Tiwal
French manufacturer of inflatable sailing dinghies for sport and leisure.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Tiwal is a French sailboat manufacturer focused on inflatable sailing dinghies designed for recreational sailing, family use, training, and competitive leisure events. The company was founded in 2012 in Theix-Noyalo, Brittany, by designer Marion Excoffon and her partner Emmanuel Bertrand. Excoffon began developing the concept after her father declined to lend her his houseboat in 2008, prompting her to explore a sailing craft that could be transported and stored more easily than a conventional rigid dinghy. Tiwal presented its first boat at the 2012 Paris Boat Show and subsequently introduced the concept to international boating audiences, including visitors to the Annapolis Boat Show in the United States. The brand's central proposition is to make sailing more accessible without abandoning the handling characteristics and performance expected from a small dinghy. Tiwal boats use inflatable drop-stitch hulls. When inflated to high pressure, the material forms a comparatively rigid structure while retaining the portability associated with an inflatable craft. The company also uses a patented hydrodynamic V-shaped hull design intended to improve maneuverability and performance across varying sailing conditions. Tiwal develops its sails in partnership with North Sails. The product range began with the Tiwal 3, introduced in 2012, and later expanded to include smaller and more specialized models. The Tiwal 2 was introduced in 2019 as a compact two-person sailing dinghy. The Tiwal 3R and Tiwal 2L followed in 2022, broadening the range toward performance-oriented and family-oriented use cases. The Tiwal 2XL was introduced in 2025. The boats are designed to be deflated, packed, transported, and stored more conveniently than many traditional rigid sailing dinghies, making them relevant to owners with limited storage, travelers, sailing schools, and customers who want to launch from different locations. Tiwal moved its operations to a warehouse in Plescop, near Vannes in Brittany, as the business developed. It established a United States subsidiary in 2014, reflecting the importance of North America to its international growth. According to company and reference material, Tiwal boats are sold in more than 50 countries, with the United States among its strongest markets. Approximately 80 percent of turnover has been attributed to exports, although no independently verified financial figures are specified here. More than 3,000 Tiwal dinghies have been reported sailing worldwide. The brand has built visibility through boat-show appearances, design recognition, and owner events. Its boats were displayed at the London Boat Show, Boot Düsseldorf, the Annapolis Boat Show, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Tiwal has also organized the Tiwal Cup since 2015, a regatta held in the Gulf of Morbihan and in New Zealand using Tiwal boats. These events function both as community-building activities and as demonstrations of the boats' handling and portability. The Tiwal 3 received Sailing World's Boat of the Year award and a Red Dot Best of the Best distinction in 2014. The Tiwal 2 received Sailing World's Boat of the Year and Sail's Best Boats recognition in 2020, while the Tiwal 3R received comparable awards in 2023. Tiwal's positioning combines French marine design, portability, simplified ownership, and recreational performance. Rather than competing primarily as a mass-market inflatable tender, the brand presents its products as complete sailing boats that can be transported and stored with less logistical burden. Its current scope remains centered on inflatable sailing dinghies and related sailing equipment, supported by an international dealer and subsidiary presence.
History
Tiwal's origins trace to a design problem encountered by Marion Excoffon in 2008. After her father refused to lend her his houseboat, Excoffon began considering how a sailing boat could be made easier to transport and store while still delivering the experience of a conventional dinghy. Her work led to an inflatable sailing-boat concept using high-pressure drop-stitch construction. The material allows the hull to become relatively rigid when inflated, reducing the compromise between portability and sailing performance. Excoffon founded Tiwal with Emmanuel Bertrand in August 2012 in Theix-Noyalo, Brittany. The company presented its first boat, the Tiwal 3, at the Paris Boat Show later that year and also showed the boat to international audiences at the Annapolis Boat Show. The initial launch established the brand around a distinctive category: a sailing dinghy that could be deflated for transport and storage rather than remaining permanently mounted on a trailer or occupying a marina berth. As the company developed, its operations moved to a warehouse in Plescop, near Vannes. Tiwal expanded internationally through a United States subsidiary established in 2014. That year it also exhibited the Tiwal 3.2 at the London Boat Show. North American exposure remained important, and the company continued to participate in events such as the Annapolis Boat Show. Tiwal's engineering approach centers on drop-stitch inflatable hulls, a patented V-shaped hydrodynamic profile, and sailing rigs developed with North Sails. The combination is intended to provide usable rigidity, directional control, and performance while preserving the practical benefits of an inflatable craft. The company has therefore marketed its boats toward recreational sailors, families, travelers, sailing schools, and customers without permanent storage facilities. The range expanded over time. The original Tiwal 3 was followed by the Tiwal 2 in 2019. In 2022, the company introduced the Tiwal 3R and Tiwal 2L, giving the portfolio additional performance and configuration options. The Tiwal 2XL was added in 2025. The exact specifications and equipment configurations vary by model and production version, but the product family remains focused on compact inflatable sailing dinghies rather than a broad portfolio of conventional rigid boats. The brand's public profile grew through boat shows, design exhibitions, awards, and organized sailing events. In 2018, Tiwal attended the Annapolis Boat Show and presented the Tiwal 2 at Boot Düsseldorf. A Tiwal boat was also exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, linking the product's engineering and compact design with the museum's interest in industrial design. Since 2015, the company has hosted the Tiwal Cup in the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany, with additional editions held in New Zealand. The regatta gives owners an organized way to race the boats and provides a practical demonstration of their maneuverability. Tiwal reports an international commercial footprint spanning more than 50 countries, with a particularly strong presence in the United States. Reference material attributes roughly 80 percent of turnover to exports and reports more than 3,000 boats sailing worldwide; these figures are included as company or reference claims rather than independently audited financial data. The company remains headquartered in Plescop and continues to operate as a specialist manufacturer of inflatable sailing dinghies for sport and leisure.
