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12 Mar 2008  -  Netherlands

Olympic sailing boat

© DSM Composite Resins

DSM Composite Resins has announced on March 05 it has developed technology that will optimise performance of the Dutch Olympic sailing team’s 470 class racing dinghy at this summer’s Beijing games.

The revolutionary technique is being trialled to make the boats’ hulls stronger, lighter and more stable than ever before. DSM’s technology increases the rigidity of the boat by 120%, makes it 200% stronger and reduces its weight by 2,5%. It will also minimise energy loss for maximum speed and reduce swing, which could prove decisive in the short waves characteristic of the China coastal waters, where Olympic sailing will take place.

Over the past twelve months Dutch Olympic sailing team members Marcelien De Koning and Lobke Berkhout have been training intensively with a prototype of the new boat. 'The new Olympic boat offers the best of two worlds: a perfectly moulded shape with exactly the right stiffness, which can bring speed benefits. This combination was previously not available. "We are very glad we have the opportunity to sail this boat," said De Koning. 

DSM’s engineers optimised the standard certified hull for the 470 class by adding the new special resin for extra stiffness and weight reduction in the polyester laminate. DSM used the new gelcoat Neogel Eco that reduced the weight in the coating layer with 15%. Neogel Eco is a low VOC gelcoat specially formulated to have 25% less styrene content than conventional formulations. Not only does this result in a healthier workshop environment but it also improves yield as less material is used and the styrene evaporation is less.

In addition, DSM created a special combination of glass fibre and polyester resin that makes the hull extremely stiff and strong. It then built up the laminate layers through the new application method to reduce swing.

The sailing innovations represent a new milestone in the series of innovations DSM is developing for the Olympic Games in August in close collaboration with the athletes, the Dutch Olympic Committee and Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF). Previously, DSM has created innovations in the fields of sports nutrition and materials, including cooling systems that will help the athletes to regulate their body temperature in the hot weather of China.

DSM and sports
Sport is about performing at a top level, day in, day out. About passion, ambition, wanting to be the best, about continuous improvement and teamwork. As such, sport embodies a number of DSM's core values. Innovation is one of the main spearheads of DSM's strategic course, with its focus on Life Sciences and Materials Sciences, and it is equally important in the world of sports: innovations in the fields of nutrition and materials can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Innovation is our Sport(TM) is therefore an apt title for DSM's program in the field of sports.

DSM and NOC*NSF have been 'Partners in Sport' since 2001. In the run-up to Beijing 2008, DSM has stepped up its efforts in the field of sports and innovation even further in the hope of making a major contribution to the success of the Dutch Olympic team during the Summer Games of 2008.

About DSM Composite Resins
DSM Composite Resins is part of DSM Resins - a group within the Performance Materials cluster of DSM - and is the largest producer of structural resins in Europe and a technology leader in resins for the boatbuilding industry. The company is expanding globally, especially in China, targeting high added-value segments. Customers are supported via dedicated Competence and Expertise Centers and served via Euroresins, the company owned European FRP distribution business. Since DSM Composite Resins is also the global market leader in Sizings & Binders, vital functional and performance components used in the production of glass fiber reinforcements; DSM can claim unique competencies throughout the composites value chain.

Source : DSM Composite Resins