Giles Waterhouse has been heading up the NDT (non-destructive testing) team on a number of projects through November and December. “We’ve just carried out a pre-refit inspection of the J Class Lionheart in Falmouth, UK to act as a baseline for future inspections and ensure the health of these components,” he explains. We carried out an inspection of the Hall Spars mast and Carbo-Link rigging along with spinnaker poles and boom.”
Inspections can be carried out for a number of reasons including baseline quality control – ie to check the original state of the component so that any changes can be monitored in the future. Regular inspections also satisfy insurance requirements and gives an accurate assessment of damage for insurance reports NDT is particularly important for race yachts prior to a demanding sailing programme.
During November Giles has been in Palma, Mallorca, conducting a dockside inspection of the Wally yacht J One. “We carried out some rigging modifications to ensure an investment they are making in some new components is a necessary and worthwhile proposal,” he reports. Whilst in Palma, he also visited another J Class yacht, Ranger, to assess the damage to her mighty spinnaker pole.
As with all the Marine Results NDT projects where the rigs and their components are in situ on the yachts, Giles will take his team to the dockside where the yachts are based.
Other European projects have included the inspection of a new set of carbon rigging manufactured at the Future Fibres base in Valencia for a 60 metre Perini Navi.
Further afield, Marine Results has used NDT to inspect a cruising catamaran in Florida after it was struck and damaged by lightening.
Meanwhile back in the UK Marine Results has carried out a dye penetrant inspection on the Ben Ainslie Racing AC45s which are currently undergoing a training programme in the Solent.
