FEATURED PROJECTS

The latest Roger Hill-designed vessel, the 14-metre power catamaran called “AYANA” has been designed to cruise from the Gold Coast back to Western Australia, with the intention of offering day charters cruising Rottnest, Margaret River and the Swan River.
“The fully-custom cat been built to survey and is at the top end of the spectrum for cost and compliance,” adds Roger, “and is complete with unique features befitting a luxurious liveaboard vessel.”

Construction

From briefing to completion, construction took just 13 months, and key to the build efficiency was the use of the pre-cut DuFLEX panel system from ATL Composites.

Nick Cossich, chief engineer at ATL, worked closely with Roger and Julianto comply with the DNV-GL Certification requirements and handled handled the plan approval process. Divinycell HM100 was the core specified for the DuFlex panels used for construction of the hull bottom, lower topsides and transom. Divinycell HM is capable of absorbing high dynamic impacts and slamming loads for fast marine hulls where higher toughness is required, while providing excellent resistance to denting.

Other DuFlex panels in AYANA were cored with Divinycell’s H80, an industry standard for high performance marine projects. All components for the build, from temporary framing to structural hull sections, bulkheads through to the interior fit-out for AYANA were digitised from design files and nested to optimise the number of panels required for the project that were with ATL’s proprietary Z-Joint for joining and subsequent quick assembly.

“DuFLEX is incredible for saving time and reducing weight onboard,” Julian Griffiths attests. “DuFlex offers builders a very high-quality panel and very precise accuracy, and for the client, an assurance of structural integrity.”

The interior fit-out on AYANA was also supplied as a CNC-routed Component Pack in FEATHERLIGHT FF1015X6 Marine Grade panels from ATL. Cored with 15mm Divinycell H60, a low density unique combination of polyuren and PVC core, the Featherlight panels will provide good thermal/acoustic insulation and will provide superior stiffness and ultra-light weight to increase overall performance.

KINETIX Laminating and WEST SYSTEM epoxy systems were used throughout the project to ensure high-performance structural properties and low maintenance in the years to come.

Roger agrees, stating: “Using the ATL Composites DuFlex panel system is a great way to build a boat particularly when it is embraced so well by this builder. Personally, I really appreciate the service and help that the team at ATL offers me as a designer. Their back-up and support are great.”

AYANA is a spacious three-cabin multihull conceived for day charter, with a massive, versatile cockpit for entertaining or angling, which flows into the large saloon, also decked out for socialising with dinette, galley, AV and large windows for panoramic views. The enclosed flybridge features the helm and an L-shaped lounge and dining table, while the aft deck is fitted with a davit for the vessel’s tender.

Wayne Barrett has been building boats for 50 years, many of them world renowned. His latest venture is a DIY trimaran kit that embodies his half-century of expertise and celebrates “the joy of building and sailing your own creation”.

Famed in multihull circles and the creator of high profile vessels such as ‘Trilogy’ and ‘Indian Chief’ designed by Tony Grainger, and ‘Traveller’, the 50-foot tri designed by Dick Newick, Barrett describes himself as “a little guy designing boats on the kitchen table in an apartment on the Gold Coast, with a nice view over the lake”.

He has built some “100 or so boats” over the years and his passion and prowess have inspired him to create the M80 trimaran, an 8-metre vessel designed with the home builder in mind; those with limited time or space, and some basic experience with hand tools.

The versatile M80 can be specced for cruising or racing and the larger 9-metre design will have a range enough to sail across the Atlantic.

“In 2021, I’m planning to sail the 8-metre boat up to The Whitsundays as a promotional exercise to showcase the vessel. It’s very manageable for single-handed sailing.”

The concept arose from Barrett’s belief that sailing should be within everybody’s reach.

“I’ve built quite a few complicated, high-performance multihulls over the years and I’m aware they consume time that’s way beyond what an amateur could devote to a build. I used the flat panel concept, adapted to tri design and put it out there for amateur or professional builders.

“A friend of mine I’ve been sailing with for 40 years needed a new modern Buccaneer 24, a plywood 24-foot Crowther around in 1966. I’ve built a few of them, and a B33, B40 and a Spindrift 37. I thought about it for a year or so, then did something about it.

The spiritual successor to the Crowther Buccaneer 24, the 24-ft ‘Mojo’, was originally designed with a central cockpit, a double bunk down aft and a galley and head forward, which I thought was a great concept. But I scrapped that idea and went with a conventional aft cockpit.”

