COLT Rigging for Luxury Yachts
Reliability, safety and longevity are three words we hear constantly when discussing the needs of the luxury yacht sector. With each yacht representing a significant investment the priority has
got to be protecting that investment. This is why COLT has spent and
continues to spend heavily in the design and testing of our products.
We know that our stays have to be as good in every department
as the product they are replacing. And when that product is solid steel bar which has been known and trusted for many
years we appreciate that is a tall order.
However as part of our testing regime to date we have demonstrated that
in fatigue our stays will outperform (last longer than) solid bar by over 100% utilising
the same cyclic regime. In straight forward tensile tests (pulling a
sample to destruction) our stays outperform rod typically by over 70% (i.e have 70% higher break load).
With impact tests our product is designed to 'go with the blow' much as
a tree will bend in the wind and will likely outperform rod (there is
no public information for rod in this regard) which will suffer surface
deformation (dents) which lead to premature failure through a weakened
substrate.
So apparently, at least as safe as rod, then. However this does not
include any discussion of the affect the weight of the standing
rigging has on the safety of the yacht.
In one recent example we quoted PBO standing rigging to replace
rod for a 125ft yacht, the consequent reduction in weight
amounted to almost exactly 1,000kg or 1 tonne on the sail plan. Clearly
a weight reduction of this magnitude aloft will have a significant
knock on effect on the loadings throughout the yacht and the yacht handling and performance more generally. A rule of thumb
indicates that for every kg saved at the midpoint of the mast (where
this missing weight can be approximated to be) , five times that amount
can be saved from the bulb. Reducing the weight of the yacht by six
tonnes in total then has a virtuous spiral effect of reducing the
loadings throughout the yacht thereby reducing the amount (and cost) of
reinforcement / strengthening required throughout leading to further
weight reductions - including the rigging!
Alternatively of course, you may choose not to remove the weight from
the bulb, but to either; leave it as is, thereby creating a larger
righting moment and more stable comfortable sailing; or lift the bulb
slightly thereby reducing draft and allowing access to more cruising grounds/marinas then would
otherwise be possible; or a combination of all three.
Safety, reliability, longevity we can do.
We also do increased performance, lower cost and increased versatility. |
