REFINED BIMINI 24 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ... · 24 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION...

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THE ADVOCATE ISSUE 6 24 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT We can report that we’ve launched the 30m catamaran QUINTESSENTIAL that you may read about in more detail further on in this edition. We have one project (a 39m expedition yacht) with a mid-October launch date – always an exciting time. We have signed two new construction projects (Judel Vrolijk 35.5m and Hoek 38.1m) and have added a number of yachts to the management division. As you read on, we’ll also bring you up to date with the varied cruising and racing activities that our fleet has been enjoying. We hope you find this edition of the MCM Advocate inspiring, always keeping in mind the quote written by Kenneth Grahame in The Wind in the Willows: “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” Nigel Ingram & Peter Wilson YACHT MANAGEMENT DIVISION This year has been very active for the Yacht Management Division. We have welcomed four yachts into the management fleet; the beautiful J-Class LIONHEART, the 27.5m world cruising stalwart BOOTOO; the spectacular new build 30m catamaran QUINTESSENTIAL and the elegant racing/cruising Germán Frers designed 22.3m HEROINA. Several managed yachts have undergone refits including PARAISO, CALLIOPE and HORTENSE, which have all included hull painting. Through structured competitive bidding we have negotiated excellent pricing, and by clearly defining paint acceptance criteria we have ensured that these boats are painted to a quality which meets pre-defined objective standards and expectations from the visual perspective. The yacht TENACIOUS was also fitted with a new rig, captive winches, bowsprit and hard-top bimini in an intense two month refit at Newport Shipyard. We are also in the process of bidding a major winter refit of BOOTOO which will include extensive interior accommodation modifications designed by Ron Holland Design; moving the helm to a new aft steering position, repainting of the hull, full rig service and systems upgrades. Last autumn we guided ARTEMIS through her five-year Lloyd’s survey in less than nine weeks, a yard period which included a full service and repainting of the rig. This tight schedule was achieved by MCM working closely with the Owner, Captain, Engineer and Lloyd’s surveyor to ensure that the yacht was well prepared for the inspections and as a result there were no surprises. This year we also built a set of haul-out cradles for LADY B to the same design concept as the ones we developed and built for KOKOMO last year. The LADY B cradles were constructed at Marine Group Boatworks in California where they were used to haul the yacht. We have implemented an active continuing education program for all MCM Yacht Management Staff in order to keep up to date with current technologies, products and legislation. These have included visiting vendors, production facilities and shipyards to increase our knowledge of service facilities suitable for our fleet and attending seminars and courses throughout the year. We look forward to another successful year. Best Regards, Mike Tyrwhitt-Drake BOAT SHOWS For 2012 we will be in our usual spot at the Monaco Yacht Show (September 19-22) at stand QP59 in the Parvis Piscine. We hope you’ll find the time to stop by to say hello and have a refreshing glass of water. In attendance will be Peter Wilson, Nigel Ingram, Mike Drake and Mark Dauplaise. We will also be at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (Oct 25-29). Peter and Mike will be there along with Jennifer Way. MCM Construction Management Architect/designer/stylist selection Specification development, systems design and equipment selection Shipyard selection Contract development and negotiation Budget preparation and monitoring On-site representation Progress reporting Selection and management of sub-contractors Procurement of owner furnished items Sea trials and mechanical trials Yacht registration Owner acceptance MCM Yacht Management Safety / ISM management Security / ISPS management Budget preparation and monitoring Accounting and reporting Crew administration Documentation and registration Insurance negotiation Logistics and parts supply Communication and sat-comm services Yacht transport Refit management Annual inspection 24-hour emergency response Fleet bunkering services MCM PO Box 1289 555 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840 0998, USA T : +1 401 849 3387 F : +1 401 849 7728 [email protected] www.mcmnewport.com Editor : Nick Jeffery www.yachtpublicity.com Designer : Terri Gasparich www.tgdesign.co.nz Hoek designed 47.6m sloop turning Printed on environmentally friendly paper with soy based inks Judel Vrolijk/Baltic 35.5m signing Hoek/Huisman update