The first boat, in Brazil, set sail just over three years ago and since then, Barrett has sold plans around the world.

“A mate of mine from Geelong, Andrew Johnson, is building one at Lightwave Yachts at Coomera on the Gold Coast with the guidance of Roger Overell. It’s well into the final stages and will be used for cruising. It’s made totally from carbon, so it’s light and strong.

“There’s another one being built in France, a 6-metre design being built in Melbourne and a 9-metre design close to completion in The Netherlands. I’ve sold 9-metre plans to Germany and one in Sydney, revised to be all flat panel, foam and round bilge, with aesthetics to suit that owner.”

The main attributes of the design that have such broad appeal are its simplicity and economical package.

“Initially the concept was built around plywood, which has been a common material for 100 years and most people are familiar with it,” explained Barrett. “The benefit of ply is that a guy can build it in his own shed, over time. But other than the 9-metre in The Netherlands, people are all keen on the foam and epoxy.

“Foam and epoxy is a bit more costly, but comparing the total price is attractive for an amateur builder. It can be built from CNC cut panels in a fraction of the time compared to some other options, alternatively you can build it from our easy to follow plan set for DuraKore, DuFlex or foam core kits.”

Barrett has worked with ATL Composites for the past 25 years on numerous projects, including the 9.2-metre ‘Trilogy’, which held the Aust Championship title for around 10 years, ‘Traveller’ and the 13-metre Gary Lidgard-designed cat ‘Saloon Bar’.

“I also built a 7.5-metre caravan which appeared on the ABC program, ‘New Inventors’ five or so years ago,” continued Barrett. “I used ATL Composites’ products, including foam and resins.

“ATL spent a lot of time scanning the surface of the moulds so we could get an accurate pattern for the shapes of the foam core. I built five of them, all custom designed and built, all traveling the country. It was a fantastic looking thing!

“ATL has always been fantastic to me, in their general support, timely supply of goods, always bending over backwards to help.”

For the M80 in build at Lightwave Yachts, the main shell structure, fore and side decks, and cabin sides were built with DuFLEX/foam panels cored with Divinycell H80 structural foam in a variety of thicknesses and reinforced with double bias E-Fibreglass skins.

The cabin top and floats were strip planked with DuFLEX H80 strips with a 450grm uni-directional on either side to achieve the compound shapes and then reinforced with additional laminates to complete the structure.

The project incorporated carbon fibre and E-fibreglass reinforcement, supplied by ATL, to provide stiffness and to achieve the weight specification for the project.

High performance KINETIX R246TX, a thixotropic epoxy, was used to laminate these reinforcements and WEST SYSTEM R105 and H206 was used for all bonding and coving, combined with WEST SYSTEM 413 Microfibre Blend and 411 Microsphere Blend powder modifiers to alter the consistency for the specific applications.

The M80 was faired with ATL’s unique Technifill XP which is a pre-filled epoxy fairing compound that is ultra lightweight and very easy to sand.

Getting started is straightforward, according to Barrett. “People buy the plans, complete with DXF files and they can have all the flat components cut out with CNC or jigsaw by hand”.

“If you have plenty of time, it’s cheap. An average handyman or woman, with basic experience with hand tools could put it together in their garage or workshop. In The Netherlands it’s being assembled under a tent to keep rain and snow out. Where there’s a will, there’s a way to boat the world over.”

https://trimarankit.com/

Design Concept

New Zealand multihull designer Roger Hill designed this long-range displacement power cat for an existing client, whose previous boat was sailing cat, also designed by Roger, who is now ready for some long range adventures around the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand in the Summer and cruising around the Pacific islands during the Winter.

The accent is on comfort rather than speed and plenty of space for two couples to live aboard along with all of the equipment and storage required for long trips in remote places with no easy access to fuel, water, and food.

Construction

Because of previous experience and construction success, Roger based the design for construction with DuFLEX Composite panels and construction began this month at Lifestyle Yachts in Pipiroa, New Zealand.

The owners of Omahu decided on a dark blue hull which dictated the choice of foam core to be used in the hull and transom areas. A combination of Divinycell HP80 and HP100 foam cores in 20mm were chosen for the DuFLEX Strip Planks used for these areas to provide elevated temperature performance under the dark blue paint and offering high properties in all significant areas including mechanical performance, elongation to break, adhesion/peel strength, fracture toughness and dimensional stability.  Divinycell HP is type approved by DNV-GL Maritime.

