It is up to us, sailors, navigators, racers, and adventurers, to act for the preservation of the oceans, our wonderful playground. Innovations are flourishing, attitudes and habits are changing, and builders and designers are now giving priority to the eco-design of boats and fittings, and to the search for more ecological materials. In this blog we shine a spotlight on the innovative construction technology in the Eco Concept furler range, and say congratulations to Karver Systems for doing their bit for the environment.
Background
French sailing hardware manufacturer, Karver, is well known on the pontoons for the reliability of its products, but they have also had a long-standing commitment to the environment. As far back as 2005 they launched a range of blocks with flax fibre cheeks, and now more than 17 years later they are presenting an Eco Concept Furler range, which received a special mention at the DAME Awards 2021. This is an extension of their very popular KF V3 Furler range which has proved successful on many performance IMOCA 60’s, Transat Jacques Vabre and offshore multihulls.
KF V3 Environmental Credentials
The introduction of Karver’s V3 furlers was a major upgrade packed full of significant enhancements to the well-known KF range. However, this Eco Concept furler, launched in January 2022, goes one important step beyond. The carbon fibre in the drum/wheel has been replaced with linen/flax fibres and bio resins which gives the drum a natural look with limited compromise in performance. By using linen, Karver has chosen to work with a material that is not only natural, but also renewable. Moreover, the French manufacturer has chosen to source linen grown and woven locally in France, thus reducing the ecological impact of its manufacturing process to a minimum.
In addition, Karver have taken the innovative step of creating a moulded stainless steel fork for the drum and swivel. This significantly reduces the amount of waste involved in the manufacturing process but also creates a stronger, more durable fitting. Karver used the Eco Concept furler to develop the production technology for this component and plans to roll it out across the KF V3 range in the future.
The KFEC Range
The Karver KFEC Eco Concept Furler is available in 4 sizes: KFEC1.5, KFEC3.0, KFEC4.5 and KFEC6.0 (where the number reflects the Safe Working Load (SWL) of the unit in tons) which are suitable for code zero and asymmetric spinnaker furling on boats from 30-60ft. The extensive range of KF V3 accessories are compatible with the Eco furlers to provide a complete, integrated furling solution.
Summary
Here is an ecological and eco-responsible product, which is as reliable, durable and lightweight, as its performance-focused cousins, with no increase in price!
The Karver range of KFEC Eco Concept furlers are the right choice for your performance, peace of mind and for the oceans!
If you have any questions about Karver code zero furlers, please feel free to email us at support@upffront.com, or click the link below to see our full range: