Nlcomp presents Ecoracer Sailing Series, the world’s first racing circuit with recyclable boats

The Julian start-up Northern Light Composites, which was established in 2019 and specializes in the production of recyclable composites for the marine industry and beyond, is going through a momentum with many new developments: Crowdfunding on the Ecomill platform has exceeded 300,000 euros, meanwhile Ecoracer, the world’s first recyclable sportboat, Has been named Eco Focused Boat of the Year at METS in Amsterdam, an award for which a number of international boating bigwigs were also nominated. And the news, coming soon, did not end there. In Malta, Nlcomp CEO Fabio Bignolini unveiled the 2023-2024 novelty: the Ecoracer Sailing Series circuit , where Northern Light Composites’ new One Design monotype, a 9.15-meter boat designed by Matteo Polli , will be featured.

Ecoracer Sailing Series

The project was created with the aim of launching a new series of events based on sustainable not only on the ground, with a village dedicated to sustainable technologies, but especially at sea thanks to the first fleet of boats that are recyclable in construction technology and materials. After showing the value of rComposite technology® at prototype Ecoracer25, launched in 2021 and winner of the Italian Minialtura Championship 2022, as well as starring in many other events in Europe, nlcomp®is finalizing with Matthew Chickens the design of one hull by 9.15 mt that will be used for the Ecoracer Sailing Series, designed for monotyping and to be easy to handle in arming and disarming operations.

The design of the new boat, will start from the designer’s experience on the Corsa915, a boat that in recent years has won the European Sportboat Championship twice and the Italian Offshore Sailing Absolute Championship once, of which the new One design will be an evolution. The boat will be designed for one-design but ready also to be used at sail offshore, thus suitable for use on multiple events throughout the sailing season. The prototype by Ecoracer One Design Will be launched in summer 2023 and will be available of interested shipowners and teams in a series of ad hoc events to be organized in the summer period in Italy and abroad, while the “Ecoracer Sailing Series” racing circuit will start in 2024.

I rendering by Ecoracer One Design and the details of the Ecoracer Sailing Series project will be unveiled at a event reserved for owners and insiders to be announced in the coming weeks.

Sergio Caramel, nlcomp® Public Relations Officer

“We are really excited to launch a true sustainable one design circuit and to have put together a really important team whose names we will soon unveil. The goal is to create a circuit of high sporting and technological standards from a sustainability standpoint, as well as a rewarding experience for the owners who will participate. There is a lack of a nine-meter one-design in the regatta scene right now that is suitable for the European market, so we decided to start here. We are working to establish partnership agreements both in terms of equipment supplies and organizational aspects.”

Ecoracer awarded Eco Focused Boat of the Year

The sportboat Ecoracer, the best-known model launched by nlcomp®, was voted Eco-focused Boat of the Year as part of the Boat Builder Award 2022 organized at the METS in Amsterdam, the world’s most important show dedicated to nautical accessories and components. The Jury for the award, for which a number of international yacht-building bigwigs were also in the running, described Ecoracer as “a production racing yacht that is the result of significant development work and intensive research to make it recyclable.” A recognition that for nlcomp® arrives on one of the most important stages reserved for the sector industry and its applied research.

Ecoracer also starred in the sea trials reserved for the 12 journalists on the jury of theEuropean Yacht of the Year which were held in October in Barcelona. The prize winners will be unveiled next January as part of the Düsseldorf Boot, the most important boat show dedicated to boats. For the boat, it is just yet another accolade, following Design Innovation Awards, World Sailing Sustainability Awards, Sailor of the Year and Foiling Awards), as well as having won the 2022 Italian Minialtura Championship in Gargnano, on Lake Garda.

Ecoracer is in fact a sportboat of 25 feet designed by Matteo Polli and built with the technology rComposite of nlcomp®, which guarantees the recycling Of the vessel at the end of its life. rComposite is the innovative – patent pending – composite that nlcomp® has developed to offer the market a concrete solution to the problems of the end of life of fiberglass. The rComposite sandwich is composed of a thermoplastic matrix, natural or recycled fibers, and NMG Europe’s Atlas HPE core. Ecoracer’s project was supported by NMG Europe For core materials, Onesails For sail inventory, Arkema For resins, Antal For deck equipment, Arming Ropes for the roping, Mitek for the electric motorization and by TL Composites Workshops That followed the construction process.

www.northernlightcomposites.com