The Rotterdam-based startup company RAW Idea has unveiled a new 3D-printed boat that is designed to make the hobby more sustainable and accessible for customers.

Tech to make owning a boat more sustainable and affordable

Living in the Netherlands, it’s fairly likely that you’ve sat down to enjoy sunny summer’s day, hoping to make the most of the (fleeting) warm weather, and have thought to yourself “today would be a great day to be on a boat.” 

The reality is that, while cruising along the canals in Amsterdam - or any other Dutch city - is a lovely way to pass the time when the weather is nice, it can also be a costly excursion. Either you have to go through the hassle of renting a boat (that’s if you manage to snag one in time), or you have to own your own. One startup company in Rotterdam is hoping to change that, and has turned its attention to innovative technology in order to make owning a boat more accessible and sustainable. 

Dutch company unveils 3D-printed canal boats

RAW Idea recently unveiled their brand new 3D-printed boats which, according to the creators, retail at around half the price of a traditional boat of the same size. The smallest models - the Tanaruz DS - are between 4,5 and 7,5 metres long, with prices starting from 15.000 euros. The company hopes that, in time, the prices will drop as production is scaled up.

Using the company’s app, customers are also able to customise their order, picking out the colour and design of their boat before they buy it. The boats are printed using recycled plastics, making them a more sustainable alternative to the conventional canal boats and mini yachts, but also exceedingly durable. 

"We aim to reconnect with nature, quality time, and most importantly, the environment,” the company says on the Tanaruz website. “With our advanced 3D printing technology and recyclable materials, the boats can be shredded and reprinted so nothing goes to waste.

Images via Tanaruz.