French sailmaker incorporates Aluula composites aboard Biotherm race boat

Aluula Composites (Victoria, BC, Canada), an advanced materials technology firm, reports the addition of a new brand partner, Incidence Sails (La Rochelle), a French sailmaker, to introduce a new generation of ultralight, strong and recycle-ready composite material for use in sustainable sailmaking.

After two years of thorough testing on and off the water, Incidence Sails is commercializing Aluula Durlyte, primarily for critical sail reinforcements such as batten pockets, bolt ropes and high wear points such as stanchions and spreaders — additional applications include decksweepers and sail bags. Durlyte consists of a tough, technical film fusion bonded to Aluula’s ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) core via the company’s patented fusion technology, resulting in a lamination that is said to produce a “family of high-performance composite fabrics with a low friction surface and high strength-to-weight ratio.” In addition, the material offers 10 times the abrasion resistance of competing materials; it’s bacteria- and water-resistant; recyclable; accepts heat welding, can be seam taped and is thermoformable; and is proven by Incidence Sails in Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum and The Ocean Race.

Incidence Sails is supplying skipper Paul Meilhat’s IMOCA Biotherm race boat with high-performance sails for The Ocean Race, a round-the-world racing challenge. With a decksweeper and various critical reinforcements made with Aluula Durlyte on the team’s boat, the initial applications of this material are said to be proving to exceed expectations in some of the most extreme conditions. Sailing for weeks on end in open ocean conditions, Meilhat is regularly sailing at speeds of 25-30 knots (55 kilometers per hour). 

“Given the performance impact Aluula has had on kiteboarding and wingfoiling, sailing is a natural next step,” Dave Westwood, Aluula composites director of partner innovation and design, says. “The combination of Durlyte’s extreme abrasion, tear and UV resistance coupled with zero water absorption make it an attractive choice for a technical sail brand such as Incidence Sails in reducing the weight of their sails while greatly improving durability.”