Frers/Baltic 32.6m update Over the years we have had the good fortune to work with a number of the world’s best and brightest yacht design firms. We are very excited to now report that we have started our first project with renowned yacht designer Rolf Vrolijk of Judel/Vrolijk & Co. in the form of this 35.5m performance cruising sloop that is starting up at Baltic Yachts in Jakobstad, Finland. This carbon/composite sloop is designed as a fast cruiser for an experienced yachtsman who is moving up to a larger yacht. She will have a contemporary interior with a spacious forward owner’s suite, four guest cabins and a large aft crew’s quarters. Interior design is by Nauta Design based in Milan, who are also collaborating with Judel/Vrolijk on the exterior styling. We worked closely with both Nauta and Baltic to very good effect on the highly successful 34.1m Nilaya project. Naturally we are pleased to be working with them again and look forward to further developing our relationship with Rolf Vrolijk. Launching is scheduled late in 2014. Our inaugural project with Royal Huisman Shipyard, the Hoek designed 47.6m sloop, is now right side up and fast approaching completion of the metalwork scheduled for September. Thereafter interior painting will start followed closely by hull insulation then systems and wiring installation. In traditional Huisman style their formidable engineering department has been hard at work on the project leaving no stone unturned in the quest for the finest possible yacht. The highly skilled craftsmen of the RHS joinery department are increasingly at work on the Rhoades Young designed ‘modern traditional’ oak interior. Driven by an Owner who is uncompromising in his vision of a sailing yacht of the highest quality, this yacht will be one to look out for. Van der Velden/Alloy 39m update This expedition yacht is closing in on launch with sea trials scheduled to start on October 18th. The Redman Whiteley Dixon interior which is predominantly highly detailed walnut, is exquisite and the craftsmen at Alloy Yachts are excelling themselves. The Owners have been intimately involved with every aspect of the project and the results, we feel, will speak for themselves. Once the trials are complete, the owners are looking forward to a family cruise in and around New Zealand, and she will then start her expeditions in earnest! ANGEL Bermuda Race In 2007 we launched the 25.6m sloop named ANGEL. To this day, she still turns heads in every port due to the timeless elegance and purposeful simplicity of this Langan design. This year she competed in her first Newport-Bermuda race and was sailing in memory of her designer, Bill Langan. Peter spoke to the Owner after the race and he was thrilled to be the first cruising boat to finish, arriving in 62.3 hours and in so doing, achieved a 3rd in her class. In his e-mail he wrote “An amazing 62 hour ride on one tack the whole way, save one gybe 55 miles from the finish. Spinnaker up 75 pct of the way. A great ride!” We are very pleased to have this opportunity to bring you up to date with what’s been going on with us at MCM since the last edition of Advocate. Hoek/Claasen 38.5m signing We regard all of our clients as very important but repeat clients are particularly special. In 2009 we launched a 27.5m Hoek designed spirit of tradition sloop at Claasen Shipyards in Holland. The project was highly rewarding for all involved and the owner has been enjoying some wonderful cruising on her in the intervening few years. We are now very pleased to report that based on the success of that project, the Owner has ‘got the band back together’ and we, along with Hoek and Claasen, are in the throes of designing and planning the build of a bigger sister. The new yacht will be a 38.5m sloop, but still very much drawing upon the classic and elegant lines of her smaller sibling. The interior will be traditional raised and fielded panelled mahogany and we are anticipating launching her in the spring of 2015. The Hoek office has already started on construction drawings and metalwork will commence at Bloemsma in Makkum early in 2013. Nigel Ingram reports that the 32.6m Germán Frers designed performance sloop underway at Baltic is moving along very well. Again we are fortunate to be working with a very experienced owner who is knowledgeably involved with all aspects of the design and execution of the yacht. Currently the composite work is more or less finished with only cockpit furniture and the final hull to deck joint detail to be completed. The interior is being built and finished outside of the yacht by Baltic’s interior carpenters to their normal very high standard of lightweight yet robust construction; work has started on all interior areas of the of the yacht. Interior design is by Adam Lay of Adam Lay Studios and features a modern styling with clean lines, highlighted by the