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Carbon Sculls and Sweeps

Sculling and other, indoor rowing, rowing tanks, carbon products, seats, stretchers, riggers, etc., what sets us apart, innovative designs.

Dreher carbon fiber parts are made from premium quality carbon fiber prepreg with all designs done in-house as well as the tooling and manufacturing. Dreher was the innovator for the adjustable oar, use of carbon in the handle, blades, and shafts, and autoclaving of the shafts.

Dreher leads the market with the use of an aerodynamic elliptical shaft, which minimizes drag in the last third of the shaft. In 2016 we began offering the revolutionary tool-free adjustment on all Dreher adjustable sculling oars. This feature allows on-the-water adjustment. The latest feature is a nut locking latch on the nut that moves the sleeve/collar assembly in and out. We offer three styles of sculls and one sweep with the tool-free adjustment and elliptical shaft.

2021 began selling a new Hex Design of foot stretcher design is extremely stiff and light-weight. This Hex Foot Stretcher has three sizes of shoe plates and two heel support plate sizes. The foot stretcher is telescopic and the angle can be adjusted. The height of the plate is adjustable. Within the shoe plate, the splay angle can be adjusted and fixed. The heel support can also be moved up and down to accommodate different shoe sizes. The crossbar length can be changed depending on the width of the boat.

Knowledgeable Staff

With over thirty-nine years in the business, Durham Boat Company’s staff has intimate knowledge about all aspects of the sport. Whether you have questions regarding oars or sculls, indoor rowing tanks, boat hardware, rigging, or general training you will find that Durham Boat Company has answers. We have always been keenly interested in equipping our customers with the best equipment and information available, contact us today and learn more.

Quality Craftsmanship

The superior craftsmanship of our products begins with an in-depth understanding of carbon fiber and the processes in use in the construction of rowing equipment, and the biomechanics, where applicable the aerodynamics and fluid dynamics of parts to ensure the highest performance. Each carbon fiber part/product and 3D printed part used in production is designed and produced on-site in New Hampshire and any mold or mandrel are designed using CAD and other related programs. We strive to create life-long customers by providing them with undeniably superbly built products. See the CAD tip-to-tail view of all of the competition sculls.

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Experience our innovative design & superior performance, latest from the blog.

Efficiency Improvements Part II

On the Drive: In our previous post Efficiency Improvements Part I, we discussed improvements to the Recovery Phase of the stroke to just before the Catch. In this article, we will examine the next phase of the stroke, the Drive. … Read more

Rigging Fundamentals

“Rigging”: is the term used to describe the determination and subsequent adjustment of the outrigger height, pitch (oarlock face inclination from the vertical), spread or span (distance between the pins in sculling or centerline of the boat to the centerline of … Read more

Rowing Efficiency Improvements Using Force Measurement Part III

Introduction: The last two blogs focused first on the Recovery and then on the Drive phases of the stroke cycle. Both use actual boat data-logger force measurement derived data from Impulse (F x t) curves, along with rowing tank real-time impulse and handle speed curves as … Read more

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Carbon fiber accessories for yachts

Exit carbon leader in designs and builds of carbon boat gangways, carbon sailboat steering wheels, carbon bathing ladders and carbon extension tillers.

Dalì Carbon fiber ladder

Mirò Carbon fiber ladder grips

Miro Carbon fiber ladder system

Giotto Carbon fiber ladder system

Orion 120 Carbon steering wheels

Leonardo Carbon fiber ladder grips

Quantum 90 Carbon steering wheels

Arcadia 170 Carbon steering wheels

Alba 220 Carbon fiber solid gangway

Nautilus 160 Carbon steering wheels

Anna 500 Carbon fiber folding gangway

Millenium 100 Carbon steering wheels

Blade System Carbon fiber boat gangway

Diana 450 Carbon fiber folding gangway

Enterprise 180 Carbon steering wheels

Laura 600 Carbon fiber folding gangway

Aurora 216 Carbon fiber folding gangway

Elisa 550 Carbon fiber folding gangway

Libera 285 Carbon fiber folding gangway

Allegra 350 Carbon fiber folding gangway

Helios 32 Carbon fiber sun awnings poles

Helios 38 Carbon fiber sun awnings poles

Helios 60 Carbon fiber sun awnings poles

Helios 80 Carbon fiber sun awnings poles

Turner Carbon self-levelling boarding ladders

Ø 32 TO Ø 80 mm 

Carbon sun awning system specially designed for small to medium boats.

