Excess has announced a new materials programme centred on the Excess 11 sailing catamaran. The project combines recyclable resin, low-carbon resin and recycled glass fibres in a production boat while keeping the existing model platform.
The builder says the boat uses Elium recyclable resin together with 45% recycled glass fibres. The objective is to reduce the environmental impact of composite construction while preserving the structural and sailing characteristics expected from the Excess 11.
Excess is working with Groupe Beneteau, Arkema, Veolia, Composite Recycling, Owens Corning and Chomarat across the materials and recycling chain. The yard says the process is intended to make it possible to recover and reuse more of the composite structure at the end of its life.
The story matters beyond one model because small and medium production sailing boats are still heavily dependent on composite construction. Using the 37-foot Excess 11 as the platform brings the experiment directly into the sub-12-metre cruising-catamaran market.