Future Fibres' Lightning Mitigation Technology wins DAME Design Award for security and safety aboard
by Future Fibres 23 Nov 2023 00:43 PST
Future Fibres is proud to announce its recognition in the DAME Design Awards at Metstrade 2023, the world's largest trade exhibition of marine equipment, materials and systems.
Winning in the Security and Safety Aboard category, the DAME Jury acknowledged the ground-breaking design of LiMit Collars - a solution which mitigates lightning damage to composite rigging on yachts.
Instances of lighting damage onboard yachts are steadily increasing, and, as global warming intensifies, the frequency of lightning strikes is projected to increase by 12% with every degree of temperature change—that is 50% before the end of the century.
Lightning strikes pose an escalating threat to marine safety and equipment integrity. LiMit Collars directly address this concern by providing high-conductivity, seamless fuse structures at critical areas where electrical current arcs between carbon fibre and metallic rigging parts, thereby absorbing current and mitigating damage at each conical end fitting.
Future Fibres General Manager Jonathan Duval:
"I am hugely proud of the team. Winning this award is a testament to our dedication to innovation, reliability, safety, and all-round customer care. LiMit Collars are giving our customers peace of mind and helping them enjoy their yachts to the full. Our R&D team has spent more than seven years researching the effects of lightning on modern yachts to bring this landmark product to market. A special mention must go to the core lightning team - Research and Development Manager, Juanjo De La Cuesta, Group Chief Engineer, Steve Young, and Southern Spars Design Office Manager, Russell Salmon - but there are countless others who have been instrumental."
LiMit Collars offer a lightweight, retrofittable, and inspectable system that integrates seamlessly with existing rigging without compromising on aesthetics. Backed by extensive testing, the R&D project included exposure to 200kA and 2 MJ/ohm in simulated lightning strike conditions, adhering to rigorous EUROCAE ED-84A aerospace standards in Europe's leading certified labs.
Further to the product's obvious benefit to owners and crews, the DAME Design Awards Jury highlighted its ability to be easily removed for post-strike inspection and replacement as a key design feature.
LiMit Collars now come as standard with the world's most popular composite rigging (ECsix) on all rigs above 100 feet and are retrofittable for all other Future Fibres customers.
LiMit Collars are a product of a wider research collaboration into the effects of lightning covering both rig and rigging systems by Southern Spars, Hall Spars and Future Fibres. To find out more, please contact