Room-temperature tensile properties were measured for two thin C-SiC composites fabricated from single sheets of carbon fiber fabric with nominally the same weave architecture, but different fiber packing densities. The SiC matrixes were formed by infiltration and pyrolysis of a polymer precursor (allylhydridopolyearbosilane). The tensile properties are related to microstructural characteristics, observed damage mechanisms, and measurements of local strain concentrations by speckle interferometry. Differences are observed between the responses of these thin-sheet composites and conventional CVI-matrix composites of larger thickness. Debonding between transverse and longitudinal fiber tows allows significant strains due to straightening of initial wavy fiber tows and leads to local stress concentrations. The strength and elastic modulus are affected by the waviness of the longitudinal tows.