Incidence Sails and Aluula

Incidence Sails introduces ALUULA Composites aboard Biotherm in the Ocean Race.

18 May, 2023

Industry leading French sailmaker Incidence Sails introduces ALUULA Composites aboard Biotherm in the around the world Ocean Race. 

We are excited to announce the addition of a new brand partner, Incidence Sails of France, to introduce a new generation of ultra-light, strong, and recycle-ready composite material for use in sailmaking.

After two years of rigorous testing both on and off the water, Incidence Sails is the first to commercialize ALUULA Durlyte, primarily for critical sail reinforcements such as batten pockets, bolt ropes and high wear points such as stanchions and spreaders, but additional applications include decksweepers and sail bags. With 10x the abrasion resistance of competing materials and an extremely low friction surface, ALUULA Durlyte™ is changing what’s possible in both sail design and performance.

Incidence Sails supplied IMOCA Biotherm (Paul Meilhat) race boat with high-performance sails for The Ocean Race, one of sailing’s greatest round-the-world racing challenges. Sailing for weeks on end in open ocean conditions, team Biotherm regularly sailed at speeds of 25-30 knots (55km/hr). With a decksweeper and various critical reinforcements made with ALUULA Durlyte™ on the vessel, the initial applications of this material proved to exceed expectations in these extreme conditions.

“Given the astounding performance impact ALUULA has had on kiteboarding and wingfoiling, sailing is a natural next step. The combination of Durlyte’s extreme abrasion, tear and UV resistance coupled with zero water absorption make it an attractive choice for a technical sail brand such as Incidence Sails in reducing the weight of their sails while greatly improving durability.” ALUULA Composites Director of Partner Innovation and Design, Dave Westwood.

In addition to being an industry leader in performance sail design, Incidence Sails is committed to creating a more sustainable future. As an inherently recycle-ready material, ALUULA Durlyte™ is a key ingredient towards sustainable sailmaking.

About Incidence Sails

For more than 30 years, Incidence Sails has been a leader in sailmaking. Their outstanding track record speaks for itself, with sails supporting the most advanced race boats in the world sailing in the most extreme conditions; such as the Transat Jacques VabreRoute du Rhum, and The Ocean Race. Incidence Sails’ relentless commitment to innovation places them at the center of the largest shipyards. This commitment led them to develop their own offshore racing center, to continue their leadership in the world’s most advanced race boats. Incidence Sails are proud to produce their sails entirely in France. For more information, visit: https://www.incidence-sails.com/