High-Performance Carbon Composite Structures Proven in Antarctica
- 14 hours ago
- 2 min read
15 February 2026. The Rapido 53XS, Picomole, has completed her return passage across the Drake Passage to the safety of South America after an extraordinary voyage to Antarctica. Click here for the story.
For those in the marine sector, the Drake Passage needs no introduction. It is one of the most demanding stretches of ocean on the planet; steep, confused seas, powerful currents, drifting ice and rapidly shifting weather systems.
It is an environment that does not disguise structural weakness.
Picomole was built by Triac Composites in Vietnam
While the achievement itself belongs to the owner & skipper (Aldo Fumagalli) and crew, the fact that a lightweight, high-performance carbon trimaran (a Rapido 53XS) has operated in these latitudes - and returned safely - is significant from a construction perspective.
It underscores the structural integrity, precision manufacturing and quality control that define Triac Composites.
Advanced Composites Are Not Niche; They Are Becoming Mainstream
At Triac, we specialise in carbon fibre and advanced composite structures that are:
Extremely light
Exceptionally stiff
Precisely manufactured
Capable of handling complex and highly variable load cases
These attributes are not specific to one boat or one market. They are the result of disciplined process control, material mastery and consistent build quality.
When advanced composites are engineered correctly and manufactured with precision, their capability extends far beyond its original design brief.
From High-Performance Marine to Broader Composite Applications
The same manufacturing standards required to produce a high performance trimaran hull apply equally to:
Complex marine components
Industrial composite structures
Architectural forms
Defence and specialist applications
The operating environment may change. The manufacturing discipline does not.
What This Voyage Represents
The Rapido 53XS is designed for speed, efficiency and long-distance cruising comfort. It is not positioned as a polar expedition platform. Yet it has now crossed the Drake Passage twice and cruised the Antarctic Peninsula.
That is not a marketing claim. It is a practical validation of material performance, structural reliability and build precision under demanding, real world conditions..
At Triac Composites, our role is clear: To ensure that when engineering leaves the drawing board, the physical structure performs exactly as intended; whether in tropical waters, offshore passages or at the edge of the Southern Ocean.
For those seeking a composite manufacturing partner - in marine or beyond - capability is ultimately measured in real-world performance.
And performance speaks for itself.
Enquiries
Triac Composites manufactures high-performance carbon composite structures for marine, industrial and specialist applications where precision, structural integrity and disciplined process control are critical.
If your organisation requires an advanced composite structure — particularly one that is complex, highly engineered or performance-critical — we welcome the opportunity to discuss your project.
For enquiries, please email phil@triaccomposites.com
Related articles
Crossing the Drake: Picomole Reaches Antarctica, Rapido Trimarans, 8 February 2026
Rapido 53XS website page
Cutting edge technology for Rapido’s multihull design, Zuzana Prochazka, 23 March 2023, Sail Magazine
Triac Featured in Surveyors' "The Report": Precision Composite Manufacturing for Modern Marine, Defence and Industrial Applications, 13 December 2025.
Photo Credit
Luca Tausel & Sami Alshukily