2.2 TO 6 METERS

Solid and folding carbon fiber gangways for small yachts to cruising ships

We build the best quality boat accessories in carbon composites

PRODUCT CATEGORIES

CARBON GANGWAYS

CARBON SUN AWNINGS POLES

CARBON LADDER SYSTEM

CARBON STEERING WHEELS

CARBON ACCESSORIES

Our articles.

Exit Carbon introduces Naked Carbon™

By Chiara Ripamonti | 2024-06-24T13:08:08+02:00 24 June 2024 | Categories: News Article |

Elevating Performance, Redefining Style! Exit Carbon leads the industry [...]

Exit Carbon at Boot 2024

By Chiara Ripamonti | 2024-01-18T08:54:32+01:00 18 January 2024 | Categories: News , News Article | Tags: boat , boot , carbon , exitcarbon , exitengineering , marine , messe , newproducts. news , yachts |

Exit Carbon presents at Boot 2024 its high-end [...]

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TRADE OPERATOR SHIPYARD

SERVICE LONG LIFE REFIT

EXIT Engineering designs and builds ultra high-end carbon fiber accessories for yachts. We stand behind everything we do with materials that are above and beyond industry standards, tracking production processes to ensure quality, guarantees for our products’ performance, quick and consistent delivery times, superior after-sale service. When the world’s best manufacturers of mid-range to super-yachts need something exceptional, they look for EXIT CARBON products. An increasing number of high-end yachts are equipped with EXIT CARBON accessories and a growing number of sailing teams and naval architects ask to work with us. Our products are better, stronger, lighter, and have a more perfect carbon fiber finish than anyone else’s.

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Masts and Booms

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Improve sailing performance

With forte’s super durable carbon masts and booms.

Forte masts and booms are manufactured using 4-Axis Continuous Fiber Braided Technology originally developed for military applications requiring “super durability” – the ability to withstand bullet shots and to resist spread of damage.

Why Buy A Forte Carbon Fiber Mast?

Forte also uses proprietary process control computers to strategically place and braid each carbon fiber strand directly onto a precisely engineered mandrel. The finished mast is then consolidated and cured at high temperature.

Save Weight Aloft

A Forte carbon fiber mast weighs about half that of an aluminum mast. Weight savings aloft translates into increased righting moment and reduced pitching moment. In heavier winds, your boat will pitch less in chop. Increased righting moment means you can keep more sail up and/or sail with less crew under any heavier conditions.

Yes a carbon mast can be affordable! Our automated manufacturing process allows us to manufacture carbon spars with less hands-on labor than other manufacturers. This means lower cost for you. Also, with some aluminum extrusions becoming scarce along with the labor to have the extrusion tapered…You may be surprised how affordable a Forte carbon spar can be.

Double Life Expectancy

Carbon fiber masts require less maintenance than aluminum masts; carbon fiber does not corrode, and paint flaking associated with aluminum masts does not occur. And, because softer (i.e., lower modulus) aluminum masts are subject to greater fatigue than carbon fiber masts, a Forte carbon fiber mast has at least double the life expectancy.

Transfer Power Efficiently

Power created by your sails is transferred by your mast to your hull. Softer aluminum masts lose some of this power because of bending, flexing and vibration. Due to greater strength and stiffness, a carbon fiber mast efficiently transfers the power from the wind into forward sailing momentum for greater speed.

Meeting Every Requirement

Forte carbon fiber masts are engineered to meet your exact requirements. Your mast can be built straight or tapered, to your specified weight or stiffness. Localized reinforcements (additional material) are laminated into the spar at areas of high stress and locations of any hardware or holes in the spar wall.

Spars can be ordered as a blank (bare carbon tubing) or a fully finished and painted mast.

We build OEM masts for manufactures such as:

• Classic Boat Shop
• Zim Sailing

Whether Cruising or Racing

You can expect your forte carbon mast to improve your boat’s sailing performance..

Order Online   Contact Us Today!

what they’re saying

The carbon fiber tubing we use in the Mosquito Air Helicopter has proven to be very reliable and strong. Forte offers a good product at a very reasonable price.

Before and during the 2002/2003 Around Alone race, we broke every type and every brand of sail batten you can imagine. This is one thing about Ocean Planet’s unstayed (freestanding) mast, that it is very tough on battens. However, for the end of the Around Alone and for the Vendee, we are using custom braided S-glass/carbon fiber battens by Forte… Forte battens are incredible, and it is so nice not to have to worry about battens anymore.

