SAFEKEEPING WITH LLOYD'S
At Contest Yachts we have worked with Lloyd's Register - the world's leading classification and compliance authority - for more than 45 years. Through this close and longstanding relationship with Lloyd's Register, all design and engineering technologies in our composite construction and finishing and fitting, from keel-toe upwards, is simply and absolutely best world class. It also means that every sailing yacht leaving our shipyard has been individually examined from first drawings and on through every stage of build in order to be fully, structurally certified by Lloyd's Register.
“INFUSION GIVES BETTER CONTROL THAN HAND LAYUP, AND BETTER QUALITY BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE BREAKS IN THE PROCESS. THIS IS ALL FACT AT A MOLECULAR LEVEL.”
As with every new model introduction, there is again much new thinking in the design and construction of this exciting all-new aft-cockpit 15-metre Contest 49CS. But we don't innovate for the sake of it. Only to take better advantage of emerging, proven technologies that add to onboard efficiencies and enjoyment. It has been this way in all our 60+ years. We pioneered boat building in fibre reinforced plastics (FRP or GRP), then continued to innovate with the introduction of resin vacuum infusion moulding, in which we still lead. To this process, we have now also introduced the 'black' carbon fibre to strengthen yet lighten aspects of structure, for example in bulkheads, stiffeners, frames, and reinforcement points. And to strip weight out of both ends, both the integral bowsprit and transom door are carbon-built.
Being a Contest yacht, this is all in deep collaboration with Lloyd's Register, consulting, checking, assuring suitability and safety as declared in each yacht's full Lloyd's certification. This involves extensive sequential examination from finite elemental analysis, right through construction to final finish, inspecting and testing every aspect of hull, deck, foils, engine and hardware mounting, and more. No other constructor in this sector works with Lloyd's Register to this level. Simply put, the relationship with Contest Yachts is unique. They say it themselves. It's all about checks and balances. It's not just about the calculations, or plan approvals, or how the lamination skins build up. It's about all things: computer analysis, the real-life, real-time testing on product samples taken out of the boat during build for Lloyd's structural analysis. It's total.
Lloyd’s Register surveyor Ranko Petkovic, who oversees the surveying and certifying of each individual Contest yacht, is particularly impressed with the yard’s resin vacuum infusion process. And that is why it is recognised as better than any other. As Ranko says of the process of laminating large structures, "When you hand-laminate as most yards do you have to stop, to go home, as you have many layers and you cannot do it all in one day. This is a matter of pure chemistry. The day’s layer cures, then next day another is laid on top. Bonding this way can never be as good as infusing in one go as Contest do. This is all fact at a molecular level.”
Of our single-shot vacuum infusion methodologies, Ranko goes further. “Contest is the first yard infusing both inner and outer skin with the sandwich core in one go. I’d seen this in other industries but not in yachting. The first hulls were done with transparent gelcoat. It was flawless. I still haven’t seen anyone else doing this. The rest I’ve worked with infuse the outer skin, then bond the core to that, and only after that do the inside skin.” This explains our unique Lloyd's Register certification, which now includes also oversight of our increasing inclusion of carbon fibre composites.
Lloyd's Register close scrutiny is continual, inspecting every aspect of each individual build.