The panels were laminated with a high temperature laminating resin with an 800grm unidirectional E-Fibreglass and scarfed on the shorter edges of the panels to facilitate joining to panels to the full length of the hulls and the DuFLEX Z-Press was shipped with the panels to New Zealand.

Other DuFLEX Composite Panels components in the first shipment included wingdeck, soles, girders, webs, bulkheads and longitudinal all supplied in CNC-Routed Kit Form with various core types and densities – from H100 in 25mm and 30mm laminated with an 800grm unidirectional for strip planking the wing-deck sections,  to 25mm H80 with 2 layers of 600grm or 800grm double bias on either side for the bulkheads – that were engineered to suit the design loads in the vessel.  ATL also manufactured the CNC-routed MDF Build Jig for the project and each panel type, including the jig, was supplied with a CNC nesting and joining booklet to aid in the assembly process.

More soon….

Design Concept
Aura, designed and built by Norman R. Wright and Sons in Brisbane. Engineered by ATL Composites. The 60-foot power boat was designed for private use and built for live aboard sports (game) fishing, with appropriate seakeeping, maneuverability and general handling capabilities. The vessel was configured to facilitate sports fishing; the main deck is fitted with a below floor scuppering system, a plumbed live bait tank located in the transom, and port and starboard desk hatched leading to removable fish/ice buckets. Aura can reach up to 35 knots plus, allowing for more time with lines in the water and less time traveling to your destination.

The hull topsides were strip planked using DuFLEX strip-planks with a 25mm Divinycell H130 foam core laminated with 800g E-fibreglass unidirectional on each side. An additional layers of quadraxial were applied to each side to complete the structure.

Pre-routed DuFLEX panels were supplied in kit form for applications throughout the boat including fitout and internal structural components:
– Accommodation Sole
– Saloon Sole
– Bulkheads

Construction
Engineered by ATL Composites, the hull bottom was infused with Kinetix R118 with H120 infusion hardener.  The hull core was 40mm Divinycell H130 IPN foam, which has a proven track record in marine applications in applications that are subject to slamming or impact loads, and reinforced with multiple layers of 800g E-fibreglass biaxial and quadraxials.

Specific reinforcements and taping were applied throughout the boat –  including 800g E-glass biaxial / 800g E-glass quadraxial / 1200g E-glass quadraxial / 1000g E-glass unidirectional / 600g E-glass double bias / 400g E-glass biaxial / 450g carbon unidirectional / 400g carbon double bias –  to meet design and engineering specifications.

As mentioned,  infusion processes were completed with KINETIX R118 with H120 infusion hardener,  and all hand lamination resin was completed with KINETIX R246TX resin, a room temperature curing, thixotropic laminating system,   with a combination of H126 Super Fast and  H160 Medium hardeners to meet specific cure schedules.

Design Concept
Designed by Noah Thompson of Noah Thompson Designs in New Zealand, the boat was commissioned by a local Perth gentleman with a passion for fishing. The design brief called for a fuel efficient vessel of the same size and weight of his current monohull. A lengthy study of hull shapes with POD drive engine packages was conducted and a custom design, with planing hull and the Volvo IPS-400 inboard Performance System was decided on to tick all the required boxes.

Construction
The latest Noah Thompson Design power cat, built by Lloyd Powell and Kate Tarrant of The Cat Factory in Fremantle, the luxury 14m sport fishing cat, Affinity II was built from a DuFLEX / AIREX Structural Foam Kit over a 20 month period with an “out of shed” weight of 11 tonnes which, even when loaded with fuel, water, payload and passengers, was well under the original design weight.

Because of previous experience and construction success, Noah based the design for construction with ATL Composites lightweight DuFLEX panels with a structural foam core.  The design was transformed into a DuFLEX Kitset and the panels were manufactured by ATL, CNC routed into kit form,  including all structural and interior parts cored with a variety of densities to optimise the engineering and performance in specific areas, and shipped to The Cat Factory for construction.

DuFLEX construction significantly reduced the weight of the vessel, addressing the need to reduce fuel consumption without sacrificing comfort or performance.

Because of previous experience and construction success, Noah based the design for construction with ATL Composites lightweight DuFLEX® panels with a structural foam core. The design was transformed into a DuFLEX Kitset and the panels were manufactured by ATL, CNC routed into kit form, including all structural and interior parts cored with a variety of densities to optimise the engineering and performance in specific areas, and shipped to The Cat Factory for construction.

