Turning old boats into new

The World Sailing Boat of the Year was introduced as an annual award in 2018, with recognition* going to the Carkeek design Fast 40+ Ran VII (2018), F50 (2019), Vortex Pod Racer (2022), and AC40 (2023). But for 2024, the award was re-imagined as the World Sailing Technology Award to recognize the wider work on innovations in sailing.

The 2024 winner Northern Lights Composites has sought to address the issue of what happens to equipment that either breaks or becomes obsolete and needs replacing. Their pioneering sustainable solution in boat construction maintains high performance while addressing environmental challenges head-on.

Over the past five years, Northern Lights Composites have worked to develop their patented recyclable composite material which can be dissolved within 24 hours. By using a thermoplastic polymer, Northern Lights Composites is tackling one of the biggest environmental challenges in the sailing industry – fibreglass boat waste.

By partnering with top-tier shipyards like Grand Soleil and Beneteau, Northern Lights Composites’ technology is helping to drive widespread adoption of eco-friendly construction materials.

Their “ecoracer” boat has already won championships, demonstrating that sustainable technology can also be high-performing, making Northern Lights Composites a pioneer in green sailing innovation.

“It is really important to win this award because it gives us credibility in the sailing industry,” said CEO of nlcomp®, Fabio Bignolini. “As a start-up it is difficult to get recognition in the market, so we hope this award will give us the credibility we need to keep pushing the industry and making progress with sustainability in the sport.”

*No award given in 2020 and 2021.