Campion Goes Green

by Thomas Ludens

If you were going to sum up boating in a single word, you could do worse than “independence.” Isn’t that what getting out on the water is all about? You leave the dock, and you leave the world behind. You start up your engine and head off to where there are no obligations, no responsibilities and, for an afternoon or a weekend, no worries.

Campion too could be summed up by the same word—only their independence is far less carefree than that of their users. The company is Canada’s largest independent boatbuilder, and it’s one of the world’s most ambitious.

They offer more than 37 high-tech models and 48 high-performance variations. They have express cruisers and runabouts, as well as luxury sport utility vessels. They offer sterndrives, outboards, sport cabins, bowriders and closed decks.

Without all of the red tape and overhead that can bog down a larger company, Campion remains agile. As a result, when customers (and potential customers) speak, Campion doesn’t just listen—they respond. Campion has the freedom to design and deliver the kinds of boats buyers want. What Campion boaters want, it seems, is value.

Of course, value means more than choice. It also means quality, which you’ll find in both obvious and hidden ways on every Campion boat. It means performance, which is impressive in every respect. It means style, which is simple and elegant on each of Campion’s many models. It means affordability, which Campion boats are known for. And it means innovation.

Campion is constantly pushing the limits, exploring new technologies and investing in research that will result in boats that are evermore exciting and satisfying to drive. This year, the 2009 model year, Campion is celebrating its 35th anniversary by pushing to the forefront of “green” boating technology.

With fuel prices as high as they are, boaters have been asking for greater fuel efficiency and alternatives that will allow them to continue cruising. Campion, from their beautiful home in Kelowna, British Columbia, has been listening. Their answer is the launch of their 2009 lineup.
The launch of these boats represents a bold step forward for Campion and some exciting new options for boaters.

Bio-Resin
Not long ago, Ashland Composite Polymers began looking for a boat manufacturer that would try using a newly formulated bio-based resin on their vessels. Ashland had invented ENVIREZ, and their first resin, ENVIREZ 1807 was formulated with soybean oil and corn-derived ethanol. That product was introduced to the market in 2003, when John Deere Corporation began using the resin in side-body panels for their farm equipment. New formulations by Ashland then expanded the uses for ENVIREZ resins, allowing their use in many applications.

When the company wanted to find a marine use for their product, they came to Campion. Excited at the opportunity, Campion picked two models that would serve as prototypes for testing application of ENVIREZ. The boats, Campion’s Chase 550 and 600, were made using ENVIREZ L 86300 T-22 bio-based resin in their hulls, liners and decks.

Typically, resins are made from polyester, epoxy or vinylester. This new bio resin contains 13 percent soybean oil and 12 percent corn ethanol, and is designed to provide high elongation and toughness properties that deliver the impact- and crack-resistant attributes desired by boaters. In addition to using ENVIREZ resin, Campion Boats also used Ashland’s LE series white gelcoat (WG-LE-2644) and the MP-series gelcoat for colors.

Recently, Campion tested two high-performance pleasure crafts produced with this technology. The results—both for the boats and the resin—were impressive.

“We are very excited to see ENVIREZ resin being used in these beautifully-designed speed boats,” said Jud Smith, vice president, Ashland Performance Materials, and general manager, Ashland Composite Polymers. “It’s extremely rewarding to see the efforts from Ashland’s research and development and the leadership at Campion Boats coming together to successfully field test this new ENVIREZ resin formulation.”

“First off,” said Brock Elliott, general manager of Campion Boats, “Campion was absolutely delighted to have been asked and ultimately chosen by Ashland to assist them with their research and development of this very intriguing new technology. Campion is always on the lookout for the best possible products available for constructing our high quality boats. As we see it, partnering with the Ashland team to develop the two test boats, the Chase 550 and Chase 600 models, has truly helped both Ashland and Campion to fully understand the characteristics and application processes of this new bio-resin.”

“Most importantly, we saw this as a ‘real world’ situation to prove the science behind the bio-resin and to give it an endorsement beyond the ‘lab’ tests. We strongly feel Campion can, and has, helped Ashland with moving this bio-resin product and project forward,” added Elliott.

