parts of almost any length for all types of boats: racers, cruisers and anything in between. ‘A key asset to MC1’s portfolio
that other spar builders do not have,’ explains MC1 sales director Trent Justice, ‘is that with McConaghy’s extensive experience building hi-tech raceboats they know how to build the high-quality tooling needed for these boats, particularly in a series production environment. This experience has been crucial for us to create the accuracy and high quality needed for shaping spars that meet the demands of the spar designers but also have the optimised composite engineering to meet both performance expectations and suitable safety standards.’ Evans echoes this for MC1’s foil business: ‘Our experience with the AC 40 parts has demonstrated that we can match or even exceed the demanding requirements of any foiling arms or blades. And since we were able to produce AC 40s at a rate of one every five weeks, we did this on a timely basis for that customer. We have another even larger offshore foil-based project that we cannot discuss in great detail now, but that will demonstrate our abilities in an even more demanding context.’ As part of their quality assurance
processMC1 uses a 120-point product checklist protocol that includes ultrasound analyses to guarantee there are no voids in the laminates, a process they can achieve with laminates up to 10cm thick. A certificate is issued that identifies the parameters used in the process and certifies the partmeets or exceeds industry standards. This document can be quite valuable for entities such as insurance companies or agencies that need proof of compliance to relevant standards. This quality assurance process
turns out to be important not just for carbon spars but also for more complex-shaped, high-load carbon parts such as longerons. The static and dynamic loads on these crucial structures for multihulls absolutely have to be reliable and error-free whilst also light in weight to meet the performance elements inherent to the designer’s specifications. For performance multihulls in particular, every kilogram is accounted for and has a direct effect on the expected performance of the boat. Likewise, the complexities of any
new and innovative spar design whether for a monohull or multihull must be evaluated carefully, not only to match the fabrication capabilities of the shop but also to meet the expectations of the spar designer. MC1 already has relationships with
Above: MC1 already has three autoclaves and a fourth 40-metre autoclave is coming soon Right: McConaghy’s design office has the FEA tools and expertise to customise and tailor composite parts to fit a project’s needs
top designers and engineers in this field, as well as its own in-house team that can participate in the process with suitable FEA tools to further customise and tailor the part – mast, boom or other piece – to the project needs. This in-house capability of the
MC1 team creates an efficient digital compatibility throughout the process. This serves to minimise the potential for errors or misunderstandings on the pathway from genetic definition of the project through agreed details in design to final fabrication and finishing of the part. Another cornerstone element of
MC1’s business philosophy comes into play here: strong communication skills and a friendly and positive user experience. For the managers of each project they commit to, MC1 endeavours to create an experience where the customer’s expectations are met completely in every aspect: design, fabrication and finish quality, delivery time and price. ‘Our customer experience goals
are to provide a personalised design and manufacturing process for a product that truly reflects their performance requirements,’ says Justice. ‘This includes complete transparency on this process with our new customer service portal, a first in this field, that provides weekly updates on the project. It also includes access to all completed quality assurance documents, weekly photos and detailed progress descriptions that keep our customers fully informed every step of the way.’ Another clear advantage atMC1
is their use of high-quality prepreg high-modulus carbon fromreputable suppliers, which allows themto guarantee reliably strong laminates thatmeet or exceed the engineered standards intended for the part. Their suppliers, such as Gurit and Mitsubishi, are recognised leaders in the composites industry with years of proven performance. Even so, MC1 still test each batch they receive to give further assurance of meeting their own quality standards and ensuring compatibility with their fabrication processes. Last and perhaps most important,
MC1 is ready to commit to on-site service to support its projects. ‘This is incredibly important,’
Justice explains. ‘We have a very solid team dedicated to doing the best job possible in the design, engineering and fabrication stages of each project, but often the ultimate satisfaction for our customers is not realised until what we build is installed, tuned and proven to deliver what was expected from the outset of the project.’ This includes not just initial installation to ensure compatibility and fit, but also a commitment to ongoing care and maintenance. ‘Our dedicated team is committed
to looking after our customers for the entire lifespan of the product,’ says Justice. ‘That includes effortless ordering of parts, comprehensive scheduled services or refits and continued friendly advice. This is another essential part of our goal to provide an elevated, top-tier experience for MC1 clients.’
www.mcconaghyboats.com
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