SP Provides Winning Combination for New Trimaran Open 50’

19 October 2009, Isle of Wight, UK – Built for performance, reliability and speed, the new Trimaran Open 50’ is one of the latest racing boats that SP, the marine business of Gurit, has helped to develop. SP’s recent collaboration with renowned French boatyard JPS Production and designer Guillaume Verdier, through its French distributor Gazechim Composites, to build the impressive 50 footer, christened ‘Actual’, has seen SP provide a complete composite solution utilising its world-leading materials.

Having been involved with the project from the commencement of the build in October 2008 through to its launch in August 2009, SP suggested a package including adhesive and infusion materials along with the structural marine foam core Corecell™. This winning combination has resulted in an advanced racing boat that has already demonstrated its competitiveness and dependability on the water. ‘Actual’ achieved second place in the French 3 day regatta, Trophéé du Port de Fécamp held earlier this month, and skipper Yves Le Blevec is taking every opportunity to ensure the boat is fully prepared for the transatlantic single-handed yacht race Route de Rhum 2010.

SP’s comprehensive adhesive package, specifically chosen for ‘Actual’ for its large range of properties, included Spabond 345 and Spabond 340LV. Designed for structural bonding, these Spabond adhesives were incorporated into the build due to their high strength, long working times and varying viscosities – ideal for the different bonding requirements throughout the boat.

The high level mechanical properties and the very low viscosity of SP’s PRIME 20 LV meant that the larger parts of monolithic composites were capable of being infused and laminated, which was a further advantage during the build.

Known for its good stability and impact resistance performance, SP’s leading Corecell™ range was also part of the package for ‘Actual’. Corecell™ A-Foam was reserved for dynamic areas of the boat in order to reduce the maximum weight of the various parts, whilst Corecell™ T-Foam was used for the rest of the vessel. Gazechim Composites and its representative Gael Ledressay ensured that all parts of the boat were strictly controlled during the build process to guarantee the dimension and weight requirements were conformed to the architects’ and skippers’ needs.

Yves Le Blevec, ‘Actual’ skipper says: “The Trimaran Open 50' incorporates the latest technology to offer reliability, performance and speed within a reasonable budget. The boats success so far bodes well for the future program of prestigious races in which ‘Actual’ is set to demonstrate its capabilities as a racing challenger.”
  
The Trimaran Open 50’ ‘Actual’ will be taking part in the Transat Jacques Vabre in November with skipper Yves Le Blevec, as well as racing in the Route du Rhum next Autumn. The boat will now move to La Trinite sur Mer in France.