Thomas Tison, nlcomp head biocomposite ecoFoiler development

French firm Thomas Tison Yacht Design & Engineering (Lorient, France) and Northern Light Composites (nlcomp, Monfalcone, Italy), a Northern Light Sailing Team spin-off, are developing an ecoFoiler, a 3.80-meter foiling dinghy, made with nlcomp’s recyclable rComposite materials, with a focus on sustainability and performance. 

According to the partners, the ecoFoiler design will make it easy to handle before and after takeoff, unlike other high-performance foiling dinghies that can be challenging to sail and tend to fly very high. This feature makes it an ideal product for serious sailors of all levels, offering a thrilling sailing experience. The ecoFoiler also caters to sailors who value optimized design details, ease of use and environmental sustainability.

Thanks to Thomas Tison’s expertise in composites engineering and designing advanced racing yachts, and to nlcomp’s expertise in biocomposites manufacture, the ecoFoiler weight will be comparable to its non-eco-friendly alternatives.

“While there are several foiling concepts in the market, the ecoFoiler is going to set the bar high,” the designers say. “It will be the first production foiling dinghy to be designed with biocomposite materials, offering a refined, fast design that ensures ease of sailing.”

In 2022, Thomas Tison launched a custom sailboat featuring a high-tech wooden hull and conducted research and a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to measure the impact of its design on reducing the boat’s carbon footprint. Now, its partnership with nlcomp represents an opportunity to drive innovation in this field using biocomposite materials, embodying the same spirit of progress and innovation seen in the America’s Cup, now applied to sustainable construction.

“I’m glad to have the opportunity to work with nlcomp as they are a passionate team and they are leading the way with their vision for sailing in a sustainable way,” Thomas Tison says. “Eco-composite and foiling projects are now reaching a wider audience. We will analyze and optimize every phase of the construction and production process to ensure that the ecoFoiler is accessible to a broad spectrum of sailors seeking the thrill of foiling with a minimal carbon footprint. Our goal is to transform this concept into a boat that can provide this unique experience to as many people as possible.”

The ecoFoiler hull prototype was unveiled at the JEC Industry Planet at JEC World 2023 (shown above) using Bcomp’s (Fribourg, Switzerland) ampliTex reinforcements to replace traditional glass fibers, recyclable Arkema (Colombes, France) Elium resin and produced via a Breton SpA (Castello di Godego, Italy) 3D-printed mold, using the company’s Genesi machine and a recyclable thermoplastic polymer. The team, led by Thomas Tison, will optimize the hull shape, develop the deck, the sailplan and the foiling system to ensure optimal performance.

“We are really looking forward to collaborating with Thomas on this project,” Fabio Bignolini, cofounder and CEO of nlcomp, says. “I had been following his work for the past few years, and after meeting him at The Yacht Racing Forum, I immediately knew that he was the perfect partner to help us develop the ecoFoiler.”

Nlcomp’s previous project, the ecoracer25, already proved to the industry that sustainable performance is possible. In 2022, the company’s first recyclable sport boat won the Italian Sportboat championship held in Lake Garda against a fleet of 40 fiberglass competitors.