Technology
Challenging the establishment
MC1 Spars is well set up to tackle a wide variety of custom rig manufacturing commissions from budget-conscious and relatively simple refits to cutting-edge design-and-build projects
S
ince its launch only last year, MC1 Spars has established itself as an important player in the demanding world of composite spar fabrications
with an order book already full of interesting and diverse projects for all tiers of performance sailing. This impressive level of initial success
comes from a unique approach to customisation that focuses on use of the appropriate talent and tools in design and engineering for each project, the very best in high quality materials and fabrication techniques, and an efficiency in their process that allows for extremely fair and accessible pricing and delivery timelines. For example, for materials MC1 has
committed to using Delta Preg carbon fibre and resin pre-pregs. There are numerous other less expensive suppliers in this marketplace, but as an Italy-based supplier to the high-end luxury supercar and racecar industry Delta is has strength and consistency in its materials, and an ease of use when having to operate in field environments that do not have the same temperature controls as at their main fabrication facility. MC1 also uses a talent base of
designers and engineers that can be 72 SEAHORSE
assigned to projects that suit their particular strengths, from relatively simple budget-conscious projects to those that are at the cutting edge of the sport. Weaving these sometimes disparate elements together is not easy, yet it’s a challenge that Trent Justice, sales director at MC1 Spars, takes on as a matter of course since this is at the core DNA of the company and its values, inherited from its parent company McConaghy Boats. ‘Our mantra is to put our customer’s
needs first and find the best solution available within constraints of timing and budget yet without any compromise on quality. We personally attend to all details of the process,’ he says. Retrofits, upgrades and repairs to spars
sound like easy projects because the boat is not new and its dimensions should be known, yet there is a myriad of other details that need to get sorted properly so that everything will not only fit as planned but perform as planned too. MC1’s approach to customer service has got this right, as illustrated in these examples: Swan 45 retrofit: Nautor Swan’s Asia
Pacific regional director Olivier Decamps is based in Hong Kong and needed a new mast for his recently arrived Swan 45. The goal was to build a spar that would match
the class specifications so the existing sails fit, but also with a splice installed so that if the boat were to be shipped again it would reduce the footprint and reduce the chance of damage that full-size spars often risk while shipping. ‘We designed a laminate that was close
to the same dimensions and built of the same modulus carbon as the old mast, but optimised in the fibre layout so that even with a splice, the mast had the same stiffness and bend characteristics.’ MC1’s approach to fabricating what
Justice calls a “regatta splice” takes full advantage of their dexterity with female custom tooling: the join is moulded to be a perfect fit secured with recessed titanium screws that add minimal additional weight. Most importantly the taper in the design also does not present any change in panel stiffness nor strength. This was an important detail so that the
rig tune could be close to, if not identical, to the existing numbers and the mainsail would not need adjustments in luff curve for its fit, trimming and performance. This mast was also fitted with new Nitronic rod and newly-designed tip cup spreader attachments, and Justice said it was particularly fulfilling that the entire package weighed 33kg less than the old
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104