introduction of natural and organic finishes and materials. This interior will be unique and quite a ‘show stopper’. Rig construction is underway at Southern Spars in Auckland and her lifting keel system is also under construction at APM in Milan. She will launch at Baltic’s Jakobstad facility as soon as ice conditions permit in 2013 and hand over after trials. Her cruising plans are yet to be confirmed but almost certainly she will enjoy some Mediterranean cruising later in the year before heading off to the Caribbean. LIONHEART racing After a rocky start to life, LIONHEART has certainly found her legs under the stewardship of her new and enthusiastic owner. Following a couple of tentative regatta outings in 2011 using her cruising sails, she competed in 2012 with increasing success in three regattas. During a long winter work period, overseen by Nigel Ingram of MCM, together with her hardworking crew, the rating was optimized and a raft of deck and rig details implemented to bring her up to ‘race ready’ condition. The full race crew, with Bouwe Bekking as team leader and tactician, assembled for the first time in Palma and after five long days of training competed in the Palma Vela. The full suite of racing sails from North Sails were on board for the first time and this proved to be an excellent opportunity for us to learn the boat and a good preparatory event for the subsequent UK regattas. With the Owner honing his helming skills we finished a creditable third in class and felt that we had begun to understand how to make LIONHEART ‘go’. The next outing was the J-Class regatta in Falmouth, UK, racing for the first time against the ‘big boys’ of the Class, RANGER and VELSHEDA together with the brand new RAINBOW. The good news was almost immediately apparent in that there was very little to choose in boatspeed between the oldest and the newest J boat; finishing time deltas of a few seconds were commonplace. On board LIONHEART we were pleased with our pace and improving boat handling, capping off the regatta with a start to finish lead in the final race. Honours went to the more experienced crews on RANGER and VELSHEDA, but they knew that the new boats weren’t far behind. From Falmouth the whole circus then moved further east to race in the storied waters of the Solent – birthplace of the America’s Cup. The conditions ranged from gusts of over 30 knots TWS on the first day to a delightful 10 knots for the final event; round the Isle of Wight for the 100 Guineas Cup. At the end of the regatta LIONHEART was tied with VELSHEDA on points but VELSHEDA took a well-deserved first place on the tie break. LIONHEART once again enjoyed a final day victory taking the trophy for first place in the 100 Guineas Cup. At an early strategy meeting mid 2010 the Owner told us his plan to try joining the J Boat racing scene with his newly acquired yacht. The stated aim ‘to race with the other yachts in the UK regattas and not make fools of ourselves’. In 2012 the width of smiles all round at the post regatta prize giving in Southampton said a very emphatic ‘job done’. Cruising in the Pacific “Worldwide cruising” is a term that is often used but more often than not large cruising yachts spend the majority of their lives in familiar parts of the world – usually close to where the owner lives or close enough to allow easy access by plane for week long visits to escape cold northern winters. Many of us dream of cruising in more remote places such as the Pacific and Indian Oceans, encouraged by magazine articles with pictures of wonderful anchorages and exotic wildlife; for the more adventurous these dreams might include rounding Cape Horn, transiting the North-West passage or visiting the high latitudes, but for most these remain dreams. Since joining MCM two years ago I have been amazed at how many of the yachts in our fleet actually do these things! In 2011 s/y KOKOMO (58.4m) and m/s HORTENSE (27.5m) transited the Straits of Magellan; s/y ERICA XII (52.5m) visited Japan a few weeks after the earthquake and Tsunami, and s/y LADY B (44.7m) sailed from the Caribbean to Tahiti and then back to the west coast of the US in less than six months. While writing this four of our managed yachts – MARIE (54.6m), CALLIOPE (42.3m), CHRISTOPHER (46m) and QUINTESSENTIAL (30m) are all in the Pacific Ocean whilst ERICA and HORTENSE both have plans to visit the Antarctic later in 2012 and CHRISTOPHER will be continuing with her circumnavigation moving into the Indian Ocean in 2013. This is true “Worldwide Cruising” and it is good to see. Mike Tyrwhitt-Drake Yacht Management, MCM MARIE with a bone in her teeth in the Society Islands QUINTESSENTIAL (Q5) makes her way gingerly to the water Photo : Onne Van der Wal Photo : Rick Tomlinson Photo : Chris Lewis Photo : Chris Lewis Photo : Rick Tomlinson Photo : Ingrid Abery LIONHEART leading the charge out of the Solent

