High Modulus join Antarctica Cup construction team
by John Roberson 24 Jul 2002 08:19 BST
High Modulus, the highly respected New Zealand based composite engineering and materials supply company, have joined the team that will build the fleet of 82 foot yachts for the Antarctica Cup.
Up to fifteen of these maxi yachts will be built in the next two years, to
a design by Ron Holland, and High Modulus will supply Western Australian
superyacht builder, Oceanfast Yachts with materials, engineering advice and
management programmes.
Talking about the specific problems of building fifteen identical boats of
this size, Ron Gorter of High Modulus commented, "To meet these demands we
have developed an innovative kit process that eliminates first-built and
last-built issues and ensures all yachts will be created equal, and
delivered on time.
"Our relationship with Ron Holland dates back to the ground breaking
construction of the first fibreglass 12 Metres in 1985, for New Zealand's
first challenge for the America's Cup."
High Modulus are currently working closely with Oceanfast, supplying
engineering expertise for the sundeck superstructure, on golfer Greg
Norman's 228 foot expedition yacht that is due to be launched later this
year.
Oceanfast are very experienced in composite construction, having been
building structures and complete yachts in these materials since 1988, and
have a workforce of over fifty in their composite department.
High Modulus made their name in the sphere of high performance sailing
boats, and are still at the cutting edge of competitive sailing, being the
exclusive supplier of strategic composites & official supplier of technical
services, to Team New Zealand for their America's Cup defence.
Bob Williams, chairman of the Antarctica Cup, is very pleased to have High
Modulus on the team, "we really now have a great combination to ensure
these turbo sleds that will blast around the Southern Ocean, will be built
to the highest standards," he commented.
"Their practical understanding of design and construction clarified many
issues for us, and the kitset solution they propose creates a 'boat in a
box', so the competitors can take comfort in knowing that these boats will
be engineered for the task, and identical like no other one-design to
date."
The Antarctica Cup is the world's richest yacht race, with US $6.4 million
in prize money, for a non-stop 14,500 mile dash around the bottom of the
planet, starting and finishing in Fremantle, Western Australia.
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