- 2025
Tiwal 2XL introduced
[1]The Tiwal 2XL became the latest model identified in the company's product-launch history.
- 2023
Tiwal 3R receives boat awards
[1]The Tiwal 3R received Sailing World's Boat of the Year recognition and a Sail's Best Boats award.
- 2022
Tiwal 3R and Tiwal 2L introduced
[1]Tiwal expanded its model family with the Tiwal 3R and Tiwal 2L.
- 2020
Tiwal 2 receives boat awards
[1]The Tiwal 2 was named Sailing World's Boat of the Year and won recognition in Sail's Best Boats program.
- 2019
Tiwal 2 introduced
[1]The company launched the Tiwal 2, a compact model aimed at broadening access to portable sailing.
- 2018
International exhibition expansion
[1]Tiwal participated in the Annapolis Boat Show, presented the Tiwal 2 at Boot Düsseldorf, and had a boat exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art.
- 2015
Tiwal Cup begins
[1]Tiwal began hosting the Tiwal Cup, a regatta for its inflatable dinghies in the Gulf of Morbihan.
- 2014
United States subsidiary established
[1]Tiwal created a United States subsidiary and exhibited the Tiwal 3.2 at the London Boat Show.
- 2014
Tiwal 3 receives design and boat awards
[1]The Tiwal 3 was recognized as Sailing World's Boat of the Year and received a Red Dot Best of the Best award.
- 2012
Tiwal founded and first boat presented
[1]Marion Excoffon and Emmanuel Bertrand founded Tiwal in Theix-Noyalo in August, and the company unveiled the first Tiwal boat at the Paris Boat Show.
Products and positioning
Portable, high-performance inflatable sailing boats combining compact storage and transport with the handling characteristics of a small dinghy.
Inflatable sailing dinghy · 2012
Tiwal 3
The original Tiwal model, launched in 2012. It established the brand's approach of combining a high-pressure drop-stitch inflatable hull with a sailing rig in a package intended to be easier to transport and store than a conventional rigid dinghy.
Compact inflatable sailing dinghy · 2019
Tiwal 2
Introduced in 2019, the Tiwal 2 is a smaller portable sailing model designed to make recreational sailing practical for owners who value compact storage, transportability, and straightforward launching.
Performance inflatable sailing dinghy · 2022
Tiwal 3R
Launched in 2022, the Tiwal 3R extends the original product concept toward more performance-focused sailing. It retains the inflatable, portable construction associated with Tiwal while serving sailors seeking a more race-oriented experience.
Inflatable sailing dinghy · 2022
Tiwal 2L
Introduced in 2022, the Tiwal 2L broadened the compact end of the range with another configuration of the Tiwal 2 family, supporting the brand's focus on accessible and portable sailing.
Inflatable sailing dinghy · 2025
Tiwal 2XL
Added in 2025, the Tiwal 2XL is a later model in the company's portable inflatable sailing range. Detailed specifications are not established by the supplied reference material.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Tiwal Cup
France · New Zealand
Tiwal began organizing owner regattas using its inflatable dinghies, initially in the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany and later also in New Zealand. The event supports community building, product demonstration, and participation-oriented sailing.
Outcome. The Tiwal Cup became a recurring brand-led sailing event; the supplied sources do not quantify participation or commercial impact.
Brand decisions
2025
Launch of the Tiwal 2XLProduct launchBackground
Tiwal continued extending its portable inflatable sailing range.
Action taken
The company introduced the Tiwal 2XL.
2022
Expansion with the Tiwal 3R and Tiwal 2LProduct launchBackground
The company continued developing a family of inflatable sailing dinghies for different recreational and performance needs.
Action taken
Tiwal launched the Tiwal 3R and Tiwal 2L.
Aftermath
The Tiwal 3R subsequently received major boat-award recognition in 2023.
2019
Launch of the Tiwal 2Product launchBackground
Tiwal sought to extend its original portable inflatable dinghy concept beyond the Tiwal 3.
Action taken
The company introduced the Tiwal 2 as a compact model in the product family.
Aftermath
The model received Sailing World's Boat of the Year recognition and a Sail's Best Boats award in 2020.
2014
Establishment of a United States subsidiaryStrategyBackground
Tiwal's early boat-show activity included appearances in the United States, and the company identified North America as an important international market.
Action taken
The company established a United States subsidiary to support its international commercial presence.
Aftermath
Reference material later described the United States as one of Tiwal's strongest markets, but does not provide separate subsidiary financial results.
Recent events
- 2025
Tiwal launches the Tiwal 2XL[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Tiwal introduced the Tiwal 2XL as a later addition to its inflatable sailing dinghy range.
- 2023
Tiwal 3R receives 2023 boat awards[1]
Other
The Tiwal 3R received Sailing World's Boat of the Year recognition and a Sail's Best Boats award.
- 2022
Tiwal launches the Tiwal 3R[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Tiwal introduced the Tiwal 3R as a new performance-oriented inflatable sailing dinghy in its product family.
- 2022
Tiwal launches the Tiwal 2L[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The company expanded its range with the Tiwal 2L, adding another compact inflatable sailing model.
- 2020
Tiwal 2 receives 2020 boat awards[1]
Other
The Tiwal 2 was recognized by Sailing World as Boat of the Year and was named a winner in Sail's Best Boats program.
- 2014
Tiwal 3 receives major design and boat awards[1]
Other
The Tiwal 3 received Sailing World's Boat of the Year recognition and a Red Dot Best of the Best award.
Sources2 sources
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