Existing projects
Some players in the boating industry have tried 3D printing - partial or total - to develop boats: the Pioner 14 Active Dark Line at the end of 2020, or the Mambo, presented at the Genoa boat show the same year. The largest model built to date remains the 3Drigio, with a length of 7.62 m (a record approved by the famous Guinness World Records). While other projects are underway, particularly in sailing, it would appear that the Beluga is the first 3D printed sailboat in one piece. It is an O'pen Skiff (formerly Open Bic) of 2.80 m and 1.29 m wide, for a weight of 45 kg. The rigging was recovered from an existing boat.
A prototype built in one piece
This prototype made by Caracol (an additive construction specialist) and NextChem (technologies for energy transition) is built from recycled MyReplastTM material and was presented at Milano Design Week 2021. It consists of recycled polypropylene and 30% fiberglass to improve the boat's rigidity and performance. The boat can be recycled again in the same way as the materials used.
"Traditional methods of producing sailboats typically involve methods that require molds and use materials that are difficult to recycle such as fiberglass." explains Caracol.
For the Beluga, the company used a Caracol-patented extruder and a 6-axis robotic arm. A method that has advantages in terms of cost, durability, but also in production time. Although this is a prototype, Caracol has indicated that it is willing to work with shipyards in the event of mass production.
