Composite Capabilities
Advanced composite production capabilities
Mackay Boats offer short‑run carbon composite manufacturing for projects where precision, strength, and efficiency matter. From concept through to finished assembly, customers gain access to proven advanced composite capability—refined in elite marine applications and now available across marine, industrial, sporting, and specialist engineering sectors. Our processes deliver repeatable accuracy, and reliable outcomes for the most demanding designs.
Composite Capabilities
Advanced composite production capabilities
Mackay Boats offer short‑run carbon composite manufacturing for projects where precision, strength, and efficiency matter. From concept through to finished assembly, customers gain access to proven advanced composite capability—refined in elite marine applications and now available across marine, industrial, sporting, and specialist engineering sectors. Our processes deliver repeatable accuracy, and reliable outcomes for the most demanding designs.
Short Run Carbon Composite Manufacturing Expertise
Unlike high‑volume factories, Mackay Boats specialises in short‑run composite production porjects, where flexibility, engineering, and process selection are paramount. We work closely with customers to deliver; carbon composite prototypes, low‑volume production runs, specialist performance components, and high‑accuracy structural parts.
In-house Design Team
Decades of building top‑performing boats have driven the development of Mackay Boats highly skilled in‑house design team. Our designers, consultants, and engineers work collaboratively to optimise projects from the ground up.
Our team can provide:
- Structural and production‑ready CAD modelling
- Laminate design and material selection
- Process planning and optimisation
- Tooling and mould design
This integrated approach ensures every carbon composite part is built with the right materials, under the correct conditions, using the most efficient manufacturing processes—maximising strength, weight efficiency, and durability.
Composite capabilities include:
A range of composite manufacturing processes –
- Hand lay‑up wet lamination (polyester & epoxy systems)
- Vacuum‑bagged cores and laminates
- Epoxy and vinylester resin infusion
- Pre‑preg carbon lamination with controlled curing up to 120 °C
- Composite match moulding (pre‑preg and wet lamination)
- Closed‑mould infusion for centreboards and rudders
Plant & Equipment Facilities –
- CNC router for 2D and 3D machining
- Heated press (up to 3 bar) for match moulding and foil production
- Spray painting booth for high‑quality finishes
- Plotter for large‑format templates and patterns
- Mini laser cutter for precision component preparation
Parts Assembly & Integration
Beyond composite manufacturing, Mackay Boats offers parts assembly and integration services, delivering complete, production‑ready components.
Our team can design, produce, and integrate:
- Custom machined aluminium components
- Fabricated stainless steel parts
- Titanium fittings
- CNC‑machined or additively manufactured parts
Metal components can be bonded, mechanically fastened, or integrated directly into the lamination process, ensuring optimal load transfer and long‑term durability.
Tooling & Mould Versatility
Mackay Boats provides full tooling and mould design flexibility to suit each project’s requirements. We can design and manage tooling that is:
- CNC‑machined in‑house
- Produced by trusted specialist partners
- Configured for match moulding, closed‑mould infusion, or vacuum‑bagged production
This versatility allows us to deliver accurate, repeatable carbon composite parts, whether producing a single prototype or a short production series.
Quality control at every stage of production
A highly robust quality control system has been developed that measures products at every critical stage in manufacturing to ensure the correct specifications are met before entering the next stage. Information is recorded and is also reviewed again at the final inspection before a product leaves the factory.Â
Quality control at every stage of production
A highly robust quality control system has been developed that measures products at every critical stage in manufacturing to ensure the correct specifications are met before entering the next stage. Information is recorded and is also reviewed again at the final inspection before a product leaves the factory.