‘ALFA ROMEO’

The Technology in the New Breed Of Super Yachts

Information from Alfa Romeo. Images by Cathy Vercoe

The new ‘Alfa Romeo’, the 30-metre (98-feet) successor to the 27.5-metre (90-feet) world champion of the same name that took line honours in some 74 races in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, including the 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, is the one of the most technically advanced ocean racing yacht in the world today. She is a magnificent example of the latest concept in design, engineering, construction, rigging and sails. 

Designed by the US firm of Reichel/Pugh and built of carbon fibre composite by McConaghy Boats in Sydney, Australia, ‘Alfa Romeo’ carries a towering 44 metre carbon fibre mast built by Southern Spars in New Zealand with the latest concept in 3DL and mylar sails designed by the Sydney loft of North Sails. 

Each company has contributed to a racing yacht that can only be described as awesome in concept and a quantum leap in the already advanced technology of modern yacht design, engineering and construction. McConaghy Boats, who have now built 10 maxi yachts in carbon fibre describe the building of ‘Alfa Romeo’ as the biggest and most complex project they have ever undertaken.

Race performances are expected to be just as awesome with race record predictions no idle threat.  Overseas in 2006 the new ‘Alfa Romeo’ will be an outstanding example of Australian and New Zealand boat-building techniques and workmanship.

Like her predecessor, she is registered with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland and carries the sail number NZL 80. 

CONSTRUCTION:  The planning, engineering and building of the hull, keel and rudders of ‘Alfa Romeo’,  the 10^th maxi yacht built in carbon fibre composite by McConaghy Boats in the Sydney, Australia, was the biggest and most complex project yet completed by the internationally renowned boat-builders.  From a male plug, McConaghy’s built the carbon fibre composite hull using the latest prepreg systems developed by Structural Polymer Systems (SP) which sent out from England three of their technical experts to assist with the project.  Extensive use was made of high modulus carbon fibre over the Nomex honeycomb, with Corecell foam used in high load areas. Because the hull is so narrow, many longitudal stiffening planks were also used for added strength.  Having the canting keel operated by a single hydraulic ram added to complexities of the engineering as did the extensive electronic control systems required for the canting keel, the two rudders and the hydraulic winches.  Precision alignment of bulkheads and canting keel structure was critical,  with all jigs being computer milled.  Highly specialised steels were also used for the components of the hydraulic ram which was built by Central Coast Hydraulics.  “It was a new generation of complexities in boat building,” a spokesman for McConaghy Boats added.

THE HULL: The metallic silver painted hull is long and lean-looking with a short bowsprit.  The coachhouse is low and encases the hydraulic systems that control the jib cars and Cunningham controls. The open cockpit runs from aft of the coachhouse and main companionway to the transom, clear except for the twin steering wheels set on stylish individual consoles with instruments in front of the helmsman.  Instruments are repeated on the mast.  Remarkably, the new bigger boat still weighs only about a tonne more than the previous ‘Alfa Romeo’.

BELOW DECKS:  The stylish interior is white with highlights of black carbon fibre and warm red upholstery for the bunks/seat.  Even the toilette is carbon fibre!  A large part of the accommodation is taken up with the encased engine, the twin hydraulic systems (for keel and winches) and encased electronic systems, with the fully equipped nav station set just below the helmsman’s position on deck. Apart from through the main companionway, light comes into the interior through a series of small ports through the deck and with the white interior the long open saloon (for want of a better description) is quiet light and airy – except the dark cave at the bow which houses the forward rudder controls. A carbon fibre table in the shape of a water drop hangs from the deckhead just aft of the galley but the focal point is the canting keel system which can be viewed through a polycarbonate clear cover. You can even see the water below!

RUDDERS: The two rudders are solid, high modulus carbon fibre for added strength, as are the rudder stocks.  The rudder bearings are 400mm metal, custom made by a Berry, NSW, based company called Private Part. The forward rudder, controlled by a massive hydraulic arm in the forepeak, can be used three ways in conjunction with the main steering rudder – offset at an angle of up to 2 degrees to give the boat 

extra lift when sailing to windward; fixed to work in tandem with the main rudder; or “floating” when running downwind.  The main rudder blade incorporates a “string pot” positive sensing device which instantly detects the angle of the rudder.  This is fed into the boat’s computer system which then tells the hydraulic ram exactly the angle to position the forward rudder. 

