Theworld class professional racer Bouwe Bekking has beenworking on Project 405’s race optimisation andwill also be the captain of the yacht’s race crew
narrow the real-world performance gap between carbon and aluminiumhulls still further and potentially close it completely. The first yacht to be built according to their newmethod – Project 405, a 47-metre (154ft) cruiser-racer sloop designed by Reichel/Pugh and Nauta – is in the outfitting phase of its build at Vollenhove in The Netherlands at the time of writing, and is due for delivery to its owners later this year. One thing we do know is that they’re serious about racing. The yacht is expected to become a regular competitor on the superyacht regatta scene; Bouwe Bekking will be the captain of its racing crew and has been heavily involved in the yacht’s race optimisation process, working closely with the shipyard’s design office and the owner’s rep, Nigel IngramofMCMNewport. ‘Featherlight is a tailor-made
programme which combines the best of both worlds: performance and luxury,’ Bekking says. ‘Weight and performance are undeniably linked in yachts –more of the firstmeans less of the other. Excess weight impacts on the speed and handling of a yacht. So why is “lightweight” not at the top of every yacht owner’s wish list? That is because materials used to achieve weight reductions are widely associated with a lack of comfort, noisiness and vibrations, added expense and the absence of sustainable qualities when building a new yacht.’
Cost and carbon footprint To be fair, the leading composite superyacht shipyards can arguably offer equivalent levels of comfort and are very adept at reducing noise and vibration inside their carbon hulls. They can also point to the better thermal efficiency of a composite skin and less interior volume lost to internal supporting structure, but the cost and carbon footprint of an aluminiumhull are both undeniably lower. Project 405 is everything onemight
expect froma collaboration between Reichel/Pugh and Nauta Design, which is responsible for the yacht’s general concept as well as the exterior and interior design. It’s a notably elegant,
In 16 iterations, the Featherlightmethod reducesweight by 11 per cent What is Featherlight construction?
Sowhat exactly is Featherlight? Project 405 is being built behind firmly closed doors and RoyalHuisman is keeping its cards close to its chest. ‘Featherlight is a design and engineeringmethodology aimed at providing a lightweight aluminiumconstruction fromthe outset,’ a spokesman for the shipyard says. ‘Its result isn’t a conventional superyacht relying on compromises to achieve a degree ofweight reduction, but a purpose-driven effort tomake the yacht truly as light as possible, and recapture any advantage that composite hullsmight have,whilst benefiting fromusing aluminium. Featherlight comprises the leading- edgeweight reduction knowledge that RoyalHuisman has accumulated over recent projects, and adds the very latest intelligence and resourcefulness.’ State-of-the-artmillingmachinery
plays a significant part in Featherlight construction. ‘Themachine-milled bow deck section of Project 405 features the exact curves of camber and sheerline (so no adjustments required), precise penetrations, and alsomeets the exact required strength based on FEMcalculations including a predefined safetymargin,’ Royal Huisman’s spokesman says. ‘All surplus material is removed: highest quality, reducedweight and optimal efficiency.’ But the key difference between
Featherlight and regular aluminium construction iswhat goes on inside the metal skin: ‘The hull of project 405 is a high-grademix of aluminiumand
The Featherlightmethod uses a semi- automated parametric structural optimisation process
SEAHORSE 81
carbon composite, using a semi- automated parametric structural optimisation process.During 16 iterations that are part of our new Featherlightmethod, the structural weight is reduced by a remarkable 11 per cent comparedwith conventional methods,whilstmaintaining the stiffness of the hull and ensuring structural integrity.’ That’s all RoyalHuismanwants to
make public about Featherlight, but readerswhowould like to knowmore about it can contact the shipyard for a tailor-made presentation.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS: TOMVANOOSSANEN
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