ILCA and Greenboats Chart a Sustainable Future for the ILCA Dinghy

by ILCA 17 Nov 20:50 AEDT

World's leading one-design class teams up with natural-fibre innovators to reduce environmental impact through a Strategic Sustainability Partnership

The International Laser Class Association (ILCA), steward of the world's most popular one-design dinghy, and Greenboats, a pioneer in sustainable composite materials, officially announce an ongoing strategic partnership to explore and develop environmentally responsible innovation within ILCA dinghy's production. This collaboration builds on the long-standing sustainability work of both organizations and reflects their shared objective: to reduce the ILCA dinghy's environmental footprint while maintaining the fairness, integrity and legacy of ILCA one-design racing.

Sailing is intrinsically connected to nature, yet the industry and equipment rely heavily on petroleum-based composites with significant carbon impacts. Builders, sailors, and regulators are increasingly seeking sustainable solutions; yet innovation must preserve the class's strict one-design principles to protect fairness and performance while leveraging on the power of the long established legacy of the Class.

Together, ILCA and Greenboats are launching a two-track initiative:

1. Long-term vision - Develop a low-emission ILCA concept that reimagines dinghy construction for the future.

2. Incremental innovation - In the near term, trial sustainable materials on isolated areas of the boat or on smaller components of the equipment with a vision of adopting innovation in a stepped approach.

Greenboats will lead technical research, supply chain, and co-manufacture of prototypes, while ILCA will ensure rigorous lifecycle assessments, compliance with the relevant authorities and alignment with class governance as well as ILCA Approved Builders & Suppliers.

The key functioning pillars for this partnership are:

• Collaboration: ILCA and Greenboats teams will work together to identify, evaluate, engineer and develop solutions and implementation roadmaps for various material replacement initiatives with the ultimate aim to reduce the net emissions of an ILCA dinghy - part by part. This work will expand on what has been researched and documented by masters student Lucca Günther on his Greenboats and ILCA supported Masters Thesis project delivered earlier in 2025.

• Governance alignment: Any proposed innovations will be reviewed to ensure compliance with the ILCA Build Manual and Class Rules and undergo the Class' Approval Processes engaging with its Builders and World Sailing.

• Stakeholder engagement: Builders, sailors, material suppliers, and regulators will be included through initiatives, dedicated stakeholder forums & feedback protocols as to gather real feedback and ensures innovation is relevant and impactful where it really matters. Both ILCA ang Greenboats will keep stakeholders informed via newsletters and appearances at key events.

• Collaboration network: Greenboats will leverage its supplier base and 15 years of biocomposite innovation, while ILCA ensures class-wide coordination and transparency.

Tracy Usher, ILCA President: "By working with Greenboats, we can evolve responsibly - protecting our class's extensive legacy, competitive fairness and longevity while taking meaningful steps toward a sustainable future. ILCA and Greenboats share the same vision of real and meaningful change, driven by facts and measurable data."

Friedrich Deimann, Founder of Greenboats: "We're excited to bring our expertise to the world's most popular dinghy class and show that natural fibres and bio-based resins can perform at the highest level. We welcome suppliers to join us in shaping a more sustainable future for sailing."

How does this impact the ILCA stakeholders?

• Sailors: Confidence that sustainability can be achieved without losing fairness, consistency or performance.

• Builders: A clear pathway to remaining ahead of regulatory mandates by responsible and timely integration of sustainable materials and reducing workforce exposure to solvents and materials that have long been a debate in the industry.

• Suppliers: A platform to showcase and scale innovations in the sailing industry.

• Community & Environment: A tangible reduction in sailing's carbon footprint.

ILCA members and the global sailing community are invited to follow progress, share feedback, and participate in upcoming sustainability webinars. Material suppliers with innovative bio-based solutions are encouraged to contact ILCA or Greenboats for potential collaboration. Initial findings will be presented at upcoming industry events and webinars.

About ILCA

The International Laser Class Association (ILCA) is a self-funded World Sailing Olympic Class organization that coordinates and oversees the ILCA dinghy activities worldwide. With more than 215,000 hulls built across over 140 countries, ILCA represents one of the largest and most accessible fleets in sailing. The Association is committed to upholding the Olympic values and the one-design principle that guarantees fairness across geographies and generations, while embracing social and environmental sustainability to protect the sport's future.

About Greenboats

Greenboats is a German-based pioneer in natural fibre composites, specializing in replacing petroleum-based materials with bio-based resins and renewable fibres. With projects ranging from racing yachts to industrial components, Greenboats is at the forefront of sustainable marine innovation.