: Hey Dave, I've used uni-axials and biaxial cloth for paddle blades. I
: wouldn't use them on a the outside of a hull unless you'll be vacuum
: bagging or painting the whole thing.

: Axial cloth has "axes" or bundles of fibers that go in different
: directions, not unlike woven cloth. But, as you know, where woven cloth
: warp/weft fibers bend up and over each other, each axis in axial cloth is
: separate and on top of one another. So, instead of weakening the cloth
: with the fibers bending around each other, the fibers all run
: "perfectly" straight. However, to bind the axes together, these
: fabrics are stitched together, with polypropylene or nylon, and this
: material doesn't wet out and disappear like the glass does. If you're
: laying it inside a mold (vacuum-bagging or hand-laying) then you'll have a
: smooth exterior surface that will be pretty nice. I sure wouldn't want to
: try putting it outside a wooden hull. You could never bright finish it and
: have it look good, and even if you were painting it, you'd have a hard
: time sanding all the stitching so it looks good under paint.

: So...how they compare: stronger, slightly more cost, a bit harder to wet out,
: and stitching remains visible.

: Shawn

I am laying the boat up in a mold... it is an 8 foot whitewater boat... a 20 oz triaxial at a 45 -45 0 degree bias, would equal about 3 layers of 10 oz fibreglass?

thanks

DAVE