Carbon fiber buys its way onboard

First used in one-off yacht and powerboat designs, where cost is no obstacle in the search for a performance edge in local regattas or around-the-world races, carbon fiber has since carved a niche in categories that were once the exclusive reserve of glass-reinforced composites, metals or wood. In applications as diverse as production powerboats and luxury megayachts, high-end boatbuilders are employing carbon in sophisticated component designs