Yacht Design Newsletter

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1 Issue 6 Summer 2011 Yacht Design Newsletter Hemisphere pages 3-4 World s largest sailing cat delivered Visit BMT in Further Oceanco Projects Project Utopia Sept 11 Monaco Yacht Show Oct 11 Fort Lauderdale Nov 11 Global Superyacht Forum March 12 Dubai Boat Show 110m DP001 & Elie Saab 117m Page 2 BMT develops vision of the future Page 5

2011 has been no exception with a spectrum of designs; from the development of conventional yet contemporary designs like the Ruea 75 through to the radial and avant-garde concept of Utopia, whilst

2 Welcome to the sixth edition of our yacht design newsletter. This year sees BMT Nigel Gee celebrating 25 years of business since formation in 1986, and the intervening quarter of a century has seen us work on a vast portfolio of varied projects has been no exception with a spectrum of designs; from the development of conventional yet contemporary designs like the Ruea 75 through to the radial and avant-garde concept of Utopia, whilst behind the scenes we have been working on numerous refit, repair and consultancy projects from classic motor yachts to leading edge racing yachts. Design for efficiency and focus on the environment has been the focus of our research and development with a number of studies having been undertaken to look at reducing the environmental impact of large yachts. The results of this work have been published in the public domain and are available to download at our website. Culminating from our research and development is our alliance with ECOsuperyacht through which we look forward to making a positive contribution to helping yachts already in service reduce their environmental impact. We have continued to remain at the forefront of addressing new regulations and, building on our work from last year, are now involved in a number of working groups and industry panels allowing us to project our insight and knowledge to a wider spectrum of the industry. Oceanco Following completion of the 110m PA107 design for Oceanco BMT have continued their collaboration in naval architecture and engineering with the premier Dutch custom yacht builder for the development of further designs. Firstly the 110m DP001 project has been the main focus of work in Fully compliant with the latest Passenger Yacht Code (PYC) for up to 36 guests the design is intended to be a lower GRT variant of the PA107 concept. Building on the hull form development work undertaken for PA107, BMT and Oceanco have worked with MARIN to undertake further hullform optimization making extensive use of both CFD and model testing. In addition to DP001 the team has also undertaken further development of the Weyves / Elie Saab 117m that was first unveiled by Oceanco in The Weyves Couture yacht is the first design to come from Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab and Weyves International Ltd. Development of the concept s technical background is being completed alongside further refinement of the yacht s general arrangement. Evergreen Collaboration 2 BMT s continued investment in research and development saw us spending the early part of 2011 investigating a number of technologies aimed at improving the efficiency of superyachts via improvements in auxiliary systems engineering. Stemming from this work we presented a technical paper at the RINA Design, Construction & Operation of Superyacht s conference in Genoa during April and our paper (available to download at www. bmtyachts.com) presents quantified lifecycle analysis clearly demonstrating the benefits of some fairly simple changes in auxiliary system design. At the same time we were striking an alliance with ECOsuperyacht, a specialist in providing energy efficiency & emissions management services. BMT Nigel Gee will work with ECOsuperyacht and its clients to provide feasibility studies in order to assess the impact of undertaking proposed changes in both operation and existing systems hardware. This will include the development of models to highlight the expected energy efficiency savings, emissions reductions and cost benefits. Adopting these modifications will help clients achieve efficiency improvements of up to 15% for their yachts which can produce savings running into hundreds of thousands of Euros a year. Richard Franklin, Managing Director of ECOsuperyacht says: We are aware that a number of owners and captains are already offsetting carbon emissions from their yachts each year, which is obviously a great commitment on their part. However, this involves an additional cost each year placing an additional burden on operating budgets that are already high and continue to rise. We want to turn this around and make carbon neutrality pay for itself. James Roy, Yacht Design Director of BMT Nigel Gee states: The key to becoming truly environmentally friendly in operation is through taking a technically led approach to making yachts more carbon neutral. Together with ECOsuperyacht we aim to help clients understand and implement relatively low risk, technologically proven and inexpensive measures, all of which will help to improve efficiency. A key part of this process is being able to adequately quantify cause and effect so that efforts can be focused in the areas that will deliver the best results.

PROJECT Utopia Visions of the future are often constrained by familiarity with the present or reflection on the past. BMT Nigel Gee is excited to present Project Utopia.

Before trying to understand the design one has to examine why the greater majority of yachts have evolved to the traditional form that has derived from millennia of engineering and naval architecture.

