The Vendia boat plank combines the good features of a traditional board and boat plywood; the beautiful appearance of a high-quality knot-free plank and the good bendability, crack-free weather resistance and longevity of marine grade plywood. The Vendia boat plank is made entirely of cut veneers and its surface veneers are always knot-free. Vendia fulfills the technical requirements of the BL 1088 marine grade plywood standard.
In 1937, a pine tree was planted on the grounds of Ämmätsä Manor, on the edge of a bright square. The young pine tree was given a promising start to its growth. The trunk of the young pine tree was slender enough to fit in the palm of a grown man's hand when its lower branches were snapped off in the August storm Maire in 1961. So it was its straight, branchless trunk that caught the eye of a forester walking through the woods of Ämmätsä Manor in November 2022. Could the slow-growing, straight, 80-plus-year-old pine have the makings of a quality boat plank?
The forests of Ämmätsä Manor, like 90% of other Finnish forests, are sustainably managed. PEFC3 certification (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) ensures that the origin of the wood is traceable and the forest is managed in such a way that it regenerates even after felling. In the picture, the manor's host, Veli-Ville Vihtonen.
The trunk selected for the Vendia was from the upper canopy layer. The younger trees growing next to it will, in perhaps 50 years, provide the next straight, dense, branchless trunk suitable for a boat plank.
Around 20% of the carbon footprint of wood use comes from transport. The logs of the tree are sliced nearby, less than 200 kilometres away. Mahogany Oy is one of Finlands veneer producing companies.
Carefully selected logs are cut into 1.5-1.2 mm thick slices using a special machine. Slicing is very demanding, especially when the appearance of the final product is important to ensure quality. From the log that we are following, 153 m2 of sliced veneers are produced, which are sorted so that only the slices without defects end up on the surface of the Vendia planks.
The pine from the Ämmätsä forest is fully utilised - it is completely sliced and even those slices that are not of sufficient quality or width for the boat planks are used for other purposes like basket making. Hence, there is very little wastage in the production of Vendia boat planks.
The making of the planks is a handicraft. The selected veneers are loaded in layers so that the surface layers are flawless. The veneers of the inner layers are laid crosswise. This makes the structure strong and flexible in many directions. The planks are transferred to a press where they are pressed at 15kg/cm2 and a temperature of 80 C.
The boatbuilders receives the Vendia planks in the correct width and lengths ready for use. High-quality, dense and resin-free veneer requires less sanding. The planks are easy to machine and do not crack or break, so there is less wastage in this respect too.
Finally, the planks are in place - at the Blue Tree Boat Builders' workshop it becomes a beautiful, well-shaped and durable part of a modern eco-friendly boat.
Image: Bluetree5 by bluetreeboatbuilders in the UK
Vendia: carbon sequestering, non-toxic, no microplastic emissions. A beautiful canoe, a traditional rowing boat or a luxury electric yacht - all for sustainable water travel.
Sustainable Vendia
Vendia boat planks have a lower carbon footprint than sawn massive planks. In addition, very little material is wasted. The pine from the Ämmätsä pine forest is fully utilised - it is completely sliced and even the slices that are not of sufficient quality for the boat planks are used, for example, for basketry.
The layered structure stabilises the plank, making it insensitive to transport and storage conditions. The planks can easily be stored in areas with varying humidity and temperature; no energy is required to maintain a constant level of conditions.
The planks are manufactured in the correct width and length according to the Customers specifications. High-quality, dense and resin-free veneer requires less sanding. During construction, the planks that are easy to work with, do not crack or break, so there is less waste in this respect too.
Vendia planks sequesters carbon, even though its manufacture produces carbon dioxide emissions. The biggest carbon footprint of the material is the non-toxic adhesive that laminates the veneers together. This accounts for around 70% of the Vendia plank's carbon footprint. Vendia planks also have a long carbon sequestration life. The finished plank only sequesters about 20% less carbon than a log growing in the forest. Our carbon footprint estimate is around 160 kilos CO2e per cubic metre of finished product. Wood sequesters around 900 kg of carbon per cubic metre. The carbon sequestration of Vendia board is about 740 kilograms.