Technology born of ocean racing experience
EFTM, an acronym for Enroulement Filamentaire Tahiti Manufacture, was founded by Benoît Parnaudeau, a sailor who has taken part in several major ocean races, including the Vendée Globe. His ambition was clear: to design a lighter, more durable alternative to stainless steel rigging, better suited to the constraints of modern sailing boats.
To achieve this, the company has developed a process unique in the world, based on filament winding. Unlike traditional braiding, this technique aligns each fiber strand with the axis of the tension. The result: a textile guy rope with no parasitic elasticity, and elongation limited to just 0.3âeuros¯%.
High-performance Dyneema for intensive marine use
The material used is a combination of Dyneema SK99 for the core and SK78 for the sheath. This high-modulus polymer (HMPE) is renowned for its resistance to moisture, ultraviolet rays, chemicals and abrasion. These properties make Dyneema a serious candidate for replacing stainless steel wire in standing rigging.
With this choice of materials, EFTM is targeting ocean cruisers, large catamarans and Mini 6.50 competition boats.
" We dimension our shrouds to eliminate creep and guarantee the required stiffnessâeuros¯" explains Jean Pagny, in charge of the Nantes branch.
Research, industrialization and operations in mainland France
Technical development was supported by a FrenchTech grant, enabling production to be industrialized after more than 300 tensile tests on test specimens. The first complete rig was installed in 2024 on an RM1080, via the Sillage Nautisme shipyard. This was followed by other rigs on very different types of boat, including an Aura 51, from the Fountaine Pajot yard, and a Mojito 32, from the IDB Marine yard.
The main production workshop remains in Tahiti, but the company now benefits from a distribution network provided by Ino-Rope in mainland France. This new location ensures greater logistical and technical responsiveness to French and European construction sites and riggers.
Recognition in the nautical and technological ecosystems
In November 2024, EFTM was awarded the "Gold Bleuâeuros¯" prize in the Innovation Outre-mer competition, in recognition of its sustainable approach, its local impact in French Polynesia and its technological contribution to the marine industry. The company has also made a name for itself at trade shows such as the Grand Pavois in La Rochelle and METSTRADE in Amsterdam.
Thanks to this recognition and a controlled development strategy, EFTM has confirmed its position as a pioneer in new-generation textile rigging. The challenge now is to convince shipyards and naval architects to incorporate this technology into their standard specifications.
