NEWSF50 technology is identical10/08/2022Save articleSailGP’s LiveLine feature showing course boundaries and distances on the water, communications and umpire decisions all have one feature in common – that of data.SHOW FULLSCREENEach boat taking part in SailGP has 30,000 sensors fitted to provide real time information. Photo courtesy SailGPEach of the competing F50 foiling catamarans taking part in the sailing championship have 30,000 sensors fitted to a variety of components, feeding live data from the racecourse to a centre in London in milliseconds due to a partnership with Oracle.And what makes SailGP different to many worldwide sporting events is that all the competing teams have access to the same data and onboard technology.“The technology on the boats is the same, meaning any new teams coming in don’t have to start at the beginning,” explained Warren Jones, director of technology at SailGP.“From the rudder differential to the pressure on the foils, there’s so much information that we process. All the teams have access to the same data, real time data; the only difference between the teams and boats is the athletes on board.“Our goal is to give as much technology to the athletes as possible, for them to go out and go faster. They can analyse how a successful tack was made for example.”And Warren explained that the data is also used by the umpires meaning no on-the-water umpires are required.“We send raw data to Oracle, patterns and alerts and the umpire looks at the data,” he said. “When a boat crosses the boundary or there’s an infringement it’s automatically logged.“Everything is done from London; the umpires don’t need to travel.”He added: “We’ve got the infrastructure; we don’t have to be on site, and we have the ability to scale up our product.”TopicsdataF50foiling catamaranIndustry NewsOracleSailGP

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600 boats unable to be shipped03/08/2022Save articleGroup Beneteau’s Boat Division saw almost 3% growth in the first half of 2022 with revenues of €548.2m.SHOW FULLSCREENMonte Carlo Yachts was recording a lossHowever, the growth was held back by supply chain disruption, particularly in the first quarter, with around 600 finished boats not able to be shipped and therefore billed as of June 30 2022 – equivalent to the level from March 3, 2022.The deliveries of these will be deferred to the second half of the year, with more than €80m of billing deferred – around 15% of the Boat division’s first-half revenues.“The boat and leisure home markets have continued to perform very well,” explained Bruno Thivoyon, CEO.“The disruption affecting supply chains slowed our rate of growth during the first half of the year, with nearly €80m of billing deferred to the second half of the year.”Revenues for the Motorboat business represent 57% of the Boat division’s revenues for the first half of 2022, supported by the dayboating segments of motorboats up to 40ft.In Europe, revenues contracted by -7.7%, as a result of the disruption to supply chains, which affected large units in particular, as well as the rationalisation of the brand portfolio – notably Monte Carlo Yachts and CNB Yachts, which were recording losses.However, in North America, business was strong, up 15% at constant exchange rates, helped by the development of the dayboating segments, the turnaround by the American brands and the growth of the Beneteau, Jeanneau and Lagoon brands.The Group has also continued developing its Boat Club business in the US, opening five new daily rental centres.The first half of 2022 also saw a return to growth in charter boat sales.TopicsBeneteauCNB YachtsGroup BeneteauIndustry NewsJeanneauLagoonMonte Carlo Yachts

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NEWSPaper charts to be withdrawn28/07/2022Save articleThe UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is preparing to stop paper chart production by late 2026 to instead increase its focus on digital navigation products and services.SHOW FULLSCREENThe UKHO is planning on withdrawing from paper charts by 2026The organisation says its plans to withdraw Admiralty Standard Nautical Charts (SNCs) and Thematic Charts are in response to more marine, naval and leisure users primarily using digital products and services for navigation.The Admiralty Maritime Data Solutions digital navigation portfolio can be updated in near real-time, which the organisation says will enhance safety of life at sea (SOLAS).The phased withdrawal of paper charts from production will take place over a number of years and is anticipated to conclude in late 2026.In parallel, the UKHO will develop ‘viable, official digital alternatives’ for sectors still using paper chart products.“As we look to the future, our core purpose remains the safety of shipping operations and delivering the best possible navigation solutions to achieve that,” said Peter Sparkes, UKHO chief executive.“We understand the significance of this announcement, given the distinguished history of the UKHO’s paper chart production and the trust that mariners have placed in Admiralty charts over the generations.”And he said the move to digital navigation solutions has been accompanied by a rapid decline in demand for paper charts, driven by the SOLAS-mandated transition to ECDIS and the wider benefits of digital solutions, including the next generation of navigation services.TopicsAdmiralty chartIndustry NewsUK Hydrographic OfficeUKHO

