Quality timber for boat building can be very expensive and environmentaly destructive to source. Timber boats are very labour intensive to build and maintain and need to be sealed with fibreglass, epoxies, oils and/or paints to prevent rotting and discolouring. They require regular maintenance to ensure they are kept dry and no water is able to penetrate the coating. The balance between maintaining the look and feel of the timber while protecting it is a difficult one to achieve. Our flax and cork composite boats are zero maintenace (other than a light polish occasionally if desired), look and feel like real timber and will not degrade in the elements. They are lighter and stronger and do not require the destruction of old growth forests like many timbers.

Flax and cork are environmentally friendly in their production and maintain the look and feel of timber while providing all the benifets of modern composite techniques when used in a composite panel. They are a pleasure to work with when compared to things like fibreglass and carbon fibre and have a significantly lower environmental footprint. Offcuts and scraps will biodegrade as they would in nature. When protected in an epoxy matrix they become stronger and lighter than most timbers and are impervious to water and environmental degradation.

Epoxy resin when mixed at the correct ratios, becomes an inert solid. Bio resins, made from plant matter are becoming more available and I will be supporting them to improve as well as looking into epoxy recycling options (not currently available commercially but development is underway). Most timber boats also use significant quantities of epoxy glues and resins to build, and often require a fiberglass coat to protect and strengthen the timber. Epoxy is incredibly effective for creating strong and low maintenance products that should last a lifetime. Part of sustainability to me is about creating products that are long lasting and fit for purpose.

Our Flaxwood boats are around the same weight as a lightly built chined plywood or cedar strip planked dinghy but with significantly higher impact resistance and lower maintenance. Only by increasing the weight of the timber boat substantially will it start to come close to the strength of the flax composite. A typical solid fibreglass dinghy will weigh in around double the weight of our boats and will only come in a painted finish possibly with timber trim but will also be very robust and require no maintenance. Advanced composites like kevlar and carbon fibre can outperform these materials but come with significant cost and environmental drawbacks as well as having a certain feel and aesthetic that is not suitable for classically styled boats. We believe that our Flaxwood boats are the perfect compromise between sustainability, weight, strength and looks.