Important News! Fareast Boats approved as new licensed ILCA builder

10th August 2023, Fareast receives an exhilarating announcement from the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) that the company has successfully completed the detailed builder certification process and has received approval from both ILCA and World Sailing technical departments to undertake production. Approval of Fareast boats comes in accordance with World Sailing’s Olympic Equipment Policy and boats manufactured by Fareast are legal for use in ILCA sanctioned events. This significant milestone injects new vitality into Fareast.

Originally known as the Laser, the ILCA dinghy is a single-handed racing dinghy and is a single-handed Olympic class boat for both men and women. It is the world’s most popular and youth racing sailboat.

In order to facilitate the further development of the ILCA class, the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) has gradually opened the opportunity for composite-material boat manufacturers worldwide to apply for class-legal boat builder status since 2019. As a result, the construction of ILCA dinghy is unified under the class and the boats’ geographical distribution limitation was broken, both of which are great-push for ILCA’s global supply, and the development of ILCA events on a wider scale.

The construction process of ILCA Dinghy is subject to strict requirements, with specified standards for materials like resin, fibers, and components. Therefore, in the application process for becoming an authorized builder, there are at least 7 stages to undergo, with multiple evaluations required to obtain final authorization. The ILCA evaluation panel consists of representatives of the existing builders, ILCA and and independent experts (as deemed necessary by ILCA).

For the ILCA sailboats constructed by Fareast, the evaluation panel provided the following assessment: "Accuracy and good lamination were observed during the visit. We saw good control of the factory conditions, high accuracy and detail in the mat cutting, with minimal waste and your lamination team does a very good job of precision and accurate lamination with good consolidation. Which means, that in terms of your GRP technical skills, ILCA is very satisfied."

Yan Haiyan, the R&D Manager of Fareast expressed his thoughts on the "belated milestone": "Becoming an authorized builder for the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) is an important milestone for us. We have put in nearly three years of effort for this. It is not easily achieved. This is a recognition of our team's hard work and the result of our continuous pursuit of excellence. We will continue to provide high-quality sailboats and enable more people to enjoy the fun of ILCA Dinghy by improving efficiency and reducing costs."

Next, Fareast will explore new sales models for ILCA dinghies on a global scale and work towards reducing the cost of ILCA Dinghy through ongoing efficiency improvements. Besides providing refined services for professional racing teams, Fareast will also support sailing clubs in organizing ILCA related events, aiming to offer the joy of ILCA Dinghy to more individual customers.

Fareast becoming an approved builder for ILCA Dinghy signifies its important position and reputation in the global sailing market. The global supply mode for ILCA sailboats will bring both opportunities and challenges to Fareast. The company will continue its dedication by providing excellent sailboat products to meet the diverse needs of sailing enthusiasts. We look forward to seeing ILCA Dinghy shining with new vitality in the global market.