The Alex Thomson Racing team was joined by a multitude of experts and organisations descending at lightning speed to pick up the pieces following Hugo Boss’s disastrous encounter with a fishing boat off Les Sables d’Olonne on 17th October, on her way to the Vendee Globe start line. 

One of the first on the scene was rigging specialist firm Marine Results, who responded rapidly to the call to assess the damage.  Personnel arrived at the commercial shipyard in Les Sables, shortly after the damaged mast had been brought ashore.  Marine Results’ speciality is the non-destructive testing (NDT) of advanced structures to reveal flaws and delaminations. 

The inspection process revealed the extent of the work required to hull, deck, bulkheads and mast to enable Hugo Boss and her skipper Alex Thomson to resume their programme of getting to the start line of the single handed race on 9th November.  Not only was the initial inspection vital so that work could get underway without delay and with the agreement of the insurance underwriters, but a full scale post-repair inspection was also required to re-assure those same underwriters that the yacht was sound and to enable re-insurance to go ahead. 

Marine Results worked closely with the designers and builders in a race against the clock to keep the hopes alive that Hugo Boss could make the 9th November start line. The ultrasonic process evaluated the condition of the carbon fibre matrix in the break areas of the mast and determined where the damaged laminate should be cut away while also assessing the overall condition of the mast tube, spreaders and boom. Marine Results also performed an ultrasonic inspection on the chainplates and other high load areas around the deck and hull.  Recommendations were made and repair work went ahead.

“We were very impressed by the speed of response from Marine Results” said Alex Thomson Racing’s Operations Director Harry McGougan.  “Not only did they have the in depth expertise needed to assess the damage but they were able to supply detailed reports in a very fast turnaround time. They have provided us with an extremely professional and comprehensive service which was one of the key factors in getting the boat to the start line. ”.

Personnel at the UK-based company are trained in level I and II ultrasonic NDT in accordance with international standards.  Dr Richard Freemantle, who led this project for Marine Results, is an experienced NDT engineer who aside from projects within the yachting industry also works closely with companies such as Airbus on developing new inspection techniques.  Marine Results specialises in providing NDT inspections and all aspects of rigging technology for grand prix racers and superyachts providing project management, survey work, repair and rig tuning. They were instrumental in overseeing the inspection of the previous Hugo Boss including carrying out a non-destructive die-penetrant process to assess the keel. Other projects in recent weeks included a keel inspection for the insurers of the 30m super-maxi yacht Leopard and a complete NDT inspection of Telefonica prior to the start of the Volvo Race.

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Last Updated ( Friday, 07 November 2008 )