Modern yacht building
The modern yacht building mainly used glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) as the base material for the hull and deck . Carbon fiber reinforced plastics or aramids are also used for highly developed racing yachts, but they are much more expensive than GRP and have therefore rarely been found so far.
An alternative is aluminum , but only very few shipyards process it for pleasure craft. In the case of blue water yachts that are built for extreme conditions - for example for the polar regions or for circumnavigating the world - the additional effort can be worthwhile. Aluminum hulls are more expensive to produce (the hull parts have to be laboriously welded, demanding with aluminum ), but they are very easy to care for.
history
Yachting as a pure leisure activity for better-off people emerged in the mid-19th century. At that time, the first yachts were built for sporting purposes. The building material was almost exclusively wood until the second half of the 20th century, then, from the 1960s, also metal. Around the same time, the first hulls made of GRP, the predominant material in boat building today, were made. It is light, inexpensive, corrosion-resistant, easy to shape and yet very tough and elastic. Correctly processed GRP will last for many decades.
In the past, yachts were built in small series or even custom-made by small shipyards; today, some specialized shipyards build large series. The hulls are produced on an assembly line with robot assistance. In contrast to the automotive industry, for example, the smaller shipyards have not completely disappeared, but the large-scale shipyards dominate the market because their products are cheaper. Because of the supposedly cheap production, high-volume boats have a lower resale value, an image that shipyards are still fighting against.
construction
Today, the construction of a modern sailing or motor yacht usually begins on the computer. There are yacht construction offices that specialize in the construction of new ships and offer their services to shipyards. Software makes it possible to calculate many properties of the later yacht on the computer, including stability as well as aerodynamic and fluid dynamic properties. Before the construction starts, the key data are determined, including of course the desired dimensions of the new yacht, as well as the desired CE categorization . This guideline specifies which construction features are required so that the yacht can later be safely underway in a certain sea area (e.g. high seas or coastal zone). At times it was criticized that the stipulated regulations regarding categorization are not monitored closely enough, because in contrast to professional shipping , where classification societies such as Germanischer Lloyd carefully inspect every ship before delivery, a type test is usually required for recreational boats (sometimes after Criteria to be chosen) are sufficient. So far, however, no significant incidents of this type are known. Similar to cars, the damage to a shipyard's reputation is enormous if one of their yachts has safety defects due to design faults. A loss of the keel is blamed for the bankruptcy of the British luxury sailing boat brand Oyster Yachts .
During the construction, the sail plan and the shape of the underwater hull including the lateral plan, which is particularly important for sailing ships, is determined. The sails load rating is a measure of the later performance of a sailing ship; it relates the sail area to the displacement . The higher the value, the sportier it can be to sail. With motor boats, the maximum speed is mainly determined by the engine type. However, there are also limits to the motorization. Boats that are not gliders - this includes all keel yachts and most motorboats from around 10 m in length - can not exceed their so-called hull speed due to physical limitations , even with excessive motorization . Sailing yachts, with the exception of so-called motor gliders , are usually motorized conservatively. Thanks to their aerodynamically optimized hull, they require little power for cruising through the water.
construction
hull
The construction of the new yacht begins with the lamination of the hull. The gelcoat is first sprayed or painted onto the negative mold . The gelcoat later forms the outer shell of the ship. The task is demanding because the thickness should correspond exactly to the specifications in the millimeter range, a little more on the inner curves, so that there is enough gelcoat later even when pressure is through the fiberglass mat. Since the shape is very large and the gelcoat does not have to harden too short or too long, robots are increasingly being used for this work step. Then the glass fiber mats are brought into the mold and laminated in several layers according to the desired thickness. Hulls are mainly built using two methods: as a full laminate, in which the entire cross-section of the hull is made of fiberglass laminate, or as a sandwich construction, in which another, significantly lighter, plastic is glued in between as an intermediate layer. This increases the rigidity and reduces the weight, but can reduce the mechanical load-bearing capacity in the case of point loads - such as a collision.
Bulkheads and cross struts are laminated directly from the inside into the hull. Since the keel (in sailing boats) has a very small connecting surface to the hull in today's yacht designs , the very large forces must be able to be absorbed in a correspondingly small area. The so-called “keel stub”, to which the keel is screwed later, must be laminated particularly carefully and generously dimensioned. Some manufacturers laminate steel floor panels into the floor section.
After hardening, the required holes for the motor shaft, cooling water and service water inlet are milled into the fuselage. Then it is the turn of the interior construction. Cabinets and doors, entire bulkheads and prefabricated furniture are installed. Most shipyards offer the future owner different expansion options, with a different number of cabins or different types and colors of wood. Traditionally, most of the interior furnishings are made of wood, which should create a homely atmosphere. However, there are also shipyards that assemble the entire facility from prefabricated GRP modules for reasons of cost or weight. The wet cells with the on-board toilets are practically always installed as a complete unit. In this step, the engine is fitted and the fuel and water tanks are attached to the hull.
