While all-composite newbuilds tend to be the preserve of the sail yacht sector, larger motor yachts, superyachts and megayachts are also exploring these flexible, performance-boosting materials, and incorporating them into onboard structures and features, to achieve results that would be impossible or impractical when using more conventional metallics.It's a trend that's been noted by Coen Meerbach, business unit manager at Dutch composite engineering firm Solico. Reflecting on his country's yacht construction sector, Meerbach tells Ship & Boat International: "Most of the Dutch yards are focused on steel and aluminium: it's what they're accustomed to, it's their mindset. It's when they run into issues like stability, or usability, that they start to adopt composites.
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