Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak Marine Foam Construction

That would make sense. Though, the kayak manufactures using this technique 
(sandwiched into a layer as opposed to high-tech thermoform) make strength 
and lightweight claims, along with added stiffness (better strength, being 
the aspect that caught my eye).

I do like the prospect of more manufactures using infusion technology 
though. Done correctly (as with some of the Point 65 Swedish kayaks), the 
results appear aesthetically faultless and overall, very durable for the 
relative weight in their more expensive lines using Kevlar-combined fabrics.

I'm still toying with the idea of reproducing my own kayak in a high-tech, 
stronger fabric. People have done stranger things:

http://www.thag-o-mizer.net/infusion_page1.html

Doug Lloyd

>I think just because it is too heavy.
>
> You need a certain amount of cloth and resin on both sides of the
> foam to resist punctures and dents. By the time you have gotten that
> far, you have basically laid down enough resin and glass to be strong
> and stiff enough to be a kayak without a foam core.
>
> The reason is that kayaks are small. The glass does not have to be
> that thick to maintain a kayak shape.
>
> Adding the foam just adds weight.
>
> If you are making a big boat without foam then you might lay down
> enough glass to be reasonably puncture resistant bit it is not stiff
> enough. So you have to lay down a lot of glass just to get thick
> enough to be adequately stiff. In this environment, the foam can save
> weight because it boosts the thickness without adding so much weight.
>
> You can see a little bit of foam being using in big kayaks like
> doubles in limited areas such as the flat bottom in the wide part of
> the boat because of the demand for stiffness.
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