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The project explores a still largely untapped avenue in the marine industry: sails incorporating bio-based fibers. The goal is, of course, to reduce environmental impact without compromising performance.
Today, almost all sails rely on petrochemical-based materials, with very few credible end-of-life solutions apart from reuse initiatives such as 727 Sailbags, Voilensac or Les Toiles du Large. TRILam BioTex aims to change this model by progressively introducing natural fibers, particularly flax and, more recently, nettle. The ambition goes beyond simply replacing materials, by developing a membrane that is both high-performance and, ultimately, recyclable or compostable.
Unlike initiatives that remain largely theoretical, sails developed under the program have already been tested in real-world conditions, including offshore racing. The project is now reaching a new milestone with its deployment on production multihulls: “we’re starting to see these materials appear on trimarans such as Tricat and Dragonfly,” notes Frédéric Moreau, co-manager of All Purpose.
