Shipyards Directory

sardine boats

boat builder Saint-Hilaire-de-Chaléons, France

Sardine Boats is a small artisanal boatyard in Loire-Atlantique, France, run by Allel Behidj, specialising in one-off transportable boats built in plywood-epoxy and composite. The yard designs and builds folding and demountable trimarans of the Sardine Run range, catamarans, small sailing plates, sea kayaks and an electric launch, offered ready to sail, semi-finished, in kit form or as plans for amateur builders. It also carries out wood and composite repairs on craft ranging from 1950s wooden canoes to 60-foot carbon IMOCAs, either on site or in the workshop. Training courses in plywood-epoxy construction, vacuum bagging and polyester composite work round out the activity.

Sardine Boats

Sardine Boats is an artisanal design, construction and repair business based in Loire-Atlantique, France, between vineyards and the ocean. The yard focuses on one-off transportable boats in wood and composite, accompanying owners and amateur builders from the drawing board to launch. Boats are offered turnkey, semi-finished (assembled hull and floats), in kit form, or as plans, with optional build-support packages.

Services

  • Custom one-off construction of small sailing and motor craft in plywood-epoxy, glass, basalt and carbon
  • Kits, semi-finished hulls and study/build plans for amateur builders (kayak plans from €100; Sardine Run 19 plans €350; Sardine Run 23 plans €600)
  • Build-accompaniment formulas, including a kit with three days of on-site construction support
  • Wood and composite repairs on all types of boats, on site or in the workshop
  • Project management and prototype or model construction
  • Training courses: plywood-epoxy construction initiation (2 days, €320), vacuum-bagging initiation (1 day, €250), polyester composite work and repair (2 days, €320), build-project preparation (1 day, €300), and a 5-day Sardinette dinghy build
  • Second-hand boat listings

Facilities

  • Workshop able to receive transportable boats up to 14 m long and 2.90 m wide
  • Stitch-and-glue plywood construction, hand lay-up and vacuum-bag lamination
  • Use of basalt fibre fabrics (Basaltex satin 300 g/m², bi-axial 450 g/m²) with Gurit SP106 epoxy

Vessel Types

  • Folding and demountable trimarans: Sardine Run 5m50, Sardine Run 16, Sardine Run 19, Sardine Run 20, Sardine Run 23
  • Catamaran concept: Sardine Twinn 8m (Canal du Midi gauge, demountable)
  • Small sail and motor craft: Flouka 4m85 plate (no longer offered for build), Sardinette dinghy/tender, Family Scow
  • Sea kayaks: Quarter Cask 3m03, Ribka 4m84, Dòbhran 5m00, Slàinte 5m30, Ribba 5m50, Corryvreckan 5m50
  • Blue Pearl, a 6m95 electric launch inspired by Venetian taxis, designed with Romain Scolari Design and Perus Yacht Design
  • Repairs undertaken from 1950s wooden canoes to 60-foot carbon IMOCAs

Location

  • Sardine Boats, Mr Allel Behidj, ZA la Maison Bertin, 44680 St Hilaire de Chaléons, France
  • Telephone: 06 66 51 18 71