what was approved deviated from the original build proposal, they were great on knowing exactly what the difference would be in cost because their tracking of time and materials is so organised.’
Lagesse says he found this transparency unusual and refreshing compared with most other builders where cost controls and pricing are not so well-organised. An example he cites is the modification of the foredeck toerails from what was described as “inshore” on the original bid contract to a design more suitable for this boat’s offshore use. ‘We looked at the original design, made modifications to our specs and right away I had a report on how much this change cost in time and materials. The whole experience was honest, open and had everyone on the same page. This is a testament to how organised operations manager Pablo Santarsiero is with his process and his team.’ This was important for the assembly process, where systems in the interior get put in place before the deck is bonded to make the installation process easier, more efficient and cleaner. In fact, keeping a clean shop is a signature feature of King Marine. Lagesse says, ‘their operation is remarkable, it is cleaner than any other boatbuilder I know. It's a testament to their attention to detail in all their operations.’ There are many other details specific to Black Pearl that make her unique compared with other similar- sized raceboats, and where the
Top: Black Pearl was one of the first yachts built at King Marineʼs new hi-tech shipyard in the Americaʼs Cup harbour in Valencia, which offers comprehen- sive facilities for yacht owners and their teams. Above: unlike most compa- rable boats Black Pearl has a deck- stepped mast which keeps the interior watertight but requires extra reinforcing structures down below. Right: another unusual
feature is the dual compan- ionway and ʻcentreline peninsulaʼ equipped with a hydraulic winch, rope clutches and associated controls
customer. And despite very difficult times with Covid 19, Lagesse says they delivered a boat that was both a work of art and built to perfection. ‘We take this seriously: we cannot accept disappointing those who have rewarded us with their trust,’ said King Marine’s Gabriel Mariani. ‘We also do not negotiate speeding up procedures to lower costs. We know that composites are a science and an art, that it must be respected and that is why we have spent a lot of energy in the last 10 years in order to have all the procedures written in such a way as to transmit this to our team. We have really detailed the steps to follow for us to have traceability of the processes and materials, so we may see how something successful was done and be able to repeat this in the future. We believe that it is the only way to guarantee quality and is our commitment number one.’ The Black Pearl team was also one of the first to take full advantage of King Marine’s new facilities at the old Team New Zealand base in the America’s Cup harbour in Valencia, where the facilities were not only efficient for the build team, but attractive and efficient for the visiting owner and sailing team during the commissioning process.
collaborative environment at King Marine allowed for clever design and build execution at known cost. These included: l a water ballast system where 550 litres of seawater could be collected, moved and drained quickly and efficiently. The system is installed well aft, between the main traveller and the stern, and the vertical position is not as high as the sheer so that at high heel angles the extra weight does not contribute to sinking the boat. Lagesse had high praise for the installation, saying ‘it was so beautiful, so well-integrated into the existing structures that you have to look hard to see that it’s even there.’ l a deck-stepped mast that helps preserve waterproof integrity, but required more thought put into the supporting structures. l a dual companionway open aft with a centreline peninsula to handle a winch and all clutches and associated controls. The exact design of this was decided after building a full-scale mock-up of the deck in wood to determine the exact dimensions and layout.
‘When this idea was proposed for the mock-up, the build team was very cooperative. Taking this approach made the final fabrication in carbon more exact and acceptable for everyone,’ says Lagesse. This is a prime example of the importance King places on full cooperation with the
‘It was impressive that when at this facility we had our own office, storage areas for rigging and sails, canteen, locker rooms, a lounge area and Stefan even had his own office if he needed to attend to business matters. This made the time spent there very efficient and much easier than trying to operate out of a normal marina or yacht club. It was perfect.’ After only two days of sea trials the boat was ready to race and after just four days they embarked on a 150-mile shakedown sail before returning to her new home at the King Marine waterfront facility. Both the owner and crew have only very positive things to say about the boat and look forward to doing many fast and fun miles on her.
‘It is a pleasure for us to have satisfied clients like the Black Pearl team, which only reinforces the good decision we made when opening this second King Marine headquarters,’ says Mariani. ‘We invite all those teams that want to come to test the base to contact us so that they too can have this complete experience. For now, we continue to invest to always provide and guarantee the very best.’
As for overall impressions, Lagesse puts it simply: “’this may have been the first Black Pearl we built at King Marine, but I hope it will not be the last.’
www.kingmarine.es
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