Titanium & Sailing
Titanium is a metal that is extremely compatible with the sea as is proved by its use in the production of submarines and its offshore applications.
Titanium components installed on yachts do not suffer corrosion and thus maintain their original appearance over time. These components never wear out. When used on the botton of the hull, titanium tends not to get covered in seaweed or fouled. This problem can be even further reduced with suitable coatings or with alloys containing small quantities of copper.
It's resistance to attack derives from the great stability of the passive protection of the extremely thin, tenacious and highly protective surface film of oxide which forms especially well when the oxidising nature of the surroundings increases. If the surface oxide of titanium is scratched or damaged, it can immediately reconstruct itself in the presence of air or water.
It is not magnetic and does not become fragile, even at very low temperatures. It is 'democratically' distributed in various continents and is therefore not a rare metal. It is, however, a material with uncompetitive initial costs; the production processes required to put it in a usable state and form are still rather expensive, but without doubt, it offers the lowest running and maintenance costs and always comes out cheapest over an entire lifecycle. It has a warm and attractive appearance and is available in a wide range of surface finishes: satin, semi-gloss, mirror, in its natural silvery colour or in the different hues given by its oxides. It is biocompatible, hypoallergenic and ecological as it can be totally recycled.
Due to its various properties, it can also be used in the sectors of design, fashion, furnishing and art.
Titanium, therefore, is used to fly and to descend into the depths of the sea, to heal, to create strength, to make people dream and to make their dreams come true.
Just one thing.
Any element, even the most banal, which is mounted on a yacht has been sized according to its function and the material it is made of. Make sure, therefore, that the parts in titanium are not copies of pre-existing parts in steel, but the outcome of re-engineering work in order to add value to the qualities of this material.