Transcript of REFINED BIMINI 24 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ... · 24 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION...

Page 1: REFINED BIMINI 24 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ... · 24 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ISSUE 6 ... Owner, Captain, Engineer and Lloyd’s surveyor to ensure that

THE ADVOCATE

ISSUE 624 YEARS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

We can report that we’ve launched the 30m catamaran Quintessential that you may read about in more detail further on in this edition. We have one project (a 39m expedition yacht) with a mid-October launch date – always an exciting time. We have signed two new construction projects (Judel Vrolijk 35.5m and Hoek 38.1m) and have added a number of yachts to the management division. As you read on, we’ll also bring you up to date with the varied cruising and racing activities that our fleet has been enjoying.

We hope you find this edition of the MCM Advocate inspiring, always keeping in mind the quote written by Kenneth Grahame in The Wind in the Willows: “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”Nigel Ingram & Peter Wilson

YAChT MANAGEMENT DIvISIONThis year has been very active for the Yacht Management Division. We have welcomed four yachts into the management fleet; the beautiful J-Class lionheart, the 27.5m world cruising stalwart Bootoo; the spectacular new build 30m catamaran Quintessential and the elegant racing/cruising Germán Frers designed 22.3m heroina.

Several managed yachts have undergone refits including Paraiso, CallioPe and hortense, which have all included hull painting. Through structured competitive bidding we have negotiated excellent pricing, and by clearly defining paint acceptance criteria we have ensured that these boats are painted to a quality which meets pre-defined objective standards and expectations from the visual perspective. The yacht tenaCious was also fitted with a new rig, captive winches, bowsprit and hard-top bimini in an intense two month refit at Newport Shipyard. We are also in the process of bidding a major winter refit of Bootoo which will include extensive interior accommodation modifications designed by Ron Holland Design; moving the helm to a new aft steering position, repainting of the hull, full rig service and systems upgrades.

Last autumn we guided artemis through her five-year Lloyd’s survey in less than nine weeks, a yard period which included a full service and repainting of the rig. This tight schedule was achieved by MCM working closely with the Owner, Captain, Engineer and Lloyd’s surveyor to ensure that the yacht was well prepared for the inspections and as a result there were no surprises.

This year we also built a set of haul-out cradles for lady B to the same design concept as the ones we developed and built for KoKomo last year. The lady B cradles were constructed at Marine Group Boatworks in California where they were used to haul the yacht.

We have implemented an active continuing education program for all MCM Yacht Management Staff in order to keep up to date with current technologies, products and legislation. These have included visiting vendors, production facilities and shipyards to increase our knowledge of service facilities suitable for our fleet and attending seminars and courses throughout the year.

We look forward to another successful year.Best Regards, Mike Tyrwhitt-Drake

BOAT SHOWS For 2012 we will be in our usual spot at the Monaco Yacht Show (September 19-22) at stand QP59 in the Parvis Piscine. We hope you’ll find the time to stop by to say hello and have a refreshing glass of water. In attendance will be Peter Wilson, Nigel Ingram, Mike Drake and Mark Dauplaise. We will also be at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (Oct 25-29). Peter and Mike will be there along with Jennifer Way.

MCM Construction Management•Architect/designer/stylist selection

•Specification development, systems design and equipment selection

•Shipyard selection

•Contract development and negotiation

•Budget preparation and monitoring

•On-site representation

•Progress reporting

•Selection and management of sub-contractors

•Procurement of owner furnished items

•Sea trials and mechanical trials

•Yacht registration

•Owner acceptance

MCM Yacht Management•Safety / ISM management

•Security / ISPS management

•Budget preparation and monitoring

•Accounting and reporting

•Crew administration

•Documentation and registration

• Insurance negotiation

•Logistics and parts supply

•Communication and sat-comm services

•Yacht transport

•Refit management

•Annual inspection

•24-hour emergency response

•Fleet bunkering services

MCM PO Box 1289 555 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840 0998, USA

T : +1 401 849 3387 F : +1 401 849 7728 [email protected] www.mcmnewport.com

Editor : Nick Jeffery www.yachtpublicity.com Designer : Terri Gasparich www.tgdesign.co.nz

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Printed on environmentally friendly paper with soy based inks

Judel vrolijk/Baltic 35.5m signing

hoek/huisman update

Frers/Baltic 32.6m update

Over the years we have had the good fortune to work with a number of the world’s best and brightest yacht design firms. We are very excited to now report that we have started our first project with renowned yacht designer Rolf Vrolijk of Judel/Vrolijk & Co. in the form of this 35.5m performance cruising sloop that is starting up at Baltic Yachts in Jakobstad, Finland.

