Around 90 per cent of Dutch boats are made of steel. Our test boat, the Elling E4, is different. The boat builders use so-called "Twaron" for her hull and deck. This fabric is manufactured by AkzoNobel (parent company of Sikkens and International) and is a lightweight synthetic fibre, better known under the brand name Kevlar.
As with glass fibre, resin and hardener are used for bonding. Our test boat shows how well Neptune has mastered this: the surfaces inside and out make a first-class impression, apart from very few gaps in the protective coating. The furniture makers and upholsterers carried out their work with the same care.
The shipyard recommends the open sea (CE category A) as the sailing area. This is an area where you can encounter wind forces of over 8 Bft. and waves of over 4 metres. We didn't have the wave height on the test day, but wind forces of around 7 Bft. also caused our sailing area, the Hollandsdiep near Willemstad, to churn up quite a bit ...
Data sheet Elling E4Shipyard:EllingCE category:AVerdisplacement:14,000 kgType:DisplacerHull and deck: PlasticLength:14.95 mWidth:4.25 mTest engine:1 x Cummins built-in diesel with 313 kW (425 hp) on shaftPrice:550,970 €
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Ralf Marquard
Deputy Editor in Chief BOOTE