Thanks for the awesome new mast for Strummer. It’s made a huge difference; she’s a much better boat, definitely stiffer and faster. We took 2nd (Class IV) in this year’s (2007) Bermuda 1-2. Lots of days in the 25-30 knot range. No problems with the rig at all.

My Forte mast is fantastic. It is light and extremely strong… two gales in the Bay of Biscay and three flying gybes (thanks to autopilot malfunctions) with the spinnaker up, and each time it came through unscathed. ACADIA Once I gybed in 30 knots of wind 2 miles from the finish with a full main and broke one of the running backstays, so no backstays on downwind… no problems.

Strong, light and fairly priced ~ a good value! That’s what our clients tell us about their Forte poles. And we appreciate having a reliable source of spinnaker poles to meet our clients’ expectations.

I would like to thank you, Tony and all the crew at Forte for the great service and excellent product. As you know, we were without a supplier for a mast, spirit and spinnaker pole for the new Rocket, and your company was the only one with a “can do!!”attitude. Right from helping us to pick the correct mandrel, creating the laminate schedule, to helping us construct the first mast, you went beyond the call of duty. We were nervous that the mast would be too stiff, and had lots of “nay sayers”, but when we set the rig up and went for our first sail, it was just what we were looking for!! Keep up the great work!!

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Carbon Fiber Boatbuilding

• By Chris Caswell
• Updated: July 14, 2016

Like the word stealth, carbon fiber has crept into our modern language, and you’ll find its distinctive black diamond pattern on everything from clipboards to refrigerators. It is an absolutely crucial material in the F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft, but probably not so essential in the glove-box door of your SUV. Carbon fiber has become a trendy decorating item.

Fiberglass was once heralded as the miracle material for boats, and it did, indeed, take a bite out of wooden-boat construction. Though it revolutionized boat construction, it didn’t quite prove to be the no-maintenance material originally promised (laughter in the wings), but it was a major step forward. There was a time, more recently, when Kevlar was touted as the be-all and end-all for composite boat construction.

Today, the magic words are carbon fiber. You’re going to see them bandied around by builders and dealers (and a few snake-oil salesmen) as the material hastening a new revolution. But is it really one?

Well, the absolute definitive answer is yes — and no. Carbon fiber has some wonderful properties, but it also brings higher costs and a few downsides. We got to experience it firsthand aboard the Paragon Super Sport 28 from Carbon Marine. Here’s what we found.

The Carbon Upsides We all know that fiberglass is a composite made from strands of glass that are woven into fabrics and reinforced with resin to create hulls and decks. Carbon fiber simply replaces those glass strands with filaments of carbon. On the chemical side, carbon crystals are shaped like honeycombs, and they align naturally into long, flat ribbons, which are then woven into a matrix much like a coarse fiberglass cloth is.

In the case of the Paragon Super Sport 28, the carbon-fiber matrix is bonded with high-quality vinylester resin, which is essentially what aircraft (Boeing) and car (Lamborghini) manufacturers are using in their high-performance products, as do high-end boatbuilders such as Viking Yachts.

Why carbon fiber? This is a three-word answer: lighter, stronger, stiffer. These are the qualities that have endeared carbon fiber to the aerospace, automotive and military industries. Here’s a breakdown of those attributes.

Lighter: In simple terms, if you can build an object in carbon fiber — whether a boat, car or airplane — that is lighter than a similar object in fiberglass, you’ll get more speed and better fuel efficiency. Carbon fiber has a strength-to-weight ratio about twice that of the S-glass used in most boats. That translates into the same strength at half the weight of fiberglass, or twice the strength at the same weight.

Stronger: Carbon fiber is stronger than fiberglass, so it adds extra strength to the equation, which is why the driver of the first McLaren carbon-fiber Formula One race car walked away from a major crash when the car’s surrounding “tub” saved him. A material that is stronger also allows builders to use less of it to achieve the original strength, and once again, lighter is faster and more efficient.

If you build a boat that is lighter with equal strength, you’ll spend less time at the gas dock and more time fishing or doing whatever it is you like to do while boating. Running the Super Sport 28, we saw 2 mpg at 51 mph, so Paragon owners shouldn’t count on Christmas cards from their fuel suppliers.

Stiffer: Stiffness is the last trait of carbon fiber, which has a modulus of stiffness about six times that of E-glass, an upgraded fiberglass used in boatbuilding. In real-world boating use, that stiffness translates into a hull that doesn’t “oil can” (flex at high speeds) or warp when it sits on a trailer.

