Recyclable Optimist begins production

Following the launch of its recyclable Optimist in Summer 2022, Northern Light Composites (nlcomp) and not-for-profit Clean Sailors are asking sailing clubs around the world to apply to own one of the first ecoOptimists. The boats will be built in the winter season and be ready for the opening of the next sailing season, June 2023.

nlcomp says the ecoOptimist is not only built from sustainable materials but is also recyclable – more than 90 per cent of the hull is already recyclable and soon it should be 100 per cent.

“Here at nlcomp we all started with Optimists as our sailing passion and it’s amazing to start to push the marine industry for a more eco-friendly boatbuilding technology, beginning with this very boat. We are working hard to have the first fleet ready in the next summer and we’ll be travelling Europe to show sailors that building recyclable boats is now a reality,” says Fabio Bignolini, chief operations officer of nlcomp.

“Bringing the ecoOptimist to young sailors around the world is a huge milestone in the development of new composite technologies today,” believes Holly Manvell, founder of Clean Sailors. “We are so excited that ecoOptimist is the only project globally doing so for young sailors, for they will inherit our industry, our planet and the environments that to date we’ve exploited more than nourished. Seeing the ecoOptimist become an actual reality, ready for the next generation is humbling. We are so proud of our friends and partners, NL Composites, for sharing this journey with us.”

ecoOptimist has also opened a register of interest for individuals and private organisations looking to purchase an ecoOptimist, with production scheduled to begin in Summer 2023.

Sails for the new boats are from OneSails. It’s produces a recyclable sail fabric, in a low carbon footprint manufacturing process, making it a leading sailmaker in sustainable practices.

nlcomp is a startup that deals with the research and development of recyclable composites in order to solve the problems related to the end of life of fibreglass composites. The company was founded in December 2019 by three passionate sailors and started working on the research and development of rComposite, the world’s first recyclable composite for the marine industry. It’s previous launches include a recyclable dingy, sportboat and ecofoiler.