Tideman Boats

TIDEMAN BOATS US

THE MOST DURABLE HULLS IN THE BUSINESS

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TIDEMAN BOATS US

I PROFILE

Tideman Boats US manufacturers high speed, virtually indestructible, HDPE hulls and other marine components for the North American marine market.

It is an offshoot of Tideman Boats, the Dutch company pioneered by Bruno Tideman. The vessels manufactured by Tideman are especially beneficial in shallow waters and rocky coastlines. Hannah Barnett spoke with Sales and Business Development Manager Matt O’Sullivan to learn more.

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Bruno explored bringing Tideman to the North American market in early 2021. By February 2022, after forming a joint venture with Yacht Eco, LLC, an innovative partner, and United Plastic Fabricating

T

he distinguishing feature

(UPF), a thermoplastic fabrication com-

of Tideman Boats US is

pany with over 35 years in the industry,

summed up by four letters,

Tideman Boats US was born.

HDPE: the company fabricates hulls in

“A perfect match bringing UPF and

this durable, lightweight, high-density

Tideman Boats BV together to form

polyethylene material.

Tideman Boats US,” Mr O’Sullivan

Sales and Business Development

reflected. “It’s been excellent partnering

Manager Matt O’Sullivan extolled the

with Bruno and his experience, bringing

virtues of working with HDPE: “The mate-

the pioneering legacy built in Europe

rial has been used in boat building for

onwards into North America. Equally

decades. It’s very sound for welding

important is the strategic investment and

and is sledgehammer – impact tough.

plastic fabrication expertise UPF brings

It’s in a class of its own.”

to the table, as the majority owner of the

HDPE means low maintenance, no bottom paint, less dense than water

Tideman Boats US joint venture and the sole supplier of the Tideman hulls.”

and virtually indestructible.

Bruno Tideman, founder of the Dutch

A link in the chain

company Tideman Boats BV, discovered

One key element separating Tideman

the use of HDPE while working as an alu-

Boats US from its Dutch roots is that this

minium boat builder. For years, he tested

operation focuses specifically on the

it out, proved it and never looked back.

fabrication of bare hulls. This means the

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TIDEMAN BOATS US

I PROFILE

“THE PRODUCTION OF HDPE USES 1/5 OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT THAT ALUMINIUM DOES.

IT’S ALSO 100 PERCENT RECYCLABLE: NO WASTE” company partners directly with boat

“We chose not to compete against the

builders all over North America, from its

existing boat builders, but rather to

two fabrication facilities in Wisconsin and

partner alongside, offering aluminium and

Florida. Tideman hulls are manufactured in

fiberglass boat builders a Tideman HDPE

UPF’s facilities, by leading experts in ther-

hull to work with and supply their cus-

moplastic design and fabrication.

tomer’s demand.”

“We are part of the supply chain,”

When it comes to partners,

Mr O’Sullivan explained. “So instead of

Mr O’Sullivan acknowledged a few

being the boat builder, we are supplying

including Metal Shark in Louisiana,

a part of the boat, the bare hull. The boat

Waypoint Marine in Massachusetts and

builders take our HDPE hull and perform

LMM Boats in Washington State. He also

the vessel outfitting, the aluminium work,

referenced partners in Florida, North

rig propulsion, marine electronics et

Carolina and Canada as part of the

cetera, then deliver the boats to their

expanding network.

customers. Most often an HDPE hull with

“We want boat builders to order our hull

aluminium outfitting above deck: the

like they would a Yamaha or Mercury out-

best of both worlds.

board,” he continued. “We’re part of the

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supply chain and deliver hulls fast.

Our own supply chain and labour is both simple and has depth.

We use Rochling HPDE and have over 100 welders on staff.

What the hull

versatile alu-

Bruno Tideman’s vision was to build a

minium outfitting above

safe and robust work boat that would

deck, creating an outstanding

last. So the company’s signature vessel,

vessel overall.

the RBB (Rigid Buoyancy Boat) is built for exactly that.

Additionally, the environmental sustainability of HDPE is a significant

“The Tideman RBB hulls are designed

selling point for the future. According

for utility and performance on the water,”

to Mr O’Sullivan, the production of HDPE

explained Mr O’Sullivan. “The material

uses 1/5 of the carbon footprint that

itself is less dense than water (it floats)

aluminium does: “It’s also 100 percent

and exhibits zero corrosion, coupled with

recyclable: no waste.”

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TIDEMAN BOATS US

I PROFILE

Tideman Boats US is in a good position to provide the material and labour for hulls in North America. The company delivered its first RBB 700 hull for a boat that went to Hawaii last year. Another RBC 900 hull went to a workboat delivered to California. There were a handful of other RBB hull sales last year, as well as building a few custom marine vessels, including

An HDPE future

a project completed for General Dynamics.

Going forward, the company is

“Partnering with Metal Shark has been very

overcoming obstacles and offering its inno-

significant for us,” said Mr O’Sullivan. “They

vative HDPE materials to the wider market.

are one of the best boat builders in the world.

“One challenge is getting the material

We’re excited to recognise the synergy.

widely recognised,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

The best workboats and patrol boats in the

“People are beginning to understand that it

future will combine aluminium and HDPE,

works, is safe and reliable. We have so much

once customers in North American under-

interest in this product, and everybody

stand the benefits.”

recognises how cool and innovative it is.

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“This is something we’re all excited about,” revealed Mr O’Sullivan. “It focuses on the fact that Tideman builds hulls But it’s

in North America: our RBB bare hulls,

also new to North

custom hulls and vessels, and other

America. We are about 10 years behind Europe on this front.

innovative marine components as the industry grows.”

There is no doubt that Mr O’Sullivan is

Part of the company’s quest for wider

highly passionate about the HDPE hull

recognition will come from classification

technology and the strategic growth

by regulatory bodies. Mr O’Sullivan high-

opportunity, and he has the industry

lighted the United States Coast Guard

experience to back it up.

and the American Bureau of Shipping

“It's a privilege to build on Bruno’s

(ABS) as entities that can help bring HDPE

legacy in Europe here in North America,”

to the mainstream. “DNV in Europe now

he concluded. “It’s remarkable to

recognises HDPE, having put it into their

consider what is happening within the

small craft rules in 2022,” he said. “We

industry. The innovation of utilising HDPE

need more support in the US to recognise

for marine vessels, the simplicity of it, the

HDPE as a viable and safe material for

way we can utilise this material and what

hull building, and to have HDPE take its

it brings to the industry is truly game-

seat at the table with steel, aluminium,

changing. These are boats that don't

and fiberglass.”

dent. They don't need bottom paint. They

The other exciting development around

perform incredibly on the water, resisting

the corner for this innovative and ever-

impact, lowering fatigue. It's a revolution

evolving company is that Tideman Boats

of the industry. I am pleased to be a part

US will soon be called Tideman Marine.

of that.”

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