822 Explorer
Last year, Campion introduced the new 822 Explorer. It came equipped with a full Alaska package that entailed a completely enclosed cabin, and it was powered by twin 250 Yamahas. A sturdy 30-foot vessel, it was meant to appeal to anglers who wanted added safety, protection and comfort. The boat was a hit. It was rugged in bad weather. It provided a safe working platform for tough fights with fish. It had a spacious mid cabin that was comfortable for family outings and extended runs.

Not only that, but the 822 Explorer also was an explosive vessel. Multiple tests showed a top speed of 54.8 mph at the high elevation of 1,132 feet at the company’s Kelowna facility. Comparable 30-foot mid-cabin cruisers typically peak in the mid-40s.

This big boost in speed gave Campion an idea: why not give buyers the option to drop down the engine size? The thinking was that users could still achieve the speed of the competition, while significantly reducing both fuel consumption and purchase price. So, in 2009, the 822 will be offered with a single Yamaha 350, as well as the standard twin 250s.

Equipped with a bimini hardtop for the first time ever, Campion expects that the single 350 horsepower engine will conserve fuel without compromising speed. A well-designed hull is integral to achieving that aim.

As Elliott says, “In our opinion, because of the high cost of gasoline, the days of the triple and quad outboard engines are limited, and the challenge is for boat builders to come up with a more fuel-efficient hull design that will work with less power.”

And Campion has such a hull design: the APEX. The product of relentless testing, this award-winning design technology actually expands the high-pressure zones on a V-bottom boat for faster planing and a more stable platform at high speeds. The source of the hull’s simultaneous strength and lightness is the Kevlar that’s laminated into the keel of the hull. When combined with the integrated fiberglass stringer system, you get a boat with a smooth, quick and efficient ride.

The 822 isn’t the first model Campion has experimented with to find ways of reducing engine power and improving efficiency. Tinkering with the Allante 825 model already has shown excellent results.

Typically, the 825 Allante sells in North America with the big block 496 V8 power of either 375 hp or 425 hp Merc or Volvo engines and in Europe with a Volvo diesel engine. One of Campion’s Australian dealers, however, has enjoyed great success selling this model with the Volvo 5.7 GXi Duo Prop. They have sold about five of these so far this year, and customer satisfaction has been high. According to reports, the boat performs extremely well with the modification, and the cost, with the smaller engine and reduced fuel consumption, is lower.

With such attention paid to reducing fuel consumption and maintaining performance, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Campion overlooked some of the attention to detail onboard. Fortunately, that isn’t the case.

The 822 is part of the Explorer Sport Utility line, and as such it’s built for the hardcore angler. From the toe rails that provide firm footing to the pad on the edge of the coaming, the design makes fishing from this boat safe and comfortable. The aft deck is uncluttered. Storage for fish, including an aerated bait tank, and room for equipment, including rods and gaffs, are well integrated throughout.

Built for even the worst conditions, there’s a non-skid deck surface, a wheelhouse that’s enclosed by a weatherproof door to block the elements and heavy-duty grab rails that line the ceiling and bulkheads. Then when you descend into the cabin, you find an aft queen size bed, a head with a shower, a settee that converts into a V-berth and a small galley area.

Twenty-Foot Outboard
Also newly introduced for 2009 are two brand new 20-foot outboards. (These are so new, in fact, that Campion doesn’t yet have photos available of them. Hence, the renderings shown to the right.) With these models, Campion is trying to fill a niche they think is just waiting to be filled: the 20-foot outboard bowrider.

“As we see it,” says Elliott, “the cost of inboard/outboard power is going to only increase with new regulations demanding catalytic converters to improve emissions. Also, many consumers do prefer outboards over I/Os.”

With that in mind, the company will unveil a 20-foot Allante equipped with a 175 hp Evinrude E-TEC and a Chase version with a 250 hp Evinrude E-TEC. Campion is also developing sport cabin versions in both the Allante and Chase models.

From top to bottom, Campion is rethinking how they design and build their boats. Not only are their vessels going green, but Campion’s factory also has gone lean. By reducing waste and increasing recycling, Campion is saving tens of thousands of dollars each year.

There’s a lot of talk and worry about fuel cost and environmental sustainability. But Campion, with its range of environmentally responsible innovations, is taking action. This independent company may have a lot of freedom, but it is also taking on a lot of responsibility.

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