project while also maintaining their regular workflow, Moore Brothers are actively recruiting. ‘We need to hire several more floor techs,’ Moore says. ‘The people we've picked up already have some serious experience. Kenny Madeiro brought a crew to us from Hall Spars and the guys we've had with us forever, like Jeff Kent and Mark Raymond are still here. We've been working very hard to organically build a strong and dedicated crew, and we've put a major focus on a supportive work environment – because in the bespoke composite world, a manufacturer is only as good as the guys on the floor. It doesn’t matter how many machines or fancy tools you have; when you’re building custom composites, you can't robot your way out of a problem, you need to have some creative problem solvers in your team.’ Finding the right personnel has been
their biggest challenge, Swart admits. ‘We’re always very selective because synergy is so important. If the right person comes along, we’ll find a spot for them. That’s going to pay off in the long run’.
One stop composite shop In addition to building boats that fly, Moore Brothers have become New England’s go-to place for all things foiling. ‘We’re working on a new foilingmotorboat,’ Swart says, though he can’t disclose any details. ‘There’s a surge of R&D right now, all kinds of weird stuff and we’ve been involved right fromthe beginning.’ The reason? Swart credits their unique
approach. ‘We have a group of engineers that are composite experts, but they also have an entrepreneurial, can-do attitude. So people start coming here not just to have the work done, but to get input into how to improve on what they had in mind. We’re sometimes finalising engineering details right on the floor. That draws people, because it turns a company like this into a composite solutions shop.’ That applies to non-foiling parts as
well. ‘Structural composites; that's where I see people starting to catch on. Someone comes to us for a wheel, but they also need a rudder or a mast. ‘As we develop a relationship, they
realise that we have a lot broader scope than they first thought. Everyone knows our name now, but they don’t always understand how much we can do.’
The 1/4 scale technical demonstrator (seen completed opposite) enables Regent to prove their blown wing aerodynamic design and landing hydrodynamics for their seaglider and inform a realistic and robust engineering schedule with safety embedded throughout the development lifecycle. Building a test prototype at this large scale also allows many potential full-size build issues to be resolved at an early stage saving cost, time and material wastage later
Masts, repairs and production parts too When Hall Spars closed their Bristol facility five years ago, it left a big hole in the region’s marine industry supply chain. Moore says that “everyone and their mother” told them not to become a spar manufacturing company, but it was hard to ignore such a gaping need. ‘So the way we let ourselves get into it was this: we're not a mast company, we’re a composite company that can build you a mast if that’s what you need. We don't want to try and compete at every price point; we’ll only take on projects if we think we can do a great job.’ Alongside the Regent project, Moore
Brothers are now shipping out pretty much anything that can be built out of composite—rudders, foils, beams, and yes, even masts—to boats and businesses
around the world. ‘There are not many companies that can do that,’ Moore says, with justified satisfaction. They build many of Brooklin Boat Yard’s prepreg carbon parts, he adds, pointing to one of the many line drawings covering his desk; specs for a new rudder that will undoubtedly improve the performance and feel of another classic sailing boat. ‘Oliver gets super-excited about each
project,’ Swart adds, ‘because he’s personally invested. And that's intoxicating. Especially since we are going to continue to bringmore people in and growmanufacturing here in Rhode Island.’ By constantly breaking new ground with bespoke composites, Moore Brothers are continuing a long and successful Bristol tradition: building cool stuff right on the leading edge of technology.
www.moorebro.co
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