Sunshade for an Esse850
A custom sunshade was developed for a sailboat using tent poles, 3D-printed connectors, and carabiners for attachment. The structure can be set up in less than four minutes, is compact to store, and provides significantly more usable shade than a conventional cover stretched over the boom.
With total costs of around €120, the result is a stable and individually designed alternative to professionally manufactured sunshades, which often cost more than €800.
Initial Situation
As soon as the wind drops, a sailing boat can quickly become uncomfortably hot. Without sufficient shade, the cockpit, seating areas, and deck heat up rapidly, making it difficult to relax on board during sunny conditions.
A simple piece of fabric over the boom would have created only a small usable area on this relatively narrow boat. A professionally manufactured solution was considered, but with prices above €800, it was too expensive for the intended purpose.
The objective was to create a large shaded area with enough headroom that can be set up quickly, remains stable, stores compactly, fits visually with the boat and stays within a reasonable budget.
Defined Solution
A freestanding sunshade was developed using flexible tent poles to create a curved supporting structure. Custom components were designed and 3D printed to hold and guide the poles. Their geometry was adapted specifically to the boat, the required angles, and the intended position of the sunshade.
The sunshade is attached at several points using carabiners. This allows it to be installed and removed without tools or a complex assembly process. The complete setup takes less than four minutes.
Result & Added Value
The finished structure provides a large, protected shaded area on board. Its curved shape creates sufficient headroom in the cockpit and makes it possible to spend time on the boat comfortably, even in strong sunshine.
The construction was tested in gusts of approximately 20 knots and proved to be very stable. Despite its lightweight design, the sunshade, tent poles, and 3D-printed connectors remained securely in position.
With total costs of around €120, the solution is considerably more affordable than a custom-made commercial product. The use of 3D printing made it possible to adapt the necessary components precisely to the boat and the selected design without ordering expensive custom parts.
Technical Design
The structure consists of a custom-sized sunshade, flexible tent poles, 3D-printed holders and connectors, and carabiners for quick attachment to the boat.
Development focused on even fabric tension, sufficient stability in wind, low loads on the mounting points, compact storage, setup by one person and easy replacement of individual components.
Next One
The same idea was later adapted to the proportions and deck layout of a classic Lacustre.
Technologies
- 3D Printing
- CAD
- Tent Poles
- Textile Construction
- Prototyping
Tags
- NiceToHave
- 3D-Print
- Sailing