carcon?
> What are the prons and cons of the two options?

Kevlar is a stronger material then Fiberglass.  Most
manufacturers have used Kevlar to allow them to make a
thinner and lighter weight of hull.  The end result is
a hull that is more vulnerable to damage.

This past summer I used a custom made kevlar boat. 
The boat was the same weight as the equivalent
fiberglass boat.  The difference was that the standard
fiberglass hull had been reinforced with kevlar.  This
resulted in a boat which was almost bomb-proof.  This
boat was ordered custom from the factory, and should
not be considered "typical."

I spoke with a boat retailer this past summer.  He
said that a lot ot he kevlar boat buyers in his store
were women.  These women were looking for a boat they
could easily handle on land.  This is really your main
advantage with kevlar.  Most don't notice the weight
difference once the boat is out on the water.  

Derek
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