DuFLEX construction significantly reduced the weight of the vessel, addressing the need to reduce fuel consumption without sacrificing comfort or performance.

Additional reinforcements and taping were laminated with ATL’s high performance KINETIX® Laminating resins and all bonding, filleting and fairing were completed with WEST SYSTEM® resin and hardeners with a combination of WEST SYSTEM powder modifiers as required.
WEST SYSTEM 410 Microlight fairing compound is 30% lighter and less porous than other fairing compounds on the market and 30% easier to fair than phenolic microballoons.

“It’s not often you see a vessel with a paint job so finely detailed that you can see the ocean reflection in it. For anyone who has bogged and faired a boat will tell you it is a labour of love to get perfection.” Noah Thompson – Designer

The design layout was developed closely with the owners who had owned large boats in the past. The idea was to keep the cabins as large as possible with full head room, large doors, plenty of light, and stowage under the floor. The main cabin is open plan with the galley opening onto the aft deck for ease of cooking and serving. The lounge and adjoining seat offer a relaxing space. The owner requested that the flybridge is accessed from inside the cabin, and works well for security. Interior components were supplied as a DuFLEX / AIREX® C70.75 Kit with a 10mm foam core reinforced with a 600grm quadraxial laminate.

Design Concept
The Palm Beach Motor Yacht range was inspired by leading edge yacht racing technology. Since production began in 1995, every model has been constructed using high performance structural materials to produce extremely strong, lightweight hulls that deliver superb performance and outstanding fuel consumption.

Over the years, ATL Composites has worked with Palm Beach Motor Yachts to develop and produce CNC-routed DuFLEX® bulkhead and floor components, cored with BALTEK® SB.100 end grain balsa and laminated with a high performance epoxy resin and reinforcements to the designers specifications to optimise the weight in their various models including the Palm Beach 65.

The Palm Beach 65 is the natural progression following the popularity of the Palm Beach 50, and shares the same high quality build finishes. Smooth and easy to handle, this luxurious motor launch can be handled by family and friends without the need for extra crew.

Construction
ATL Composites have supplied DuFLEX Component Packs for the bulkheads and floors, and additional Packs have been incorporated for soles, longitudinals and selected internal fit-out pieces. Fitouts are either fibreglass-taped in place in curved areas, or bonded into position with ATL’s FRP Bonding Angles for right-angle joins.

The DuFLEX components and other fixed furniture are structurally bonded to the hull and deck with Techniglue® R15 epoxy adhesive, providing strength and stiffness to the superstructure. The R15 is a toughened system with high compressive and tensile strengths, and has been formulated to produce a high strength bond with exceptional peel properties, making it ideal for the most critical applications.

Design Concept
Sydney businessman, Denis O’Neill wanted a super fast 50′ harbour racer, making full use of today’s technology, while paying tribute, aesthetically, to the current America’s Cup Class yachts.

Atomic was designed by Andy Dovell (Murray Burns & Dovell) with aggressive styling that incorporates the advances made in hull design in the AC Class. Atomic’s canting keel design (patent pending) has resulted in a boat that is significantly more powerful for its weight than an equivalent yacht without a canting keel. And with the addition of America’s Cup type wings on the keel bulb, it solves the need for an additional leeway- resisting surface automatically, as the keel is canted – thus introducing automatic transmission to turbo-charged yachting!

Designed to be super fast, Atomic needed to be lightweight, and also had to look super sleek. Black and red being the colour combination of choice, posed questions in choice of structural and finishing materials to obtain the optimum results. Builders, Azzura Yachts on the Gold Coast, and Andy Dovell worked with ATL Composites for the best materials for this project

Construction
DuFLEX^® Composite Strips, cored with BALTEK^® SB.50 80kg/m³ end grain balsa and laminated with a unidirectional E-fibreglass on either side, were manufactured by ATL Composites, and used to strip plank the hull of this custom project.

BALTEK SB.50 is genetically selected at BALTEK plantations, processed and graded  to produce tightly controlled cellular density throughout.  The end-grain core has consistent design properties including extremely high strength and stiffness to weight ratio.  BALTEK SB.50  is the ideal core material for sandwich structures where extreme performance and weight savings are critical.

