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A shipyard dedicated to restoring neglected sailing yachts
Founded in 2024 by Damien Ribadeau Dumas, an engineer trained in La Rochelle, the Flotte shipyard is based on a simple but demanding approach: to buy up units destined for destruction, modernize them, refloat them and resell them through a short circuit. In conjunction with the Association pour une Plaisance Écoresponsable (APER), Flotte selects units according to four criteria: hull strength, initial design, interest on the second-hand market and economic feasibility of repairs.
Resources derived almost exclusively from reuse
One of the special features of this project is the way it is sourced. Almost all materials come from second-hand sources: solid wood, plywood, composites, stainless steel fittings, saddlery, safety equipment... including the tools and clothing used in the workshop. The âeuros team â?" a carpenter, a painter and a âeuros communicator â?" also recovers equipment dismantled on destroyed hulls: nets, flags, crockery, cushions. This recycling approach helps to limit the carbon footprint while reducing the final cost of the boats.
A craftsman's site with controlled production
Based in Marans, in an independent workshop, Flotte overhauls one or two yachts a month. Work systematically focuses on critical areas: engines, rigging, hull, plumbing, electricity and sails. The boat is emptied, cleaned, restored and refitted before being relaunched. The units are then offered at prices adjusted to the boat's profile and market reality.
By 2025, more than 10 units had been entirely refurbished using this reasoned approach.
Structuring a range with the launch of Kwal 8 and Kwal 24
Presented at Grand Pavois 2025, the shipyard has also launched a range of racing yachts redesigned for pleasure boating, under the name "Kwal". The Kwal 8 is based on the Bénéteau First Class 8 kwal, a one-design from the 1980s, is offered with a modernized cockpit for coastal cruising or day trips. The Kwal 24 is based on the JOD 24 by Jeannea u with a redesigned finish, featuring a compact van-inspired interior and custom upholstery. These dayboats are competitively priced (between ?30,000 and ?35,000 with electric drive), with contemporary styling and preserved performance.
Towards a more local and circular nautical industry
Beyond the technical aspect, Flotte embodies an attempt to structure a local ecosystem based on reuse and repair. Most items are sourced within a radius of a few dozen kilometers. This model, still marginal in the boating industry, is attracting more and more private customers looking for ready-to-go boats at contained prices. It also opens up prospects for other shipyards interested in the transition to a circular economy for the boating industry.