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NEWSWorld’s largest wooden catamaran02/08/2022Save articleTurkish boat builder Soyaslan has launched what it believes is the world’s longest cold-moulded wooden catamaran.SHOW FULLSCREENThe Soyaslan CAT63 – photo credit Pozitif StudioThe CAT63 measures 19.37m overall and was both designed and built by Soyaslan, with styling from Tumer Design Studio.“We have good experience in engineering and manufacturing with this method,” says founder Can Soyaslan. “We have engineered and built cold-moulded yachts which are already 30-plus years old. To date, we have produced more than 100 boats and yachts.”To build the catamaran, the boatbuilders built up the shape by forming sheets or planks of wood over a plug or frame.The individual wooden elements were glued together with high-performance epoxy and later sheathed in epoxy for protection and longevity.“In the final look, users cannot tell the difference between a cold-moulded yacht and a GRP or metal one,” continued Can.“In practice, the durability and longevity of the hull is without comparison. Wooden yachts can last well over a hundred years, while the vibration, sound and heat insulation are much better.”And he explained that weight for weight, there is little difference between cold-moulding and GRP.The 63ft catamaran is powered by twin Yanmar 110hp engines, connected to ZF saildrives, providing an 8.5-knot cruising speed with more than 10 knots at full throttle.The craft has a 60kWh bank of lithium batteries aboard and eight 430W solar panels.Accommodation runs to two large double cabins and two twins for eight guests, and a further three berths for crew.

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Flax-based biocomposite prototypesBy Rebecca Strong27/07/2022Save articleThe SeaBioComp project has developed a number of demonstrator products showcasing flax-based thermoplastic biocomposites to help reduce the dependence on fossil-based materials in the marine sector. Over the past three years, project partners have been working on two different kinds of biocomposites – a self-reinforced PLA-composite which has been made into a variety of non-woven and woven fabrics suitable for use in compression moulding, and a flax reinforced polylactide or acrylic reinforced composite for use via RIFT, compression moulding and additive manufacturing.A range of products have been developed which do not rely on fossil-based materials Photo: SeaBioCompTesting has shown that, in some cases, these materials outperform conventional non-bio composites currently in use today. The new products have been shown to use the same compression moulding conditions as conventional materials and sometimes the process cycle time can be shorter. The products have also been assessed to ensure they are durable enough for the marine environment.Technically complexThe combination of thermoplastic polymers, natural fibres and 3D printing technologies can produce technically complex designs and applications for the marine environment, say the researchers.A number of prototypes, including a fender and other port structures, have been successfully created using 3D printing as well as scale model offshore wind turbine blades manufactured via monomer infusion under flexible tooling and complex curved structures using compression moulding techniques.The project has produced a series of technical leaflets detailing the various production methods.TopicsBoatbuilding

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NEWSPaper charts to be withdrawn28/07/2022Save articleThe UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is preparing to stop paper chart production by late 2026 to instead increase its focus on digital navigation products and services.SHOW FULLSCREENThe UKHO is planning on withdrawing from paper charts by 2026The organisation says its plans to withdraw Admiralty Standard Nautical Charts (SNCs) and Thematic Charts are in response to more marine, naval and leisure users primarily using digital products and services for navigation.The Admiralty Maritime Data Solutions digital navigation portfolio can be updated in near real-time, which the organisation says will enhance safety of life at sea (SOLAS).The phased withdrawal of paper charts from production will take place over a number of years and is anticipated to conclude in late 2026.In parallel, the UKHO will develop ‘viable, official digital alternatives’ for sectors still using paper chart products.“As we look to the future, our core purpose remains the safety of shipping operations and delivering the best possible navigation solutions to achieve that,” said Peter Sparkes, UKHO chief executive.“We understand the significance of this announcement, given the distinguished history of the UKHO’s paper chart production and the trust that mariners have placed in Admiralty charts over the generations.”And he said the move to digital navigation solutions has been accompanied by a rapid decline in demand for paper charts, driven by the SOLAS-mandated transition to ECDIS and the wider benefits of digital solutions, including the next generation of navigation services.

