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As if by magic, White Rabbit’s tri-hull form saved her owner from giving up the ship.
by Ivor Wilkins
photography by Richard Bennett
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10/01/2005
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| NWBS 201 |  |
The owner of the new 61-meter (201-foot) power trimaran
White Rabbit has a fundamental obstacle to his passion for deep-sea
fishing: he gets seasick. Having previously owned two significant motor yachts,
he was looking for a big step up in stability and seakindliness to overcome – or
at least minimize – his stomach-churning affliction.
The rich, deep color of madrona, the stained myrtle and burled elm
joinery, complemented by less formal rock maple furniture pieces and leather
accents, create different moods in the Sam Sorgiovanni-designed interior. Inlaid
metal bands and plenty of glass keep a contemporary tone from the
skylounge (top) to the main salon bar (bottom). Photographs by Rod Tweddle. (Click images to enlarge)
His quest took him to North West Bay Ships, a modern facility
on a picturesque bay of the same name on the southeast coast of Tasmania,
Australia. In its five years, NWBS has focused on building large, aluminum,
multi-hull powerboats primarily used for fast ferry operations. The yard had
recently completed a 55-meter (180-foot) trimaran ferry capable of carrying 450
passengers at 40 knots, and this prospective client wanted firsthand experience
with the much-vaunted ride and stability qualities of the form.
| Click on the Spec tab at top to see complete list of resources. |
"Despite the vessel’s high speed," recalls John Fuglsang,
executive chairman of NWBS, "he was very impressed with the stability of the
vessel. He asked us to do a feasibility study on using the trimaran platform for
a private yacht." This became a 12-month investigation, which was rewarded with
a contract to proceed with the yard’s first privately owned project. Initially,
the step into yacht building did not appear particularly large as the owner
specified a relatively utilitarian standard of fit-out. "He wanted something
where you could come straight off the beach and run around inside with wet and
sandy feet," recalls project manager Nigel Winter. As the project progressed,
however, the owner’s specifications steadily became more sophisticated, finally
arriving at code compliant (DNV+, 1A1, LC, Yacht, EO) yacht standards. A moving
target brief challenges the most established of yards, let alone a company
making its first foray into private yachts, but the NWBS team overcame each
hurdle.
The yacht’s beam is used to dramatic advantage in
the master stateroom (top) and VIP stateroom (bottom). Photographs by Rod Tweddle. (Click images to enlarge)
"We have very strong foundations in terms of naval
architecture, engineering, aluminum fabrication – especially with lightweight
plate -electrical and electronic design and installation," explains Fuglsang.
"Where we did not have the particular skills for yacht requirements, such as
fairing and painting, sound insulation and top-end joinery, we subcontracted or
recruited." To guarantee an end to the owner’s malady, the inherently
stable trimaran form was enhanced with a ride-control system from U.S.-based
Maritime Dynamics. The system comprises four large foils, two located fore and
aft in each tunnel between the central and side hulls. These act independently
to counteract pitch, roll and yaw, smoothing the ride under way and in an unruly
anchorage. "The foils are very large, providing more than 14-square meters of
surface area, which makes them very effective," says NWBS managing director
Steve Quigley. "Our tests have shown that the motion is reduced to about half of
the equivalent-sized monohull. In addition, the system helps the vessel lean
into tight turns."
But the ship’s rising sophistication increased its displacement
by about 100 tons, requiring the vessel to grow from the original 55 meters to
61 meters. "Seven months into the project, the continuing changes meant we had
to find more buoyancy," says Winter. "We had to cut off the original bilge and
fabricate a whole new section with more volume." Wary of possible further weight
increases, the yard delayed construction of the two side hulls until the last
possible moment, knowing that the efficiency of the trimaran configuration
depends on getting the immersions of the side hulls exactly right.
They appear to have succeeded. At trials, White Rabbit
exceeded her owner’s contractual requirements. Her twin Caterpillar 3512BTA
diesels pushed her to nearly 19.5 knots, almost two knots better than the
performance contract figure for light load and one knot better than her
full-load figure. At half power, she cruised at just over 16 knots, underscoring
the efficiency of the hull form and signaling that she will easily meet the
contract’s required 5,000-mile range.
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