Working at the extreme

Marstrom Composites AB is working at the extreme end of performance sailboat construction. Not only has it adopted high-end aerospace fabrication practices – it produces in carbon prepreg and claims to be the only boat builder regularly using an autoclave to cure large series-production structures – but its latest craft, the Extreme 40 sport catamaran, is one of the world's fastest sailboats, having clocked speeds approaching 40 knots. George Marsh reports.