This carbon/composite sloop is designed as a fast cruiser for an experienced yachtsman who is moving up to a larger yacht. She will have a contemporary interior with a spacious forward owner’s suite, four guest cabins and a large aft crew’s quarters. Interior design is by Nauta Design based in Milan, who are also collaborating with Judel/Vrolijk on the exterior styling. We worked closely with both Nauta and Baltic to very good effect on the highly successful 34.1m Nilaya project. Naturally we are pleased to be working with them again and look forward to further developing our relationship with Rolf Vrolijk. Launching is scheduled late in 2014.

Our inaugural project with Royal Huisman Shipyard, the Hoek designed 47.6m sloop, is now right side up and fast approaching completion of the metalwork scheduled for September. Thereafter interior painting will start followed closely by hull insulation then systems and wiring installation. In traditional Huisman style their formidable engineering department has been hard at work on the project leaving no stone unturned in the quest for the finest possible yacht. The highly skilled craftsmen of the RHS joinery department are increasingly at work on the Rhoades Young designed ‘modern traditional’ oak interior. Driven by an Owner who is uncompromising in his vision of a sailing yacht of the highest quality, this yacht will be one to look out for.

Van der Velden/Alloy 39m updateThis expedition yacht is closing in on launch with sea trials scheduled to start on October 18th. The Redman Whiteley Dixon interior which is predominantly highly detailed walnut, is exquisite and the craftsmen at Alloy Yachts are excelling themselves. The Owners have been intimately involved with every aspect of the project and the results, we feel, will speak for themselves. Once the trials are complete, the owners are looking forward to a family cruise in and around New Zealand, and she will then start her expeditions in earnest!

ANGEl Bermuda Race In 2007 we launched the 25.6m sloop named angel. To this day, she still turns heads in every port due to the timeless elegance and purposeful simplicity of this Langan design. This year she competed in her first Newport-Bermuda race and was sailing in memory of her designer, Bill Langan. Peter spoke to the Owner after the race and he was thrilled to be the first cruising boat to finish, arriving in 62.3 hours and in so doing, achieved a 3rd in her class. In his e-mail he wrote “An amazing 62 hour ride on one tack the whole way, save one gybe 55 miles from the finish. Spinnaker up 75 pct of the way. A great ride!”

We are very pleased to have this opportunity to bring you up to date with what’s been going on with us at MCM since the last edition of Advocate.

Exterior Impressions

- PROPOSAL C 05.07.2012 REFINED BIMINI

hoek/Claasen 38.5m signing

We regard all of our clients as very important but repeat clients are particularly special. In 2009 we launched a 27.5m Hoek designed spirit of tradition sloop at Claasen Shipyards in Holland. The project was highly rewarding for all involved and the owner has been enjoying some wonderful cruising on her in the intervening few years. We are now very pleased to report that based on the success of that project, the Owner has ‘got the band back together’ and we, along with Hoek and Claasen, are in the throes of designing and planning the build of a bigger sister. The new yacht will be a 38.5m sloop, but still very much drawing upon the classic and elegant lines of her smaller sibling. The interior will be traditional raised and fielded panelled mahogany and we are anticipating launching her in the spring of 2015. The Hoek office has already started on construction drawings and metalwork will commence at Bloemsma in Makkum early in 2013.

