MM: We handle all the engineering in-house for the aluminium projects but use subcontractors for our composite engi- neering. In the early days of IOR racing yachts we used to produce all the compos- ite engineering ourselves, before the likes of SP Systems came onto the market. Nowadays the composite projects are far more complex and we would rather leave this to the composite engineering experts. On the very large aluminium projects where FEA is more cost effective we again use specialist subcontractors. SH: How would you describe your overarching design philosophy… MM: My personal philosophy has always been to produce boats that have a con - temporary appearance but that will still retain a modern look in years to come. Style, performance and comfort are key ingredients for a good design. SH: When did you actually join Ed Dubois in his then fledgling business? MM: I joined part time in 1978, while I was studying naval architecture in Southampton, then joined full time in 1981 following my graduation. SH: So plenty of raceboats back then? MM: There certainly were plenty of race- boats back then! Part of the job was to race every weekend with offshore races back to back with Solent point races every other weekend. So it was a busy time designing during the week and racing at the weekends with lots of measuring yachts in the early hours, to beat the weather, in between weekend racing. SH: Do you miss that aspect in today’s very different customer environment? MM: I certainly enjoyed those early days of the modern racing yacht and a fair amount of production yacht designing, but things


30 SEAHORSE


move on and what I design now is also very exciting and rewarding. I am always very humbled to have the opportunity to design these amazingly large superyachts of today, something I would never had dreamt of doing in the early 1980s.


Certainly, the demands of designing a superyacht today are very different from even 10 years ago. The design tools avail- able now are far more sophisticated so a design can be refined to a far greater level but this of course takes time. Clients want to see more variations to the design and want to push the boundaries further which is what makes big projects more interesting. SH: How largely does performance figure into your superyacht philosophy today? MM: Performance is always a very impor- tant factor in designing a superyacht, along with safety and reliability. And with the popularity of superyacht regattas still growing, clients are demanding more ways to improve performance but always without compromising safety, reliability and comfort. SH: Let’s talk a little about the evolution of the superyacht genre and the modern performance superyacht in particular… MM: The superyacht evolution has hap- pened fairly rapidly; from the mid to late 1980s to where we are now, the yachts have progressed enormously both in tech- nical terms and performance. The regatta circuit has certainly quickened the devel- opment of these designs with the help of modern carbon masts, rigging and sails. Those weight savings have in turn allowed for taller masts and more gener- ous sailplans. Lifting keels are also more the norm now, which again boosts perfor- mance and makes the yachts more fun to sail, particularly in lighter winds.


SH: I know it’s still a big cost premium, but surely more and more of these large yachts are going to be appearing in composite in the next few years? MM: Composite construction for super - yachts is becoming ever more popular. There are certainly far more composite superyachts being built now than there were even five years ago. But it has taken some time to get to where we are today; as confidence grows in structural reliability, and resale, and as costs become less pro- hibitive we will be seeing more and more composite superyachts being built. SH: And are you riding that trend or are you still wedded to alloy as your material of choice? MM: My preference is for a carbon composite structure if the additional budget is available. Properly engineered and constructed, a composite hull will be far less maintenance in the long term, and as a result will ultimately be cheaper to run. There are also the potential perfor- mance benefits that make sailing and owning a composite yacht an altogether more enjoyable experience. SH: How does the cost escalate when you switch from alloy to carbon? MM:The cost premium is not what it used to be. The cost of standard-modulus carbon has remained virtually unchanged over the past 20 years, so relative to alu- minium the costs have converged. The cost premium today for a carbon superyacht is around 10% to 15% of the total cost of the project. However, it depends on how high-tech the structure is in terms of the core material and the carbon modulus that is chosen, and the level of outfitting of the interior joinery. If the interior is timber- veneered carbon Nomex panels and the


ALL IMAGES SMITH AND SCHOLEY


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