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 solution would have been to stretch a piece of fabric over the boom like a tent. However, because the boat is relatively narrow, this would have created only a small usable area underneath. The fabric would slope down too quickly at the sides, leaving limited headroom and little freedom of movement in the cockpit.

A professionally manufactured solution was also considered, but with prices above €800, it was too expensive for the intended purpose.

The objective was therefore to develop a solution that:

• creates a large shaded area

• provides sufficient headroom and usable space

• can be set up and removed quickly

• remains stable while being easy to store

• fits visually with the boat

• can be produced within a reasonable budget

Defined Solution

A freestanding sunshade was developed using flexible tent poles to create a curved supporting structure. This design makes better use of the available space than a piece of fabric stretched directly over the boom.

Custom components were designed and 3D printed to hold and guide the tent 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.

The visual design was also taken into account. The sunshade was personalized with the boat’s name and logo, making it an integral part of the boat rather than a purely functional addition.

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.

The carabiner system allows the sunshade to be installed quickly and easily. At the same time, the entire structure can be stored compactly when it is not needed.

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.

The sunshade has significantly improved the usability of the boat. The cockpit is no longer only a functional area for sailing, but also a comfortable place to relax, eat, and spend time on board.

Technical Design

The structure consists of four main components:

• a custom-sized sunshade

• flexible tent poles for shaping the structure

• 3D-printed holders and connectors

• carabiners for quick attachment to the boat

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The tent poles provide the required tension and create the curved shape of the sunshade. This makes better use of the available cockpit width and maintains more headroom along the sides.

The 3D-printed components connect the individual parts and hold the tent poles at the required angles. The parts were improved iteratively until their fit, tension, and stability met the requirements.

The sunshade is attached to prepared mounting points using carabiners. This allows it to be installed quickly without tools or permanent modifications to the boat.

The development focused on the following requirements:

• even tension across the fabric

• sufficient stability in wind and gusts

• low loads on the attachment points

• compact storage dimensions

• setup by one person

• easy replacement of individual components

Materials and methods used: 3D printing · CAD design · Tent poles · Carabiners · Custom textile sunshade · Prototyping and practical testing