Pantone 871

Pantone 2695

Tr u l y 126

Nigel Ingram reports that the 32.6m Germán Frers designed performance sloop underway at Baltic is moving along very well. Again we are fortunate to be working with a very experienced owner who is knowledgeably involved with all aspects of the design and execution of the yacht. Currently the composite work is more or less finished with only cockpit furniture and the final hull to deck joint detail to be completed. The interior is being built and finished outside of the yacht by Baltic’s interior carpenters to their normal very high standard of lightweight yet robust construction; work has started on all interior areas of the of the yacht. Interior design is by Adam Lay of Adam Lay Studios and features a modern styling with clean lines, highlighted by the introduction of natural and organic finishes and materials. This interior will be unique and quite a ‘show stopper’. Rig construction is underway at Southern Spars in Auckland and her lifting keel system is also under construction at APM in Milan. She will launch at Baltic’s Jakobstad facility as soon as ice conditions permit in 2013 and hand over after trials. Her cruising plans are yet to be confirmed but almost certainly she will enjoy some Mediterranean cruising later in the year before heading off to the Caribbean.

lIONHEART racingAfter a rocky start to life, lionheart has certainly found her legs under the stewardship of her new and enthusiastic owner. Following a couple of tentative regatta outings in 2011 using her cruising sails, she competed in 2012 with increasing success in three regattas. During a long winter work period, overseen by Nigel Ingram of MCM, together with her hardworking crew, the rating was optimized and a raft of deck and rig details implemented to bring her up to ‘race ready’ condition. The full race crew, with Bouwe Bekking as team leader and tactician, assembled for the

first time in Palma and after five long days of training competed in the Palma Vela. The full suite of racing sails from North Sails were on board for the first time and this proved to be an excellent opportunity for us to learn the boat and a good preparatory event for the subsequent UK regattas. With the Owner honing his helming skills we finished a creditable third in class and felt that we had begun to understand how to make lionheart ‘go’. The next outing was the J-Class regatta in Falmouth, UK, racing for the first time against the ‘big boys’ of the Class, ranger and Velsheda together with the brand new rainBow. The good news was almost immediately apparent in that there was very little to choose in boatspeed between the oldest and the newest J boat; finishing time deltas of a few seconds were commonplace. On board lionheart we were pleased with our

pace and improving boat handling, capping off the regatta with a start to finish lead in the final race. Honours went to the more experienced crews on ranger and Velsheda, but they knew that the new boats weren’t far behind. From Falmouth the whole circus then moved further east to race in the storied waters of the Solent – birthplace of the America’s Cup. The conditions ranged from gusts of over 30 knots TWS on the first day to a delightful 10 knots for the final event; round the Isle of Wight for the 100 Guineas Cup. At the end of the regatta lionheart was tied with Velsheda on points but Velsheda took a well-deserved first place on the tie break. lionheart once again enjoyed a final day victory taking the trophy for first place in the 100 Guineas Cup.

At an early strategy meeting mid 2010 the Owner told us his plan to try joining the J Boat racing scene with his newly acquired yacht. The stated aim ‘to race with the other yachts in the UK regattas and not make fools of ourselves’. In 2012 the width of smiles all round at the post regatta prize giving in Southampton said a very emphatic ‘job done’.

Cruising in the Pacific “Worldwide cruising” is a term that is often used but more often than not large cruising yachts spend the majority of their lives in familiar parts of the world – usually close to where the owner lives or close enough to allow easy access by plane for week long visits to escape cold northern winters. Many of us dream of cruising in more remote places such as the Pacific and Indian Oceans, encouraged by magazine articles with pictures of wonderful anchorages and exotic wildlife; for the more adventurous these dreams might include rounding Cape Horn, transiting the North-West passage or visiting the high latitudes, but for most these remain dreams. Since joining MCM two years ago I have been amazed at how many of the yachts in our fleet actually do these things! In 2011 s/y KoKomo (58.4m) and m/s hortense (27.5m) transited the Straits of Magellan; s/y eriCa Xii (52.5m) visited Japan a few weeks after the earthquake and Tsunami, and s/y lady B (44.7m) sailed from the Caribbean to Tahiti and then back to the west coast of the US in less than six months. While writing this four of our managed yachts – marie (54.6m), CallioPe (42.3m), ChristoPher (46m) and Quintessential (30m) are all in the Pacific Ocean whilst eriCa and hortense both have plans to visit the Antarctic later in 2012 and ChristoPher will be continuing with her circumnavigation moving into the Indian Ocean in 2013.This is true “Worldwide Cruising” and it is good to see.Mike Tyrwhitt-Drake Yacht Management, MCM

marie with a bone in her teeth in the Society Islands

Quintessential (Q5) makes her way gingerly to the water

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lionheart leading the charge out of the Solent

