The aim of the project was to build a modern, lightweight and environmentally friendly passenger boat suitable for daily tourist navigation. The boat makes it possible to reach the Calanques National Park in Marseille quickly from Bandol. It has a length of 18 meters and a capacity of 70 passengers plus crew. The hybrid drive, consisting of diesel and solar energy, and the use of fully composite materials, which replace heavy metallic or wood materials, underline the innovative and sustainable approach.
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES
SAERTEX played a central role in the implementation of the project and worked closely with all involved stakeholders from the very beginning. One of the biggest challenges was to qualify the right materials for the project and ensuring they meet the high standards that must be maintained at sea.
With the technical support of our experts, the materials Glass NCF + SAERfix and the structural core material SAERfoam80 were chosen. These fiber-reinforced materials, which are ideally suited for boat building, were used for the deck, interior and hull of the boat, in order to achieve an optimum balance between weight and stability.
For processing both the multiaxial fabrics and the sandwich complexes in a single step, the vacuum infusion was used for manufacturing stable composite components. Using this manufacturing process, the materials are first placed dry in the mold and then infused with resin under pressure, resulting in an even and flawless distribution. By precisely controlling the fiber orientation and resin distribution, the glass fiber composites can be processed as efficiently and accurately as possible.
In order to also make the placement of the fabrics more economical, SAERfix glass fabrics with a self-adhesive surface were selected. These simplify draping even in complex shapes and save up to 50% of time compared to the use of spray cans.Thanks to the intensive cooperation of all stakeholders involved, including the architect, the certification organism and other suppliers (e.g. for resin and consumables) as well as the use of advanced composite materials, the project was successfully realized. The passenger boat now sails in daily tourist traffic and is a prime example of modern, sustainable boatbuilding - made in France.
"The collaboration with SAERTEX was great from the very beginning. Thanks to their expertise and high-quality materials, we were able to successfully realize our vision of an environmentally friendly and high-performance passenger boat. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that solutions were found within the same reinforcement material portfolio, further optimizing our whole efficiency and integration of materials. We are satisfied with the end result and look forward to future projects." - GATTO Shipyard
