In spring 2009, a sailing yacht very similar to the one pictured above will leave the Pendennis shipyard in Cornwall in south-west England and take to the high seas. Called Nostromo, the 30-metre-long aluminium sloop will be capable of sailing the world with just a handful of crew while the owner and family relax in five-star luxury. In superyacht terms, it is an entry-level boat priced at about £7m - relatively cheap. But it is still a hand-built bespoke product requiring specialist skills and highly labour-intensive processes. For most of 2008 Nostromo has been taking shape in a giant hangar in Falmouth. The following slides show how this superyacht was made.
Nostromo was commissioned in August 2007. Ed Dubois, a leading superyacht designer, drew up the plans.
Construction began in January 2008. The first section to be made is the deck. The hull of the boat is built upside down with the bulkheads and frames attached to the underside of the deck. Most of the fabric used is 5mm-thick aluminium plate. The metal is a popular material for yachts as it is much lighter than steel but almost as strong. A yacht this size (30 metres) could also be made of fibreglass.
Workers create the hull shape by attaching a skin of hundreds of aluminium panels to the yacht's skeletal frame. Each panel is cut and shaped off-site by skilled metalworkers using powerful presses and rollers to create the right curvature. Then, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, the pieces are welded together.
One of the problems of using aluminium for boatbuilding is its tendency to distort when heated. Pendennis welders use synergic metal inert gas (MIG) welding sets. These provide an electric current in pulses, giving more control than conventional MIG welders. The company has used its expertise in this field to develop a spin-off business building curved aluminium products, including architectural work such as the striking Natwest media pavilion at Lords cricket ground in London.
Once completed, the basic hull is hauled out of the shed and carefully slung under the Pendennis 400-tonne travel hoist, ready for the riskiest part of construction: turning the boat over.
It is a nerve-racking moment for the managers and workers as several months' work and millions of pounds' worth of yacht is coaxed through 180 degrees.
Back in the shed and the right way up, the yacht's keel is added. It will be filled with several tonnes of molten lead to provide stability in the water. It is at this stage that work also begins on the superstructure and interior. This part of Nostromo's construction is still in progress.
The cabin top begins to take shape.
During the next stage, the painting team will add the interior and exterior finishes to the yacht. They will also spray protective coatings inside the tanks that will carry the fuel, water and waste.
The cockpit of Nostromo will look something like this. Redman Whitelely Dixon, luxury yacht interior specialists, designed the cabin spaces. Nostromo will have sumptuous accommodation - ideal for entertaining guests in Cannes or the Caribbean. But it is also a "hands-on" yacht designed for an owner who loves sailing.
The finished product. Here, a sister ship to Nostromo bears away under full sail. Nostromo should launch in time for the 2009 European sailing season.