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A CAT WITH NINE LIVES...QUINTESSENTIAL

Back in early 2004, the phone rang and i had my first conversation with the owner of Quintessential where he took time to descriBe his vision to me, that of creating a 30m sailing catamaran for him and his family to cruise the world. as the conversation went on, i was naturally drawn to the man on the other end of the phone – particularly when he told me that his previous “yacht” was a hobie! i travelled to his home and so the “Q5” journey began...

we sat together and chatted about his dreams and aspirations for this yacht, how they were a close family and how they really loved spending time together and all are physically active. additionally, as their homes are on the water, they love to be on, in, and around the stuff.

i asked why a cat? and the answer had obviously been well considered – a platform that is large enough for the whole family and friends, that is stable enough for a landlubber to not feel like a fish out of water, a yacht that has unequalled social spaces (as compared to the equivalent mono-hull) but importantly, a true sailing vessel that keeps you closely connected with the sea. the result is Quintessential.

The owner joked to those gathered at the launching celebration in Auckland in June 2012 – “Thanks for building this Hobie that spun out of control.” He went on to say how much he enjoyed the journey and that it was all worth it. in this case “all” was not simply the normal trials and tribulations that go along with designing and building a custom superyacht. But why not throw into the mix a global financial crisis forcing a stoppage of construction for a couple of years and a yard that as a result, was skating on thin ice for a while, and there you’ve got the perfect recipe for stomach ulcers and anxiety!

a client wishing to stop a build for an indeterminate length of time is something we’d not been faced with before – yards going bust and having to move semi-completed yachts, yes, but the owner being forced to stop? that was something new. so out comes the contract for a thorough review to see just how much trouble we were in. the contract was pretty clear inasmuch as if the owner defaulted on his obligations, the yard would have been well within their rights to take possession of everything and doing what they wished, leave it, sell it, complete the yacht and market it. however, after initially relaying the less than stellar news to ian cook and the team at yachting developments, we engaged in lengthy discussions on how best to protect the owner’s asset in a way that preserves the project and allows us to reenergize it in the future. which in and of itself is not an insignificant task. now i’ll turn the clock back to the beginning again, and recall my conversation with ian regarding whether he should be put on the bid list or not, as at the time he was working out of his Beach haven yard which had more than enough room to swing a cat, but not nearly enough room for this cat. in true ian cook style he said “if we win the contract, don’t worry, i’ll find a way to build it.” he did win it – and true to his word, he did find a way to build it – that was just the catalyst he needed to move from the old yard to his expansive facility in hobsonville. we didn’t realize at the time what a providential move this was. But the stoppage meant moving the huge hulls and moulds that had already been completed. not something you can just shove in the corner cupboard for later. But the new facility allowed for ian to crane the big bits outside and to store all the small bits in a safe and secure building. after taking protective measures and weatherproofing the hulls and moulds, and inventorying every piece, part, drawing, good and chattel, the project was effectively “put on ice”. this was a stressful time for all involved.

as the months ticked by, i became concerned that as yachting developments completed the projects they had in house, there appeared to be a dearth of new ones. the ever-present idea of the yard having to shut their doors was a nightmarish scenario – a partially built boat, a shed load of bits and pieces, and bunch of information on computers – and some residing in people’s heads. now try taking that kitset to the next guy and ask him to finish it – crikey! i felt compelled to reach out to the owner to see if we could avoid this landslide. we agreed that we should start the exploratory process of how best to re-price and reschedule the contract. after some negotiations, the dust was blown off the parts, and the wheels of production roared back into life. concurrently, ian managed to secure the

contracts for a 100ft dixon design and the refit of the classic J class endeavour. as a result, the future was significantly rosier.

