So Tara, how does one go about building a Class America in China ?

What state is the shipyard in Dong Guan?

McConaghy International and Jin Li Composite are just putting the finishing touches to the site and are building a furnace inside the building. The furnace is a metallic structure around thirty metres long, eleven metres wide, and eightmetres high. It is covered with a large duvet cover which is used to provide thermal insulation. This area must be totally covered and airtight so that the mould and the hull resist deformation due to change of temperature, humidity or movement on the ground.

Does the fact that building the boat in China in a humid region change anything?

No. We are equipped with a system of temperature controls which are checked daily. The area is confined and air-conditioned so that the temperature and hygrometry remain constant. We can also control any slight movement on the ground. For example in Brittany we were able to monitor a movement of two millimetres between high and low tide. We have to be capable of detecting this kind of movement and correcting it if the change is serious. We are covered by McConaghy International for this type of problem. They are experts in the field. It is an excellent shipyard, run by professionals who are used to these working conditions.

What will be the first step and when will it be taken?

The first thing we will do is build the mould and that work will begin on Monday 3 July. The wood has been ordered in China and we will start by cutting the planks into the form which corresponds to the plans delivered by the China Design Team (which includes Daniel Andrieu, Hervé Devaux and Philippe Pallu de la Barrière). The planks pass through a numerical cutting machine that produces the form required, from the skirt to the stem, in 50 centimetre pieces. They are joined together by wooden slats and the result is the first casting of the “male” mould. This corresponds to the interior volume of the hull.

Why have you chosen a “male” mould when the other boats were built from a “female” mould?

First of all, this is how McConaghy International works. They are used to this method, as are most shipyards in the southern hemisphere. It is more than anything else a question of habit and culture. It is also quicker and cheaper. When you build a boat from a “female” mould, you have to first build the “male” form, followed by the “female” to which carbon is added. By choosing the “male” we have gained some precious time.

So how exactly does this work?

The building of the mould lasts 6 weeks. Then we place the hull around the mould. This is followed by several layers of carbon, Nomex (an intermediary structure in the shape of a honeycomb) then a last series of carbon layers which correspond to the exterior shape of the hull.

This stage last around 5 weeks. It’s a job that requires high precision and close attention to detail. Unlike the building of a boat from a “female” model, where the exterior part is put in place first and corresponds exactly to the shape of the mould, the “male” requires three layers, (interior carbon, Nomex and exterior carbon), which have to be applied very carefully so that the exterior layer corresponds to the “male” mould and the numerical model created by the architects. And this is where the know-how of the McConaghy technicians comes in.

Once this is completed, everything goes into the furnace for 24 hours (twice), raising until 85°C and then progressively lowering the temperatures within that time. The result is the first Chinese Class America!

How will the work be divided between McConaghy, Jin Li Composite and China Team’s technical crew?

Mc Conaghy International and Jin Li Composite have joined to make one team who will oversee the work from beginning to end. One of China Team’s technical team will be also present full time at the shipyard. I will make a round trip to be there for the important moments of the construction.

And when will the boat arrive in Valencia?

Mid-November. The boat will then be fitted and rigged so that it can navigate mid-January.