Greenboat’s new MB9 – built using a combination of high performance and eco-conscious materials – has left the workshop and hit the water.
The vessel is set to be commercially available in time for the 2024 sailing season.
MB9 is designed by naval architect Matthias Bröker of design engineering company Judel/Vrolijk, based in Bremerhaven, Germany, and is now ready for final outfitting.
At the heart of the MB9’s design is its eco-conscious construction, offering the potential of bio-based materials in marine construction.
The sailing boat is almost entirely constructed from natural materials such as flax, balsa wood and bio-epoxy, with only the rudder shaft and keel fin are made from carbon fibre for robustness where it is most needed.
Flax fibre is known for its durability, noise reduction and eco-friendly properties.
The construction methods result in a vessel weighing just over three tons, with its ergonomic design and efficiency designed for regatta racing.
“There has never been a boat like her before. But we hope there will be many boats like hers in the future,” explained a Greenboats’ spokesperson.
“We utilised countless different approaches on how to make her build more sustainable without compromising performance.
“Over the coming weeks, we plan to document our learnings from this project and thoroughly assess which aspects could be integrated beneficially into serial production.”