the reigniting of the project gave us an opportunity to look at new technologies and select them where appropriate. of course we needed to resist the temptation to completely reinvent the wheel, as the bulk of the decisions had been made, systems had been designed and many items already procured. also we needed to be ever-mindful that such an approach would undoubtedly increase the final cost – something we never lost sight of.

so ian’s team at yachting developments kicked into high gear, as did the interior builders, superyacht interiors new Zealand, constructing the redman whiteley dixon quietly contemporary teak interior which focused on creating a timeless relaxed elegance which, in my opinion, they achieved with great aplomb.

we worked closely with southern spars to develop a rig package that was going to be clean and simple to operate with a small crew, whilst still delivering the performance we were looking for – and having conducted sea trials and a number of ocean passages since, we know we achieved. the team of doyle sails, southern spars, yachting developments and mcm worked as a tight-knit group, which resulted in close harmony between the rig, sails and sailing systems which drives this warwick design effortlessly through the water with minimum fuss.

during sailing trials, i was personally really impressed at the performance characteristics of this yacht. i was fearful that she might not deliver exciting sailing, particularly when compared to my previous multihull project, the 38m racing cat Playstation, but believe me, when we had her romping around the hauraki gulf doing 18 knots, she is certainly alive – though still remains comfortable – and in fact, sitting in the 180 degrees glazed saloon, even at this speed, one enters an oasis of calm. and how novel to sit at the lovely cockpit table, with 10 seated for lunch, under full sail with the table fully laid with best crockery and long stemmed glasses! the pleasures of multihull cruising... we had the spinnaker up one sunny saturday and i suggested to the owner that we should walk up to the bow so he could feel the power and sit on one of the teak pulpit seats and enjoy the view. at that very moment, as if on cue, a pod of 10 or so dolphins arrived and frolicked playfully about each stem giving us a wonderful show. surely this had to be a great omen for the future explorations of Quintessential.

the first passage from new Zealand to fiji was completed in just 5 days. the family then flew in for their first Q5 experience. no sooner was that cruise over then the captain charted a course dead up-wind for tahiti where the family flew in for their second cruise. the reviews ranged from, “this is ridiculously nice”, to “the whole thing is amazing”. i’ll interpret that as a mission accomplished!

so i hope you enjoy the visual tour of the yacht as displayed here, and perhaps transport yourself to lying on the trampolines over the glimmering clear waters of a polynesian lagoon just yards off the beach, the cockpit bar for a frosty lime daiquiri, comfortably in the saloon watching a movie, or maybe in the den writing letters home with some small sense of glee to those less-fortunate, perhaps in the throes of a snowy winter back home in northern europe. she will be for charter, so you may not have to wait long to realize those daydreams...

Peter Wilson tells the story of MCM’s 30-metre Quintessential catamaran project. The yacht has just finished cruising in the Pacific and is spending the winter 2012/2013 cruising in the Caribbean.

length: 30m

length waterline: 28m

Beam: 14.64m

draft: 2.1m

design: wyd

project management: mcm – peter wilson

interior designer: redman whiteley dixon

Builder: yachting developments

spars: southern spars

sails: doyle, nZ

rigging: oys

engines: 2 caterpillar c7’s 455hp ea

generators: 2 kohler 50kw

propellers: 2 hundested cp

toys: 5 mountain bikes

1 Jet-ski

6m tender

2 carbon fibre kayaks

1 hobie sailing cat

dive gear for 8

2 stand-up paddle boards

charter enquiries, contact mcm or your broker

MCM TEAM – COMPETITIVE rACINg!in addition to nigel’s racing on lionheart described earlier, the boys at mcm have been keeping their yacht racing skills honed – nigel, peter, mike and mark sailed with clients during the antigua superyacht challenge, loro piana caribbean superyacht regatta, st. Barth’s Bucket, opera house cup in nantucket and newport Bucket variously on Marie, lady B, Paraiso, Boo too, tenacious and heroina – with some great results. lady B achieved a second overall in st. Barth’s, heroina got line honors in the opera house cup and tenacious, sporting her new rig and sails, was the winner of her class in the newport Bucket. as their love of sailing and the sea runs deep, it’s great for the boys to get out on the water.

Marie

Paraiso

tenacious

Inte

rior P

hoto

s : C

hris

Lew

is