3 PROJECT Utopia Visions of the future are often constrained by familiarity with the present or reflection on the past. BMT Nigel Gee is excited to present Project Utopia. The design, which was developed in partnership with Yacht Island Design, is an avant-garde vision of a future concept free from such restricted thought. Before trying to understand the design one has to examine why the greater majority of yachts have evolved to the traditional form that has derived from millennia of engineering and naval architecture. Once the mind is free from these constraints the possible forms that a concept might take are wide ranging. James Roy, Yacht Design Director at BMT Nigel Gee commented that, Much is made in today s design community of starting with a blank sheet of paper. Yet many if not all yacht concepts revert back to that traditional form; the perception that a yacht should be a form of transport becomes an immediate constraint. Utopia is not an object to travel in, it is a place to be, an island established for anyone who has the vision to create such a place. Measuring 100m in length and breadth, and spanning over 11 decks with the equivalent volume of a present day cruise liner there is enough space to create an entire micronation. The design is based on a four legged platform employing the same principals of any small waterplane area design for minimum motions in even the most extreme sea conditions. Each leg supports a fully azimuthing thruster; with four such units the design can redeploy between desired locations at slow speed. A large central structure bisects the water surface acting as the conduit for the mooring system; a critical element of the design, as well as housing a wet dock for access by tenders. In addition to tender access the design features four helicopter pads. The main accommodation and service spaces span some 11 decks with the uppermost deck covered by a retractable canopy. On the 13th Floor there is an observatory with 360 degree views, at this point the occupants would be 65m above the water surface. James Roy concludes: In today s context Project Utopia might be viewed as a folly, an extravagant expression of architecture and form based on a perception of the future. However, those who can grasp the change in paradigm will see the future as being totally unconstrained. 5

4 Hemisphere Formerly Project Gemini, Hemisphere began in 2000 when the vessel s owner decided to enter the yacht market. Having considered a motor yacht the owner initially chartered a range of vessel types and sizes between 2001 and After experiencing a cruising catamaran in the BVI during 2001 he instructed his Captain to investigate the market for pre-owned, larger vessel s. Despite an extensive search of the market no suitable vessel was located. At this point the owner re-considered his time-frame and set about creating a custom build Project Gemini was born. Early in 2004 the search for a suitable designer began and initial plans for a 100ft, all carbon design were drawn up. After initial project meetings on-board a 130ft catamaran under construction Gemini grew by another 15ft. In the summer of 2004 Van Peteghem - Lauriot Prévost (VPLP) were selected as the project s naval architects and design work began in earnest. Following further general arrangement development the vessel grew further to 145ft. BMT Nigel Gee (BMT) were initially contracted to undertake full structural design and analysis by direct calculation. Following signing of a construction contract BMT undertook further proof of concept engineering studies for items of complex outfit, weight engineering and full detailed design of structure, outfit and pipework for CNC production. In recent history the development of the modern sailing (cruising) catamaran has seen steady growth. Over the last 30 years this relatively new breed of yacht has boomed with a substantial proportion of the cruising charter market now being accommodated by catamarans due to the space, shallow drafts and stability advantages. Brands like Lagoon, Moorings and others have been quick to capitalise on this and have developed a range of smaller production cruising catamarans to meet the market needs. These typically tend to be up to 20m in length. The owner of Gemini was introduced to catamarans via such a yacht which he chartered with his family for diving holidays. Development of larger custom designs for cruising has seen fewer new builds. Previous to the development of Gemini VPLP have designed the world s largest cruising catamaran, the 42m Douce France launched in The development of this design stemmed from design development of cruising catamarans mainly in the 23 30m segment and racing multihulls. However prior to the design and build of Douce France the custom cruising catamaran market was very limited for boats much beyond 25m. The launching of Douce France was a significant step. The structural design and engineering of Gemini has pushed the boundaries of classification society rules and BMT worked closely with the vessel s classification society during the development of a new set of rules for the structural design of vessels of this type and size. BMT were initially tasked with the production of the class level structural design. In the autumn of 2004 BV were selected as the class society for the project, having just completed a long period of research and development in order to finalise a new set of rules for large yachts specifically including large catamarans (which subsequently became BV Yacht Rules). Minimum structural weight was a key design factor for the project and high strength Sealium alloy was selected. This 5383 alloy has higher strength properties than the more widely used 5083 series, combined with improved 3

Definition of global load cases and subsequent analysis was more challenging, and were dominated by sailing rig loads with the torsional loads from a quartering sea load case proving to be the most

Extensive use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to analyse both stress and deflection from both global loads and the high localised loads at the mast base and rig attachments.

Following completion of the Class Level Design BMT Nigel Gee were contracted to provide complete detailed production engineering for the project.

Part of BMT Nigel Gee s contract was to provide weight guarantees for the structural weight of the yacht.

