Photo: Clean Sailors
In both sailing and aviation, trainer aircraft and dinghies are the discrete players working behind the scenes. While everyone is focused on superyachts and other large vessels, the dinghies used by young sailors hold an impressive potential for innovative technologies.
Boats in the Optimist class are the most widely used worldwide by beginner sailors. But, according to Clean Sailors, most of them have imported plastic hulls, which only end up increasing the amount of garbage suffocating the planet. This is why a brand-new type of Optimist, called the EcoOptimist, was launched. It’s made from sustainable materials and is 90% recyclable today, aiming for 100% in the near future.
This isn’t the first of its kind in the world. Northern Lights Composites (nlcomp) launched the first recyclable dinghy in the world in 2020. The Ecoprimus received the Design Innovation Award at the Genoa Boat Show. One year later, the company launched Ecoracer, the world’s first recyclable sportboat, which also won the same award.
This year, this young company with an already impressive track record is launching EcoOptimist, the first recyclable Optimist dinghy. It was made with ampliTex natural fiber reinforcements, an Atlas HPE core, and resin. Compared to conventional glass fiber, flax fibers reduce the CO2 footprint throughout the entire life cycle – they don’t need any fossil resources to be obtained, and they absorb CO2 during the plant’s growth process.
In addition to the sustainable and recyclable hull, this dinghy also sports a unique sail made from sustainable and recyclable fabrics. OneSails is the only producer of an ISO-certified sail fabric of this type.
The other major partner in the launch of EcoOptimist is Clean Sailors, a young non-profit that wants to make sailing better for the conservation of our oceans. The first ten boats will be built throughout this year and are expected to kick off operations during next year’s sailing season.
Since the EcoOptimist is meant for young sailors and sailing schools, a competition was launched for sailing clubs, giving them the chance to own one of the first ten EcoOptimist. The pioneering dinghy has a €4,000 ($4,200) price tag.
This isn’t the first of its kind in the world. Northern Lights Composites (nlcomp) launched the first recyclable dinghy in the world in 2020. The Ecoprimus received the Design Innovation Award at the Genoa Boat Show. One year later, the company launched Ecoracer, the world’s first recyclable sportboat, which also won the same award.
This year, this young company with an already impressive track record is launching EcoOptimist, the first recyclable Optimist dinghy. It was made with ampliTex natural fiber reinforcements, an Atlas HPE core, and resin. Compared to conventional glass fiber, flax fibers reduce the CO2 footprint throughout the entire life cycle – they don’t need any fossil resources to be obtained, and they absorb CO2 during the plant’s growth process.
In addition to the sustainable and recyclable hull, this dinghy also sports a unique sail made from sustainable and recyclable fabrics. OneSails is the only producer of an ISO-certified sail fabric of this type.
The other major partner in the launch of EcoOptimist is Clean Sailors, a young non-profit that wants to make sailing better for the conservation of our oceans. The first ten boats will be built throughout this year and are expected to kick off operations during next year’s sailing season.
Since the EcoOptimist is meant for young sailors and sailing schools, a competition was launched for sailing clubs, giving them the chance to own one of the first ten EcoOptimist. The pioneering dinghy has a €4,000 ($4,200) price tag.
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