A boat made of recyclable HDPE sheet metal
L'Atelier du Marin, a young shipyard from the south of Brittany, has just launched an atypical boat. The A-500, a 5-meter open hull, is built in HDPE. The sheets of this recyclable plastic are assembled and welded together, similar to what can be done in the construction of steel or aluminum boats. The production head is powered by a 115-horsepower outboard, but is planned to be able to switch to electric power. "Plastic is five times less impactful than aluminum in terms of carbon footprint. It also has the advantage of being non-corrodible and avoiding electrolysis problems. It can be a good material for the ecological transition compared to the existing ones" explains Théo Moussion, from the company Intrados, naval architect of the boat.
Yachting, boat rental and servitude
If there are some manufacturers using HDPE, in France and in the Netherlands in particular, in the field of professional ships, the uses in yachting are almost inexistent. The designers of the A-500 see a potential market for it. "We see several possible uses: for the pleasure part in sport fishing, but also for rental because the material ages well. We made a specific fender in collaboration with Outils Océans, to make it look like a semi-rigid. There will obviously also be servitude" Théo Moussion explains.
Reviving a shipyard in Plouhinec
The A-500 was born from the reunion of two former colleagues from the UFast shipyard. Théo Moussion, the naval architect, and Kieran Vantourout, founder of the Atelier du Marin, found each other within the third place in creation in the former Jean Moulin high school of Plouhinec. "Kieran had set up his work site. We remembered a project of a small rustic boat, adapted to the local people, but which can be used by others. We also wanted to revive a small local shipyard, with the support of Cadiou Industries on the project. Today, a range of boats, including a 7-meter and a 9-meter, is pre-designed," Théo Moussion concludes optimistically.
