FIVE MONTHS IN!

An update from Phil Sharp
"Following the temporary release of the hull from the mould a couple of weeks ago, the hull and majority of the bulkheads have undergone rigorous quality control checks using ultrasound, all successfully meeting quality standards.
"The large majority of the bulkheads have now been bonded and laminated into the boat, and the yard is now working on the final couple of structural bulkheads, in particular the mast and deck spreader bulkhead which will be highly loaded areas and so carry many reinforcements.
"In parallel, the deck started construction last week, which is effectively built upside down over a male mould. This is a sandwich structure arrangement, built with two thin carbon fibre skins either side of a very low weight nomex honeycomb core. It will take several weeks to complete with a multi-stage curing process before the deck can then be joined to the hull.
"In the meantime there will be a great deal of other structure and reinforcements joined into the hull, particularly around the foil and keel supports, which carry enormous forces and bending moments when the boat is travelling at high speed, in particular the high dynamic impacts the boat received when slamming into waves whilst foiling.
"In early July, when all the composite structures have been completed, the boat will then be moved to the shipyard in Nantes where all the systems will be fitted, included the hydrogen-electric energy system, electronics, and deckgear."
Phil Sharp, Skipper, OceansLab - Cleantech Accelerator

The laser positioning system enables millimetre precision placement of fibre layers so that they can be accurately laid up into the hull structure of OceansLab.
Behind the scenes: Hydrogen IMOCA construction - episode 1
DID YOU KNOW?
Bulkheads are upright walls within the hull of a boat serving two key purposes:
- Increasing the structural rigidity of the boat.
- Creating watertight compartments that can contain water in case of a hull breach or other leak.
There are some 20 bulkheads, or ring frames, that have been installed in OceansLab. They are made from prepreg carbon-epoxy with a lightweight nomex core, and produced and cured separately on a table. The bulkheads are fixed into the boat with carbon fibre tabbing that creates an incredibly strong join.

From Oceans Lab
Teams info
Francesca Clapcich announces Will Harris as her co-skipper for the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR
Francesca Clapcich announces Will Harris as her co-skipper for the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR double-handed race across the Atlantic
•••New Vendée Globe project for MACSF with skipper Corentin Horeau
The mutual insurance group MACSF continues its commitment to sailing with a new ambition, a new skipper, and a new boat.
•••Championship ranking
01 | ![]() | Charlie DALIN
MACIF SANTÉ PRÉVOYANCE | 800 pts | |
02 | ![]() | Yoann RICHOMME
PAPREC ARKÉA | 730 pts | |
03 | ![]() | Sébastien SIMON
EMIRA IV | 595 pts | |
04 | ![]() | Boris HERRMANN
MALIZIA - SEAEXPLORER | 571 pts | |
05 | ![]() | Jérémie BEYOU
CHARAL | 548 pts | |
06 | ![]() | Justine METTRAUX
TEAMWORK - TEAM SNEF | 503 pts | |
07 | ![]() | Sam DAVIES
INITIATIVES-CŒUR 4 | 501 pts | |
08 | ![]() | Nicolas LUNVEN
HOLCIM - PRB | 483 pts | |
09 | ![]() | Thomas RUYANT
VULNERABLE | 434 pts | |
10 | ![]() | Paul MEILHAT
BIOTHERM | 370 pts | |
... |