CANTING KEEL: The canting keel is high tensile steel with a special calcium lead bulb and is controlled by a single hydraulic ram which can swing the keel 45 degrees either way from the vertical.  “We felt that it was better to have one over-built ram than two rams,” says Crichton.  “In fact, probably the whole boat is probably over-built.”  The canting keel system meets the new  international rules requiring recovery angles

and back-up systems, both mechanical and hydraulic introduced following the capsize of Skandia in the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.  For the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, ‘Alfa Romeo’ will have on board a specialist canting keel technician who has a specially built console on deck aft of the twin steering wheels. “I fought against canting keels, they add to the design and engineering costs,” Crichton points out, before adding: “If properly engineered, they are no problem in the operation of the boat and they do improve the performance.” 

WATER BALLAST:  In addition to the canting keel, ‘Alfa Romeo’ has water ballast. The equivalent - or more - of having the entire crew standing at the transom!

ENGINE POWER: Power to drive the boat at up 13 knots, plus the two hydraulic systems for the canting keel ram and the deck winches,  comes from a Yanmar 250 horsepower engine. McConaghy Boats have also designed a special propeller retraction unit which lifts the five-blade fixed prop back into the hull, leaving a flush surface when under sail.

RIG: Towering just over 42-metres above the deck, the Southern Spars carbon fibre mast is superbly finished and shaped, with a five-spreader in-line rig.  Standing rigging is no longer metallic.  It is PBO rope – a composite that is not only stronger but 30 per cent lighter than the once conventional stainless steel rigging and even lighter than carbon fibre rigging.  Running backstays and two sets of check stays and an inner forestay control the mast shape.

SAILS:  A major factor in deciding the sail inventory for the new boat has the CYCA’s decision to drop the previous upper speed limit, a computer handicap figure, for the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.  Thus, the sails are bigger, the huge reaching spinnakers lighter – the biggest is 805 square metres. By comparison,  the new 98-footer will carry 35 per cent more sail area than the 2002-built ‘Alfa Romeo’.  North Sails in Sydney have once designed all the 3DL working sails and spinnkers, the spinnakers cut in the Sydney loft,  the working sails imported from the USA. For the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart, the new boat’s working sails will comprise an offshore mainsail with headsails comprising a #1 light/medium, #1 heavy, #4 heavyweight jib, #5 heavyweight jib, jib topsail, genoa staysail and a drifter windseeker. The reaching and running sails will comprise a Code 0 and six asymmetric spinnakers - #1A (VMG), #2R (running),  #3A (VMG), #4A (heavy running), #5A (heavy running) and #6A (very heavy running) plus the mandatory storm trysail and storm jib.  The offshore main is 314 square metres, the #1 genoa 208 square metres and the biggest spinnaker is 805 square metres.  The spinnakers are flatter, similar to those carried by 18-foot skiffs, to enable the super maxi to sail much close to the apparent wind.

WINCHES:  All winches are the very latest from Harken. The four primary winches are new generation 1130s, three speed hydraulically-powered, push-button operated with carbon fibre tops. They are capable of 90-metres a minute in first speed and have a safety rating of nine tonnes.  The runner and mainsheet (AC65.2) traveller winches are also hydraulically operated but the four AC990 pit winches are manually operated.

THE CREW: ‘Alfa Romeo’ is typically sailed by a crew of 20, including the canting keel technician and a dedicated navigator. The previous 90-foot ‘Alfa Romeo’ Shockwave raced with a  crew of 24. 

The new ‘Alfa Romeo’ has been designed as an all-round boat for offshore racing, not a boat for square running but one with a strong upwind performance and capable of fast reaching. 

 ‘ALFA ROMEO’ TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Owner/skipper: Neville Crichton

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