Strength is obviously desirable, especially when it comes with the bonuses of lightness and stiffness. All these features are valuable assets when building a boat and make carbon fiber the new buzzword. You already see it in accessories.

Taco Marine launched a new line of carbon-fiber sport-fishing outriggers, which promptly won an Innovation Award at the 2016 Miami International Boat Show. Product development manager Jose Chao notes there was a learning process to take advantage of the material, but he adds: “Carbon fiber outriggers are an easy choice — they’re lighter, stiffer and stronger. We don’t need to use spreaders to support them, and with the growth of electric reels and big teasers, fishermen put a bigger load than ever on the riggers, and they handle it easily.” Taco makes 16- and 20-foot outriggers but, due to the spiral wrapping design, Chao adds, “We have to educate our clients as to what proper carbon fiber looks like.”

The Downsides Every silver lining has a dark cloud, and carbon fiber has a few, the first being higher cost. One manufacturer estimated the price of commercial-grade carbon-fiber composites to range from $5 to $20 per pound, depending on the variables, while fiberglass ran from $1.50 to $3. Some of that cost differential is mitigated by the fact that you use less carbon fiber (by weight) than fiberglass to build a boat, but the hard reality is that carbon fiber is a considerably more expensive material.

Do you need that extra cost? For a Formula One car, speed is measured in ounces saved, so it clearly makes sense — for a boat to take your family on an afternoon outing, perhaps not so much. However, you can’t disregard the “cool” factor. Those thousand-dollar rims on your SUV don’t make one iota of difference in speed — but they look great, and so does a carbon-fiber hull, as long as the builder uses clear gelcoat like Carbon Marine does. With colored gelcoat (as used by Yellowfin Yachts on its carbon-fiber models), you need to look places, such as under the gunwale, or in the bilge or engine bay, to see the black-fiber pattern.

Carbon fiber is also fairly inflexible, which makes it unsuitable for products that need to flex such as skis and helicopter blades. Baseball bats and boat bottoms are another thing, however, and you want these to be rigid. That inflexibility leads to one issue: Fiberglass will often warn of an impending failure by fracturing, whereas carbon fiber has a reputation for what engineers call “catastrophic failure.” That means that everything is fine right up to the instant when it breaks. That, of course, is not as much of an issue in a well-designed boat, but it’s still something to consider.

Another surprising downside to carbon fiber in boats is that it conducts electricity. Hook a battery to the stern of a carbon-fiber boat, wire up a lightbulb at the bow, and the bulb will light without wires. That makes construction more complex for builders because they need to insulate everything from the carbon-fiber structure.

It’s an issue also faced with steel yachts, so it’s easily manageable, and the American Boat and Yacht Council addresses carbon fiber in a technical bulletin (E-11) that essentially says to insulate anything that has power coming or going. Insulation should be used with everything, from electronics to something as simple as a switch panel, to prevent electricity from reaching the carbon fiber. That includes special care around through-hull fittings in salt water because salt water becomes an electrolyte that can lead to damaging corrosion and electrolysis.

Communication is another thing. While fiberglass is transparent to wireless signals, carbon fiber (like steel and aluminum) can reduce a Wi-Fi signal by up to 95 percent, according to Raymarine, which suggests taking care to separate electronics from carbon fiber by at least 4 inches to eliminate any ground effect that would inhibit the signals. It also recommends testing each area before drilling holes (which is good advice to heed anytime).

Carbon fiber also requires more skill in craftsmanship simply because of its color. Carbon fiber is black, so when a crew lays up carbon fiber, they have to be alert to spot any bubbles as the resin wets out, which can easily be seen in white fiberglass materials.

So there you have a look at carbon fiber. With it, you’ll get a boat that is faster, more economical, stiffer and lighter, plus has a better cruising range. And, if Carbon Marine is the new standard, an all-carbon-fiber boat also gives you an edge in having the newest and coolest boat around.

The Carbon Marine Paragon Super Sport 28 The Paragon Super Sport 28 from Carbon Marine is fast (high 70s in mph), super-strong, light (4,500 pounds with fuel) and drop-dead gorgeous. At the launch ramp, two men in a hot Tahoe stopped to take pictures, a guy in a new Corvette pulled in to scope it out, and even the Fish and Wildlife guys came over.

But here’s the thing: With the carbon-fiber fabric plainly visible under the clear gelcoat, everyone had to run their fingers along the hull. Owners of hot offshore powerboats with $30,000 paint jobs will be mightily irked that a Paragon gets more attention.

