Successfully combining traditional wooden boat building, modern manufacturing technologies and sustainability was the idea and task of the joint research project BioBasedBoats between the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development and Jan Brügge Bootsbau GmbH. This holistic approach combining craftsmanship and science has now been recognised with the special "Holistic Sustainability" award as part of the Seifriz Prize – Transfer Craftsmanship + Science.

The project focused on the further development of wooden boat construction into a high-performance, everyday-use and economically competitive alternative to plastic boat construction. Master boat builder Jan Brügge and scientists from the Department of Chemistry and Physics of Wood at HNEE successfully researched bio-based materials, material combinations and more efficient manufacturing processes for boat building.

The scientific project management was led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Pfriem, who was responsible for the project with his working group at HNEE and is now active in research and teaching at the Technical University of Dresden as part of his professorship in wood technology and wood-based bioeconomy.

A key milestone in the project was the successful development of a novel manufacturing process: for the first time, the vacuum infusion process was applied to the gluing of boat hulls on wood. The process reduces the use of harmful resins, enables faster production and consistently relies on domestic wood species. The research results obtained in this way form the basis for the high-performance yachts from Woy Yachts, including the Woy 26 daysailer. Incidentally, the Woy 26 has already been honoured with the Special Award "Newcomer of the Year 2026" at the European Yacht of the Year Awards 2026.

The Seifriz Prize – Transfer Handwerk + Wissenschaft (Craftsmanship + Science) honours outstanding collaborations between craft businesses and research institutions throughout Germany. The aim of the prize is to highlight innovation processes that arise from the interaction of practical experience and scientific expertise. The special prize for "Holistic Sustainability" particularly recognises projects that combine ecological, economic and social aspects in a special way.

The current award is one of a series of successful transfer collaborations at HNEE: a collaboration between the university, led by Prof. Dr. Ralf Bloch, and the company Zauberzeug GmbH had previously been awarded the Seifriz Prize. The repeated award underscores the importance of HNEE as a reliable partner for innovation-oriented craft businesses.