Today's ships are equipped with an ever-increasing amount of electronics. Lights, cabin lighting, navigation devices, radio equipment and entertainment electronics are a matter of course today, and in some cases - especially on motor yachts - electric hobs are even installed. Dozens of meters of cables have to be laid in the boat for this. For aesthetic reasons, these are laid in the floor section or in walls and drawn in there early in the production process. The disadvantage of this "beautiful" solution is that the cable ducts are sometimes difficult to access later if something needs to be repaired or added or - in the worst case - a cable fire has to be localized.
The pantry is the kitchen corner in a yacht. Today, most people cook with gas from cylinders, in luxury yachts also electrically. Gas installations must comply with the relevant safety guidelines. A refrigerator is now also part of the basic equipment, so that fresh dishes can be prepared on board. Thanks to a pressure pump and a boiler, the sink works just like at home. Even dishwashers are no longer uncommon.
deck
The deck is initially laminated in a form similar to the hull, nowadays often in two parts, the actual deck and the "sky" inserted from the inside below. He is responsible for the transmission of power from the deck to the hull and ensures the right look inside the new yacht. In older constructions, the inside of the ceiling was covered with a fabric cover instead. A large number of holes are then milled in the deck. These include recesses for the later entrance, for hatches and fastening holes for all fittings on deck. Even before the parts are assembled, cleats , chucks , winches and similar fittings are firmly screwed to the deck. Basically, these fittings have a similarly long service life as the yacht itself, but if something needs to be overhauled or replaced, this is not simplified by this sequence, because the screws that are led through the deck from below are hardly accessible later.
Already at the time of construction it was of course determined exactly where which fittings should be attached. Considerable forces will act on them later, so the laminate must be generously dimensioned there. Strong beams direct the forces into the trunk and the floor walls. While wooden girders were still used for this purpose in older constructions, in modern constructions püttings are often screwed directly to the frame with steel struts. Their stability can be calculated more precisely and offers the necessary stability without unnecessarily bringing additional weight on board.
"Marriage"
“Marriage” is what the boat builders call the work step in which the hull and deck (possibly with the sky) are connected to one another. The deck is craned onto the hull, which is provided with all walls and bulkheads, with millimeter precision and then firmly glued and screwed to it. The hull is now complete. Due to the large number of stiffeners and bulkheads introduced, it should be as high as possible, but not absolute, so that the forces that act in the sea can be somewhat cushioned. However, creaking floor boards or doors that cannot be opened in rough seas are undesirable.
Finally, the deck windows are glued into the deck and - on sailing yachts - the heavy keel is attached to the hull with several bolts. Here, the load-bearing capacity of the connection is generously dimensioned, since the loss of a ballast keel at sea would usually result in an immediate capsizing with the highest mortal danger for the crew.
Theses
The final work now follows: the electronic devices are installed, cabling and water pipes are completed, and equipment is brought on board. The rig and sails are mostly produced outside the shipyard by third-party manufacturers. After a final quality control, the new boat is delivered either on the water or by truck.
materials
In addition to the hull, which is usually made of plastic, a ship is composed of various other materials. Today, wood is mostly still used for interior construction and the deck is often covered with wood. Oak , mahogany and especially teak are popular types of wood . These woods are expensive and the procurement of tropical woods can be difficult due to import restrictions, but they are very weather-resistant. The wood on deck in particular is constantly exposed to wind, water and sun, which quickly makes cheap types of wood unsightly.
The rig usually consists of an aluminum mast that is guyed with steel cables . For racing yachts, carbon fiber reinforced plastic and shrouds made of Dyneema or so-called rod shrouds made of solid steel are also used. The carbon fiber mast is lighter with the same stability, which is advantageous for the stability of the ship as a whole, because a high weight is disadvantageous for the righting moment. Ropes with little stretching allow a more rigid construction.
The sails used to be made of cotton - a material that is only used for traditional ships today. Cotton is heavy, dries slowly, and expands a lot. Therefore, plastics are also used for this, especially Dacron , for more sophisticated demands also laminate sails made of glued plastic layers. These fabrics stretch much less and do not lose their shape as quickly as cotton.
maintenance
Well-maintained yachts can last for many decades. Plastic boats even from the 1960s are represented in large numbers on used boat platforms. The engine requires regular maintenance. Especially with sailing yachts, this often only reaches a few engine hours, even with old ships, so that long lifetimes are also possible here. The construction of many ships enables the engine to be replaced relatively easily when it has exceeded its service life. In sailing yachts, the sails in particular are subject to severe aging processes because they are sensitive to the sun's UV rays . Old sails lose their optimal aerodynamic shape, which affects efficiency.