Pushed by a Seven Marine 627 hp supercharged outboard that looks like Darth Vader’s helmet, we hit 74 mph in early tests, even though we were seeing lots of propeller slippage despite changing props. This boat is so light and strong that no one knew how much prop bite was needed. Dialed in, I’d expect this boat to hit the low 80s.

A beautifully handcrafted center console, the Paragon is spare-no-expense first class, from the electric head in the spacious helm console to the gorgeous bright-red upholstery and more JL speakers than I could count. Where the gelcoat isn’t transparent to show the carbon fibers, it glitters silver from the aluminum powder in the gelcoat, and the SeaDek flooring provides traction and a cushy surface.

Underway, this is a waterborne rocket ship with impeccable manners. A touch of engine trim (on the Uflex wheel with paddle controls), and the boat runs fast and hot. We found a big trawler digging a hole and ran through its tall wake at 70-plus mph. Nothing happened — no slamming, noise nor sore knees. We went back and turned in the wake without chine-walking or control issues. We threw it sideways off the wake. The Paragon landed flat and soft and arrowed away. Even better, we were getting an astounding 2 mpg at 51 mph. At 74 mph, we recorded 1.2 mpg.

This boat ain’t cheap, but neither is a Lamborghini. This is about speed, looks and uncompromising quality. I loved it.

High Points *Drop-dead gorgeous from the carbon fiber visible in the hull and console, plus the silver shavings in the gelcoat that added sparkle. *Grab rails are everywhere for safety, along with padded coamings, bolstered seats and SeaDek flooring for comfort underfoot. *Incredibly fuel-efficient — even flat out, it gets better than 1 mpg. *Super-strong Armstrong outboard bracket is perfectly braced on the transom.

Low Points *Trim tabs are too high for good “bite.” (The builder is moving them.) *Expensive, although much of the price is the $100,000 Seven Marine outboard.

Price: $345,000

Cars, Planes and Boats Carbon fiber is not new to performance vehicles. Check out some of its uses in other forms of exotic transportation.

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Upgrade Your Instrument Panel with Carbon Fiber for Marine Interiors

What better way to enhance a boat or yacht than with a carbon fiber control panel or dash? Our satin finish has a subtle sophistication and is popular with boat owners because its non-reflective finish greatly reduces sun glare.

The uses of carbon fiber go way beyond the bridge. Optimized carbon components are extremely strong and durable, and they´re able to reduce the total weight by up to 75% when compared to parts made of wood or metal. They usually require almost no maintenance, helping save on maintenance costs.

Whether you’re covering an existing panel with a carbon fiber veneer or replacing the entire panel with structural carbon fiber to support screens, gauges, and switches, we can help upgrade your control panel with a sleek, high-tech look.

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Unsinkable Boats With Style

An innovative boat builder that makes high performance, collared, aluminum boats with industry-leading safety features came to us for carbon fiber dash panels and interior surfaces.

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Experienced Composite Marine Manufacturers

Offshore Spars has helped clients searching for high-quality composite spars and superyacht structures that they can depend on in any situation. We became a pioneer in carbon fiber composite manufacturing and have been refining those skills ever since. By delivering optimized solutions rooted in innovation, collaboration, and premier craftsmanship, we can assist our clients in achieving their goals while also standing in stark contrast to our competition.

Spars and Rigging Precision Engineering

Masts, booms, poles, rigging, marine hardware and accessories.

Comprehensive Marine Services

We provide an extensive range of in-house and on-site services, including painting, parts replacement, rigging, and maintenance. As your trusted service provider, our goal is to ensure your swift return to the water, prioritizing safety and quality above all.

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Premium Marine Supplies

Offshore Spars is committed to supporting sailors and marine enthusiasts of all levels, from amateurs to professionals. We have established trusted relationships with leading industry-recognized brands to provide you with the optimal solutions for your marine needs.

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What our clients are saying about their experience.

Offshore Spars is our go-to vendor for carbon spars. Their quality is top notch and I can wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone needing a new spar.

We have had great experiences working with the team at Offshore Spars over the years. The attention to detail and the responsiveness to all of our needs has led to a great relationship. They have a great product and are fantastic to work with.

Great product, great service and an involved and caring company.

Brooklin Boat Yard is very pleased to partner with Offshore Spars as our supplier for high quality custom carbon rigs for our custom yachts. Quality to us, as well as Offshore Spars, means not only high performance, but also pleasing aesthetics and the best functionality. These factors result in a happy customer.

Let's talk about your next project. Reach out to us today to get started.

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