Measure twice, Cut once, Do it again

As if building a superyacht wasn’t daunting enough, how about building a full-scale mock-up to get it just right? That’s the story for the 46.82m high-performance cruiser sloop Reichel/Pugh-Nauta 153.5, which started construction this month.

The goal? To design and build a versatile sailing yacht to meet the owner’s brief: “comfort and safety to explore the world, in an extremely lightweight structure to ensure victories in superyacht regattas.” Game on!

The vision for the yacht was brought to life with a full-scale mock-up of the aft half of the yacht’s main deck. While there is no substitute for the actual experience of walking through, touching, assessing and appreciating all aspects of an emerging construction, it is remains a big task to do so.

However, Project Manager Nigel Ingram notes the advantages to giving early life to the yacth. “Building the 1:1 scale mock-up has proven to be a fundamental part of the design process, enabling the Owners and their team of architects, designers and builders to fine tune the deck layout down to the smallest details with the greatest confidence.”

Virtual Reality 3D may create an exciting “first impression”, but when it comes down to assessing those few modified centimeters here or there, “stepping on board” is by far the best way to feel, adjust and optimize the design and ergonomics.

Bouwe Bekking, 8- time Volvo Ocean Race competitor, represents the Owners’ race team. “This full-scale mockup provides us with the opportunity to review how the design would work in regatta conditions. It delivers exceptional and very practical value as a design tool, and has given the project’s design process the ultimate edge for regatta success. But without sacrificing her cruising side: we found the perfect match!”

The hull construction of the Reichel/Pugh-Nauta 153.5 commenced earlier in February 2021 at Royal Huisman’s shipyard in the Netherlands.

For video and additional details, click here.