Design Concept
The team at McConaghy’s has done it again with the innovative technology that was incorporated into the construction of the 80ft Mediterranean Debutante. This yacht is a sailing vessel that is setting new records at the European yacht racing events. The newly developed Lutra 80 Singularity is beautiful, sleek and incredibly fast. The whole team that was involved in the design of this magnificent sailing vessel has used cutting edge technology once only available to NASA to incorporate strength and hull integrity into their racing yach

The Lutra 80 Singularity design makes this sailing superyacht one of the finest true performance cruisers on the racing scene. An international team of experts were pulled together to create this amazing yacht. Given the fact that there are very strict guidelines that must be adhered to in the races, this craft had to be designed to not only be fast but lightweight as well. The internal fit out weight is just one and a half tons, while the overall weight is twenty four and a half tons.

The Lutra 80ft superyacht design is a very high level fit out for a racer. The full teak interior fit out is super lightweight on panels made of carbon Nomex. The canting keel is like none other this company has designed.

Design Concept
The goal of the Storm Trysail Club and Transpacific Yacht Club was to create a boat that could compete as a Box Rule and as an IRC or ORR performer. The benefit of a Box Rule – one that limits factors such as length, minimum displacement, draft, sail area etc. – is that it maximizes performance. The STP 65 rule promotes a high-performance boat for both inshore and offshore sailing, with tight enough parameters to minimize obsolescence. The “box” sets an LOA of 20 meters (65.6ft), displacement range of 13,000Kg to 13,400 Kg, beam range 4.5m to 4.8m, a lifting keel that allows a generous racing draft of 4.8m (15’ 9”); and a healthy sail plan. The lifting keel will reduce draft to 3.3 m (10’ 10”). Displacement/length and sail area/displacement ratios are between the TP 52’s and Volvo 70’s giving promise that the boat will deliver lively performance in long distance and buoy events.

Farr Yacht Design developed the first design of the new Storm Trysail-Transpac 65 for Rosebud owner, Roger Sturgeon. The Storm Trysail-Transpac 65 (STP 65) is a high performance, light displacement, fixed keel box-rule class announced in August 2005.

In the months that followed, Farr Yacht Design worked closely with Bill Lee and others to assemble this new Box Rule. Roger Sturgeon and his project manager, Malcolm Park, were also an integral part of the rule creation and commissioned Farr Yacht Design to design their first boat of this class. Westerly Marine of Santa Ana, California, was commissioned to build Rosebud.

Construction
Rosebud, an all carbon fibre pre-preg construction, was built to strict STP-65 box rule specs. ATL Composites manufactured custom DuFLEX interior furniture components and floors that were constructed with aramid honeycomb and AIREX structural cores, laminated with carbon fibre skins. All components were QA’d to meet tight tolerances in weight and strength for the box rule spec.

Design Concept
“The G-Force 1800 is the ultimate in high performance cruising catamarans and is the flagship of the G-Force range. One of the main benefits of these easily driven hulls, with excellent power to weight ratio and a good WL beam to length ratio, is that you don’t need much wind to get up and go.” Jeff Schionning

Launched in May 2014, KATO, a custom Schionning G-Force 1800 is set to turn heads with stunning goods looks and outstanding sailing performance

Designed by Jeff Schionning, Schionning Designs, KATO was commissioned by a Queensland businessman, with previous catamaran experience, who wanted a performance oriented cruising catamaran with a generous pay-load, that was easy-to-handle for short-handed sailing. The design brief also called for plenty of room for storing kite surfing equipment in the cockpit and a clear area for kite launching and retrieval from the back of the boat.

Construction
Jeff specified DuraKore Strip Planking for the hulls and a DuFLEX Composite Component Pack , Techniglue epoxy adhesives and KINETIX laminating systems, for KATO’s construction, with S-Fibreglass and carbon reinforcements, where appropriate, to control weight and achieve the desired strength . The DuFLEX Panels were CNC routed into kit form and cored with a rigid end-grain balsa to optimise the engineering and performance in specific areas. The DuraKore / DuFLEX construction significantly reduced the build time while addressing the need to keep the boat as light as possible without sacrificing comfort or performance.

Built by Julian Griffiths and his experienced team at Noosa Marine, Queensland, KATO was constructed in 14 months. On her maiden voyage, in light 8 knot winds, she hit 9.8 knots of boat speed. A following outing logged 22.3 knots surfing in 2m swells with three reefs in the main and the jib, in winds ranging from 25 – 30 knots. The owner has reported that he could not be happier with the boat, and after an initial cruise to Lizard Island in the Whitsundays they are planning a world sailing adventure.