Mastro D’Ascia is a Brazilian shipyard located in São José, Santa Catarina. The company specializes in the design and production of high-performance power catamarans, with models ranging from 24 to 37 feet. With over 20 years of experience, the Mastro D’Ascia is dedicated to combining advanced composite engineering with innovative hydrodynamic design to produce vessels that offer exceptional range, stability, and fuel efficiency for both recreational and professional applications.
Collaborative partnership to set new standards
Diab became a vital partner in Mastro D’Ascia’s transition to advanced sandwich construction in 2011. The collaboration began during the development of the shipyard's new generation of infused catamarans, and the partnership has since expanded as the shipyard successfully transitioned all models to sandwich construction.
Mastro D’Ascia’s core requirement was to incorporate structural core materials to achieve high performance with smaller engines and lower fuel consumption. This necessitated a sandwich solution capable of providing superior fatigue resistance, increased stiffness, and significant weight reduction compared to conventional monolithic laminates. The shipyard now utilizes vacuum-infused sandwich construction for all major structural components, including hulls, decks, superstructures, and bulkheads.
Strategic selection of core materials
The Titan Commuter is a 37-foot offshore power catamaran designed for extended-range expeditions. In this project, Mastro D’Ascia utilized Diab’s structural cores: the Divinycell H and HP series. The construction involved full vacuum infusion using a polyester resin system.
The core materials were strategically selected to optimize the structure:
● Divinycell H80 and H100 were placed in the hull and tunnel sides to ensure high impact resistance
● Divinycell H80 and H60 were used in decks, bulkheads, and non-structural partitions for critical weight optimization
A tight collaboration overcame the challenges
Diab Engineering Services was integral to the design and manufacturing process, offering guidance on resin compatibility, infusion parameters, and expert core selection for specific stress zones. Furthermore, Diab supplied the core materials as ready-for-infusion kits, which successfully minimized assembly time and material waste.
A challenge that encountered during the early prototype phase was minor print-through, visible on the tunnel surfaces when exposed to high temperatures. This issue was swiftly resolved through the application of the Divinycell HP-series core, which offers higher temperature resistance, coupled with adjustments to the vacuum cycles. The partnership also enabled the team to fine-tune the core density until the ideal stiffness-to-weight ratio was achieved.
Dramatic increase in performance and efficiency
By integrating Diab’s high-performance structural core materials, Mastro D’Ascia achieved a 25-30% weight reduction compared to solid laminate constructions. Specifically, the Titan Commuter project realized a displacement reduction of approximately 1,200 kg versus conventional fiberglass builds.
This significant weight saving delivered crucial performance benefits, including over 26% gain in fuel efficiency, a top-speed increase of +3 knots, increased fatigue resistance and stiffness, easier transport and handling, and an excellent surface finish that reduces the needs for fairing. All together, this is a true win for sustainable boating.
Mastro D’Ascia values Diab’s dependable supply chain, consistent quality, and technical expertise, all of which support the shipyard’s continuous commitment to product improvement.
“Working with Diab was a turning point for our production. Their materials gave us the combination of lightness and strength that our designs needed. The support we received from their team helped us achieve a new standard of quality and performance.”
Leonardo de Carlos Back, Director / Head of Product Development, Mastro D’Ascia.
