X-Yachts' Heart of Steel
by Mark Jardine 22 Aug 23:00 NZST
X-Yachts Heart of Steel with keelbolts, tanks and floorboard frame © Mark Jardine
All yachts hide their secrets. On the outside we see the hull reflecting the water, gleaming brightwork, clean deck lines and seas of sail. Underneath is a complex story, based on advanced design and structural engineering, and in the centre of every X-Yacht built since 1981, a heart of steel.
Providing an ultra-rigid connection between the mast foot, keel and hull, this galvanized steel frame is what gives an X-Yacht its strength and is the structure that anchors each design.
Walking around the X-Yachts facilities in Haderslev, an ancient and pretty town in southern Denmark, you'll walk into one of the service yard buildings to find a yacht hanging there. No cradle, no supports, no slings, with the keel floating a couple of centimetres off the ground. Tons of yacht seemingly defying gravity.
The answer comes back to the steel frame, and the single-point lift which is integral to it. The yacht is perfectly balanced, so hoisting yachts out of the water only requires this attachment point to suspend an X-Yacht from the building's ceiling crane.
From the point of view of service this makes things much cleaner. No working around the cradle pads, no having to move the slings to remove antifoul. The hull is completely clear to work on, and keeping the fleet of X-Yachts in top condition is a major part of what the team in Haderslev do. Owners are rightly proud of their X-Yacht and want them looking and performing at their best, year after year.
Safety is paramount when sailing, and while we all hope for the best, we should always prepare for the worst. If you run aground in a yacht, the keel creates a rotating moment, which is transferred through the hull. In an X-Yacht, the steel frame's rigidity distributes the shock load over a very large area, and the hull structure is specified accordingly - something X-Yachts have been honing for over 40 years.
There are also performance advantages to this steel frame. The strength and rigidity mean that a heavier keel can be specified, improving the ballast ratio, providing additional righting moment, and improving comfort at sea.
Perfecting the steel frame, and how it interacts with the rest of the hull, takes experience, knowledge and craftsmanship, which the X-Yachts team have in abundance. Designers and shipwrights working together to craft the ultimate yacht, be that for cruising comfort or racing performance.
For more details contact Kevin Wallis – Australia & New Zealand Managing Director ( M ) +61 414 258666 or ( E )
For more details contact Kevin Wallis – Australia & New Zealand Managing Director ( M ) +61 414 258666 or ( E )