The Top 3D Printing Applications in Water Sports

Summer has been here for a few weeks now, and it seems that everyone is leaving on vacation as we all have our minds set on sea, sandy beaches and well-deserved rest. What’s more, the 2024 Olympic Games are about to get underway, heralding some intense sporting days ahead. It’s for these two reasons that today we bring you this article dedicated to the use of 3D printing in water sports. Whether it’s surfing, windsurfing, swimming or kayaking, 3D technologies offer considerable advantages in the sector: reduced manufacturing time, customization of accessories, improved performance, etc. It also helps reduce the environmental impact of these sports, a particularly important point these days. We’d like to take a look back at a few projects that combine 3D printing and water sports – although of course this list is by no means exhaustive. Have a great summer!

Innovating One of the Most Popular Water Sports With 3D Printing: Surfing

WYVE

Founded in 2019 by two engineer, surfer friends, WYVE is a French start-up that relies on additive manufacturing to design surfboards. It uses material extrusion to produce the core of surfboards. The core incorporates a lattice structure to enable the mechanical parameters to be changed from one board to another. Depending on the level of surfing and use of the board, WYVE will play with the thickness and density of the print to produce a tailor-made product, whether in terms of vibration, weight, torsion and so on. This is where additive manufacturing truly shows its value. Today, the French company offers several board models that it can deliver to around ten countries.

YUYO

YUYO, an innovative company based in the south of France, has developed what it claims to be the first sustainable 3D-printed surfboards. They seek to solve the surfer’s paradox by offering boards that respect the environment and the oceans. Leveraging large-format 3D printing and advances in bio-composite materials, YUYO manufactures boards from natural or recycled materials. Their 3D printing filament is made entirely from plastic waste. YUYO also uses natural basalt fiber and a linseed oil-based biosourced resin. Additive manufacturing makes it possible to create customized boards on demand, in a responsible manner, thus contributing to the preservation of aquatic ecosystems.