Kevlar® 49 Aramid, A New Material for Boat Hull Construction

The utility of Kevlar 49 aramid fibers as a lighter, stronger, and stiffer substitute for glass fibers in reinforced plastic products has been demonstrated in the aircraft and aerospace industry since 1972 (Ref. 1,2,3 ). Its productivity increased, "Kevlar" 49 began to gain acceptance in numerous commercial applications, and its potential as a boat hull reinforcement was recognized. This paper will outline the characteristics of "Kevlar" 49 and describe how it can be used in solid laminates and sandwich constructions.