5 fatigue and corrosion resistance. Local stress analysis was based on rule calculation for normal local load cases such as sea pressure, slamming as well as high impact loads for the forward section of the wetdeck. Definition of global load cases and subsequent analysis was more challenging, and were dominated by sailing rig loads with the torsional loads from a quartering sea load case proving to be the most challenging, especially in the main mast bulkhead which incorporates significant apertures for windows and doors at the front of the Owners suite. Extensive use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to analyse both stress and deflection from both global loads and the high localised loads at the mast base and rig attachments. FEA was also used for numerous sub models to analyse local areas. Following completion of the Class Level Design BMT Nigel Gee were contracted to provide complete detailed production engineering for the project. Utilising ARL ShipConstructor for the development of the structure and pipe work systems BMT delivered full CNC cutting files and pipe spools. Part of BMT Nigel Gee s contract was to provide weight guarantees for the structural weight of the yacht. Where possible on the completion of each structural unit, weighed weights were returned from the yard and compared with both the early engineering estimates which formed the basis of the guarantee, and the detailed 3d structural production model from which the CNC cut parts were developed. These figures have shown that the yachts structure was delivered 6% below the contracted structural weight estimate. Hemisphere will now make inroads into the top-end luxury chartering market which has been dominated by power boats. She left Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth on August the 4th August 2011 as the largest sailing catamaran in the world. We wish her, her Owners, Captain and Crew many happy seasons sailing, while the team responsible for her creation are busy collaborating on the next generation, perhaps even larger. 4

Celebrating 25 Years in Business Founded in 1986, Nigel Gee & Associates began life as a small naval architecture practice based in Southampton and is now known as a leading independent naval

Year 25-2011 With a small portfolio of initial designs the company grew rapidly, establishing a reputation for excellence in the design of high speed craft in the ferry, defence and yacht markets,

Today, the company employs around 50 naval architects, structural and marine engineers with the design and engineering of large yachts dominating around two thirds of its workload.

6 Celebrating 25 Years in Business Founded in 1986, Nigel Gee & Associates began life as a small naval architecture practice based in Southampton and is now known as a leading independent naval architecture and marine engineering design group. Year With a small portfolio of initial designs the company grew rapidly, establishing a reputation for excellence in the design of high speed craft in the ferry, defence and yacht markets, demonstrating an innovative approach as well as the ability to meet demanding vessel specifications. Today, the company employs around 50 naval architects, structural and marine engineers with the design and engineering of large yachts dominating around two thirds of its workload. Year For the last 25 years, innovation has been at the heart of the company and testament to this are the numerous commissions for specialist vessels it has been involved in. Examples such as its patented Pentamaran design, SWATH yachts and ferries, high speed trans-oceanic freight vessels, right through to luxury lifeboat tenders and even the design of an Antarctic research station. In 2003 the company joined BMT Group Ltd, the international design, engineering and risk management consultancy, consisting of over 20 subsidiaries spanning the globe, and is now known as BMT Nigel Gee. The company s first large yacht project came right at the birth of the modern super-yacht market in the early 1990s, with the commission of a 40 knot, 38m yacht. From there its current portfolio has flourished and today we are working on the design and engineering of yachts in all segments of the industry, from small production motor yachts to large sailing catamarans and, most predominantly, super-yachts with current projects including designs in excess of 100m in length. Not only has our portfolio expanded but so too has our range of services which now includes detailed production engineering, where we have gained a reputation for delivering production friendly designs with a high level of 117m Motor Yacht Concept Design attention to detail. Our ability to deliver projects where we undertake the concept, class and detailed production design 110m Motor Yacht Class Design gives us total control of the yachts engineering and offers the customer a clear and single source of engineering responsibility. 108m Motor Yacht Concept Design Current Projects RUEA 75m Following the development of the Ruea 60m last year Design Unlimited and BMT Nigel Gee have joined forces again to develop a new 75 metre for the Thailand based yard. Designed for the South East Asian climate the design features extensive covered outside areas that flow naturally into the spacious interiors. The accommodation extends across three decks with the owner s stateroom complete with studio and balcony on the main deck along with the main saloon, a guest double with bathroom and a cinema. The lower deck has four further en-suite double guest cabins, plus the galley and crew quarters comprising eight twins and a double for the chief engineer. Above the main deck the wheel house deck includes a sky lounge and the captain s cabin and office, together with the steering position. Finally the sun deck has a plunge pool / Jacuzzi, sauna and gym, alongside extensive seating and sun lounging areas. The design also features a full size helicopter landing pad that retracts into a dedicated hangar at the stern. Powered by twin CAT or MTU diesel engines, the yacht can achieve a maximum speed of 17.7 knots and has sufficient tankage for a range of over 6000 miles at 12 knots. 95m Motor Yacht 75m Motor Yacht 62m Motor Yacht 58m Motor Yacht 42m Motor Yacht 41m Motor Yacht 40m Catamaran Yacht Detail Design Class Design Refit Preliminary Design 25m Racing Yacht 6

Yacht Design Newsletter

Issue 5 Summer 2010 Yacht Design Newsletter New Designs in 2010 Visit BMT in 2010-2011 Sept 10 Monaco Yacht Show Oct 10 Fort Lauderdale Oct 10 Asia Superyacht Conference Nov 10 Global Superyacht Forum