Technology
Carbon spars for all
With hi-tech construction processes, efficient production, expanding reach, extended product ranges and increasing economy of scale, MC1 Spars is making it feasible for a broader church of boats to have carbon masts and booms
MC1 Spars hasmade a considerable impact in a few key directions since its recent launch as a reliable source of cost-effective, high-tech, high quality composite spars. The company has been increasing its sales of new and retro-fit spars for a wide range of performance and performance-cruising monohulls and multihulls. Meanwhile, MC1 Spars has committed to expanding its product line into other sail and spar-related components that complement its core products. Another new programme could
be quite useful for cruising sailors who are interested in exploring the relatively untouched regions of Asia that until now have been out of reach for spar service and support logistics. Some gorgeous coastal areas of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, for example, may now be more viable and attractive for visits from superyachts and performance multihulls. If problems arise, they can now be assured that help is available not too far away. In a collaborative effort with
rigging specialists BSI and both new and established boatyards located in Phuket, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, MC1 Spars offers full service support in commissioning new spars, repair services and installation of new systems in locations that were,
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until now, simply out of reach. ‘Ten years ago there were maybe
one or two yards we could work with in this southeastern and eastern region of Asia,’ says MC1 Spars sales manager Trent Justice. ‘Now there are 10 to 15 in the region that we think will have the facilities and technical staff we need to properly take care of our clients with this type of support relationship.’ Among the interesting projects in
the order book atMC1 Spars is the spar package for theMC 68, a new 70ft catamaran project built at McConaghy Boats. This project features soft rigging, a single-diamond shroud geometry and a furling boom, a complex feature to design and fabricate for full functionality but absolutely essential for serious sailing where reliability and safety are of paramount importance. In this context it is worth
describing the process that MC1 Spars uses to achieve its impressive results, from design to fabrication… and now extended to include rig installation as well. First, the design team uses the
same load analysis programs (such as Sail-Pack) that sail designers use to model sail loads, making for a seamless collaboration on finding solutions that optimise the composite structure in the spar. MC1 Spars’ structure and laminate
Above: with extensive NDT checks and autoclave curing at 5.5bar and 120°C, void- free laminate quality is assured
engineers analyse these sail loads and determine the best section to provide the project’s required carbon thickness and stiffness. The company works with
Auckland BAIC Finite Element Analysis (FEA), whose massive computing power enables them to conduct multiple FEA studies throughout a project timeline. They start by examining the overall structure and then focus on the localised high-load areas to create the laminate from either standard, high or ultra-high modulus carbon, depending on the project. This cooperation between the sailmaker and laminate engineer with a shared understanding of the load analyses is crucial in achieving not only an optimal laminate that meets the spar’s specifications, but ultimately plays an important role in the overall project’s goals of reaching that critical balance between performance and safety. Spar laminates at MC1 Spars
are built from female carbon tooling - which is more expensive but ultimately more stable and compatible with carbon laminates, and requires less fairing material for finishing compared with mandrel- based fabrication. They also have modern robotic tools for fast and accurate CNC milling of the moulds, which are efficiently designed and
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