The GRP fuselage requires little maintenance. To prevent fouling, it is regularly coated with antifouling . A polish is mainly used to improve the appearance. Older hulls in particular can be affected by osmosis . The penetration of water into the laminate creates bubbles and cavities that can impair the stability of the trunk in the long term. Renovation is basically possible, but expensive. The risk of osmosis is reduced in boats from the 21st century because new resins, such as epoxy resins , are used, which react less quickly with water.
The other parts of the yacht are largely maintenance-free and only need to be replaced if, due to normal wear and tear, they no longer meet the visual requirements of the owner, such as upholstery and other textiles, visible wooden surfaces or the color of the deck. In contrast, responsible skippers must take care of the maintenance of safety equipment . Life rafts , life jackets , fire extinguishers and similar equipment have maintenance intervals specified by the manufacturer, compliance with which is also recommended in your own interest.
disposal
Plastic boats have a very long lifespan. However, when yachts are neglected by their owners, over time they become unsightly due to vegetation, the cordage begins to become brittle due to solar radiation and mold builds up in the bunk . In addition, if they are left unattended in harbors for a long time, they can be mechanically damaged by wind and weather. Sometimes there are enthusiasts who buy the actually scrap-ripe boats for very cheap money and get them back on their own. Otherwise they will continue to rot on beaches and in ports, because there are no uniform guidelines for the disposal of plastic yachts in Europe. The GRP is not considered a recyclable material. It has to be disposed of as “ residual waste ” - the boat is sawed up and then burned. This is done at the owner's expense and can cost several thousand euros. Thousands of old boats are lying around on beaches and jetties in France alone instead of being properly disposed of. Various initiatives want to change that and offer disposal or conversion of the yacht, in which the owner only has to pay the transport costs. In France , the Ministry of the Environment has commissioned the non-profit organization APER to find ways to dismantle and dispose of sports boats that are no longer in use. The network of boatyards wants to scrap 20,000 to 25,000 unused boats in 2019-2024. Other shipyards upgrade old boats and convert them into gazebos, for example. In other countries, such as Norway, the Netherlands and the USA, attempts are being made to continue using the plastic as a building material. For example, slabs or cement raw materials are to be made from fiberglass scraps.
Summary
Modern production lines have made it possible that even medium-sized yachts with a good fit-out quality have become affordable for ordinary people. The European shipyards, which we now refer to as “large-scale shipyards”, were particularly decisive for this: Bavaria Yachtbau , Hanse Yachts , Jeanneau and a few others. Your boats achieve a good standard of construction with a high level of comfort. For this, the construction techniques have been optimized and more and more automated processes are being used. In spite of this, a lot in boat building remains manual work, because although they are called “large series”, the quantities are much smaller than those in automobile construction . This will never lead to complete automation in boat building. Especially since the number of options offered by the shipyards at some shipyards is so extensive that practically no two boats are identical - in essential parts such as the rig or cabin arrangement.
In addition to the price war between these shipyards for new customers, the longevity of the yachts also depresses the price that customers are willing to pay. This is because the market for good, seaworthy used boats is saturated. Today you can get 30-year-old used boats in the 35-40 foot range in very good condition including all equipment for less than 50,000 euros. Anyone who is new to a yacht should therefore first take a look at the used boat market before taking four to five times the amount into their hands and buying a new boat. The old boat has already proven itself, why shouldn't it last another ten or twenty years? Planned obsolescence has so far not been an issue for yachts even of newer designs, at least there are no signs of it. This is also underpinned by the fact that it is still not clear how old GRP yachts should be fed into the raw material cycle if they are actually no longer repairable.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Joachim Schult; Sailing lexicon; Keyword "aluminum"
- ↑ Bavaria expands its market position in China. (No longer available online.) February 12, 2015, archived from the original on April 2, 2015 ; accessed on March 8, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ The VW Golf among sailing yachts. FAZ, June 28, 2011, accessed on March 8, 2015 .
- ↑ a b c d Palstek No. 6/14, p. 128ff.
- ↑ Oyster Yachts bought up . Yachting World. March 20, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
- ↑ Possible types of wood in expansion at Hanse Yachts. Hanse Yachts , May 5, 2019, accessed on May 5, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Peter Wrede: Osmosis in GRP yachts. Detection, removal, repair, remediation and protection. May 8, 2017, Retrieved May 5, 2019 .
- ^ A b c Kristina Müller: GRP boats, recycling . In: Yacht . No. 10/2019 . Delius Klasing Verlag, May 2, 2019.
- ↑ Aper - Première filière au monde de construction des bateaux de plaisance. Retrieved on May 26, 2019 (Fri-FR).
- ↑ Bowline No. 5/12, p. 3.
- ↑ Dr. Bernd Willenberg: Recycling boats and yachts. (No longer available online.) March 1, 2010, archived from the original on March 5, 2016 ; accessed on March 22, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Extract from Bootswirtschaft 3/2010
Web links
- Bavaria Yachtbau company video - How a new sailing yacht is created
- Bavaria Yachtbau company video - How a new motor yacht is created
- On the subject of disposal of old yachts at Boot24.ch