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NEWSMultihull show surpasses expectationsBy Rebecca Strong22/07/2022Save articleAn event in France dedicated to all things multihulled has surpassed the organisers’ ‘wildest dreams’.The International Multihull Show has doubled in size since its launch in 2010, this year showing more than 65 multihulls at the harbour in La Grande Motte, France, and hosting seven world premieres and 170 exhibitors.The International Multihull Show 2022 at La Grande Motte“The International Multihull Show has over the years become the ‘must attend’ event for this sector of the marine industry,” said the organisers.“The future looks promising with unstoppable growth.”The sector is growing internationally with new brands such as Excess, Windelo, Kinetic, Whisper Yacht, A Sea Venture and Illiad Catamaran coming to the market. Sailboats rather than powerboats make up the bulk of the multihull sector at around 85% and larger boats are starting to dominate.Representing around 70% of the global market, France leads the world in terms of building with big names such as Beneteau Group, Fountaine Pajot and Bali-Cantana. The power yacht market is one to watch with yacht builders reporting an increasing demand for larger and larger power catamarans.The charter market is recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with customers increasingly interested in variety and novelty rather than ownership.In the future innovation, particularly around green technologies, will dominate as will an increasing focus on digitalisation with new advances in foils, electric motors, onboard electronics and telecommunications coming all the time. Areas ripe for advancements also include safety, sail technology and the use of new composite materials. 

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NEWSNew initiatives for SailGP25/07/2022Save articleNew technological and sustainable clean energy innovations are being introduced to the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix.SHOW FULLSCREENNew sustainability initiatives will be introduced at the Great Britain SailGP eventIn partnership with Aggreko, the provider of mobile modular power, there will be the largest solar collection SailGP has ever used, with bio-methanol fuel also used as an energy source, believed to the first time this has happened at a live event within the UK.The measures will enable the race village to be 100% powered by clean energy.Aggreko will also continue to utilise other renewable energy technologies such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), to power Trinity Pier and Clyde Quays where SailGP’s technical area will be based.“As we’ve seen Britain shatter its record for the highest temperature ever registered this week as a direct result of climate change, now more than ever all businesses, including sports organisations, need to act,” said SailGP global director of purpose and impact Fiona Morgan.Ambition“These are just a few steps in our ambition to be fully powered by nature by 2025, but it’s a real showcase of how we need to work together to tackle the climate emergency and every change makes a big difference.”Other initiatives include several electric on-water boats from RS Electric, Evoy and Vita, as part of SailGP’s target to power its entire on-water fleet by clean energy by 2025.Sail GP’s Inspire Program, the organisation’s community, education and outreach initiative will see racing taking place using hydrofoiling F50s, MarkSetBot robotic sailing marks, and support boats fitted with electric Epropulsion engines.And DRIFT Energy will show the technology of a foiling yacht that produces green hydrogen on board.The event takes place this weekend (July 31 – 31) in Plymouth. Nine teams will race on the water in the third event in SailGP’s Season three.TopicsEnvironment & SustainabilityGreat Britain Sail Grand PrixIndustry NewsSailGP

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NEWSColoured carbon fibre investment15/07/2022Save articleUK advanced materials and technology firm Hypetex, manufacturer of coloured carbon fibre, has received £1.25 million in new equity investment.SHOW FULLSCREENHypetex has received equity investment to advance its growth plansThe investment is the latest round of Hypetex’s seed funding, led by 24Haymarket, to support growth plans and help scale the business’s footprint.Hypetex’s technology has been developed to enable the sustainable colourisation of advanced materials while maintaining and improving their performance properties.“This new investment is testament to what we have achieved so far at Hypetex,” Marc Cohen, Hypetex CEO, explained. “The composites market is growing at a rapid pace, and we are well positioned to accelerate the use of our coloured advanced materials and be a key part of that as we develop exciting new product streams for the sector.”The process uses a water-based resin system and a low-energy curing process, with the finished coloured composite materials able to be used in a range of products – including boatbuilding. The need for the addition of paint is removed.Neil MacDougall, new chairman of the board for Hypetex, added: “Hypetex brings proprietary colourisation technology to the rapidly growing global composites market. This investment will enable Hypetex to further build on its unique market position in this growing $150 billion industry.”The company is also in the process of expanding its product range to include natural fibre products aimed at introducing additional sustainability benefits to the manufacturing of more eco-friendly lightweight products.TopicsBoatbuildingcarbon fibrecomposites

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70-year anniversary01/09/2017Save articleThis year is the 70th anniversary of the Optimist pram, originally launched in August 1947.The Optimist dinghy was first launched in August 1947The single-handed dinghy was designed by the American Clark Mills in 1947 to offer low-cost sailing for young people.The boat was designed to be built from two 4ft x 8ft sheets of plywood and has now become one of the most popular sailing dinghies in the world with more than 150,000 boats officially registered with the class.

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