TEXTILES.ORG
IZIBoat®, a shipbuilding and repair company in La Rochelle, France, has created a foldable catamaran that users can assemble in 15 minutes—without the need for tools or screws.
The boat is about the length of a car and the width of a bicycle, making it compact and easy to transport behind an electric bike or car. It can be equipped with an electric motor and sail at speeds of up to 15 knots (17 mph) on open water. The sails are made from 240-gram (8.5-ounce), durable polyester and roll in and out of the boat’s mast.
The seat, which is made of UV- and abrasion-resistant Serge Ferrari Batyline mesh, can hold up to four people or a maximum weight of 270 kilograms (595 pounds).
Once everything is in place, it is launched using two removable wheels that are stored behind the seat, and once it’s in the water, the rudders are lowered.
Steering the boat is done by pivoting a joystick, so any adult can operate IZIBoat, regardless of sailing experience. And, like larger boats, it can be anchored or moored with its sails rolled up.
Francois Tissier, creator of IZIBoat, was inspired to design the boat after 25 years of sailing. He envisioned a water vehicle that combined the stability of a catamaran, the ease of transport of a windsurfing board and the steering of a car.
The estimated delivery of the class D boats is spring 2024.