The continued evolution of composites materials means than boat building today is very different from the way it was in its infancy three decades ago. We visit Green Marine to see the state of the art in composite yacht building and learn how a long-term partnership between boat builder and materials supplier brings big benefits.
17 January 2012
Members' Content
World growth will slow in 2012, but the question is by how much – IHS Global Insight chief economist Nariman Behravesh releases his Top 10 Economic Predictions for 2012.
23 December 2011
The recreational boat building industry is a major consumer of composite materials. But the global economic downturn left material suppliers and boat builders struggling to survive. Boat manufacturers have gone through a period of consolidation and downsizing, looking for ways to cut costs and boost productivity. Meanwhile, the industry has never stopped developing new materials, processing techniques and innovations that contribute to better boat construction and better on-water performance.
29 November 2011
A £25 million centre for innovation in composites design and manufacture officially opens in the UK in late November. CEO Peter Chivers gave Amanda Jacob a tour.
08 November 2011
FORMAX doesn’t do ‘off the shelf’ – it works with customers to develop bespoke reinforcements optimised for their composite processes and applications. Reinforced Plastics visited the multiaxial fabric specialist’s facility in Leicester, UK.
20 September 2011
In a few months time two young UK engineers will attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a pedal-boat to raise money for charity and hopefully set a new world record. Mike Sayer describes the design and build of the carbon fibre composite boat that will be his home for around 38 days.
09 September 2011
Despite the detractors, the enthusiasm for wave and tidal power development continues unabated. Watts 2010 (Wind and Tidal Technology Symposium) took place in 2010 and showed that a number of wave and tidal turbine developers are moving further from the conceptual to the demonstration scale. However, speakers were clear that significant marine resources – from specialist installation vessels to fast crew boats – are needed if this renewable sector is to have any hope of taking off in the way offshore wind is now doing.
09 May 2011
The marine market consumes about 350,000 tonnes of composite material worldwide. Back in 2006-2007, that figure topped 600,000 tonnes. It will take a long time to get over the crisis, but there are signs of fairer weather ahead.
21 April 2011
George Marsh reports on why some boat builders are choosing to use prepregs in their production.
09 March 2011
Plans for wind farms are often opposed by defence organisations and air traffic control services on the grounds that they interfere with radar, making it difficult to track aircraft. Warships and ‘stealth’ aircraft also need to be ‘invisible’ to radar. George Marsh looks at the use of composites in radar absorbing materials and structures.
01 November 2010