BRILLIANT! I'll incorporate that into the head design. I'd like to get this project off the ground relatively soon, shaft ergonomics design starts tomorrow, so the only steadfast obstacle in this project is what weights, weaves, and how many layers of fabric to use. I have little to no experience in this, and I'd love to do some kind of math or something for this, but I haven't taken materials engineering yet so I don't know how. If I could get a couple opinions on this it'd help me out a LOT. Thanks to everybody for the immaculate help you've given me thus far!

Without a lot more information about your design and the expected loads I wouldn't want to start recommending a particular layup, especially when another persons life may depend on it If you are new to composites and don't have access to/experience with some decent software I would be doing some serious testing. (I would be testing anyway)

Get some braided sleeve, good quality epoxy laminating resin and have a go at some wet lay over a mandrel. A vacuum cleaner extension tube makes a ready made mandrel. Because most are tapered release will be easier.
Wrap a layer of paper around the tube followed by some flash breaker tape, this is your releases agent. Carefully slide the braided sleeve over the mandrel and stretch it out so it conforms to the tube. This is where you can experiment with the number of layers. Start with say a piece 1/4 of the tubes length, then one 1/2 its length, 3/4 and then finally 1 or 2 full length. This will give you the tapered wall thickness I mentioned.
Wet out the fabric with the laminating resin (this is the messy bit) Once your happy the fibres are wetted out wrap the hole thing in heat shrink tape. Carefully go over the heat shrink with a hot air gun, the tape will contract and consolidate the laminate. Don't use too high a heat or the tape will begin to crinkle (cant think of a better word at the moment)
Once cured remove shrink tape and the nice new cf tube from the mandrel, the paper and breaker tape should make this easy and test the thing to destruction (if you can)
I know a straight tube may not be your final profile but this will give you some hands on experience with cf and how it behaves. From there you can play around with the layup/materials all the time gaining experience (and having fun) without a huge outlay.
Have a look at the EC fishing pole repair tutorial to get a better idea.
Something to remember as far a testing goes, there is big difference between hitting something with a part made from cf and something hitting a part made from cf.

Warren

Carbon Copies Ltd

I have Solidworks through the school, but I know it can't really do composite simulations since the figures are different depending on the direction.

So ANSYS is so complicated that in the time it would take me yo figure it out I could just work, buy some cf, and break stuff way faster. My cousin works in a dragon boat paddle company anf  gave me a 20" length of tube that's about 1.5" dia. As far as I can tell it's two layers of twill at 0/90 and one of helical fiberglass on the inside. When I get time I'm going to epoxy a pipe in the end and load it at the most extreme angle the handle will see. I've tried to find studies on curved CF tube strengths, but haven't come up with anything. The paddle handle will break, but it might be helpful to see where and how. It'll be a decent starting point I think.