Centaur has landed

In an age of progressive maritime technology, where Ellen MacArthur can use the latest technology to help her set a new round-the-world record, it’s clear that complementary industries could benefit from the advances that modern materials and hull design can offer.

Such thinking has seemingly been taken up by the traditional seaplane market with one UK company looking to break away from tried-and-tested thinking by adopting composites and marine technology to produce lighter, stronger seaplanes, which could operate in rougher weather and have greater access to shore berths around the world.

Seaplane design, according to James Labouchere, managing director of Salisbury-based Warrior (Aero Marine) has changed little since the 1930s and manufacturing technology is out of the 1940s. He explained that current seaplane designs use a mixture of bulbous noses, proud forebodies and pronounced ridges that seriously affect aerodynamic and hydrodynamic efficiency. But while seaplane design has stood still, marine designs have altered to the extent that the average speed of fast ferries has doubled in the past 20 years, while trimarans and catamarans have broken every available off-shore sailing record.