Charter Yacht M5 Receives Largest Ever Composite Forestay During Refit

By Louise Marsh 6 August 2013

The 18-month refit on the 75.2m sailing yacht M5 continues at Pendennis and breaks another record as Carbo-link unwrapped the largest composite forestay ever built.

The new forestay took weeks of work and one day of curing with electricity and is built with the same cutting-edge fibre-optic technology used on America’s Cup yachts.

This is the first time a superyacht has been fitted with a solid carbon cable with unidirectional fibre and a fibre Bragg grating (FBG). These optical fibres reflect the loads through certain wavelengths. Data of all the tension and loads on the rig at any given time can then be visually monitored via computers.

Sensors are also wrapped around the forestays. Once the forestay is finished and the carbon foils and furler motors are fitted, access between the two will be very limited making it nearly impossible to detect chafing between the stay and the furler. This is where the surface damage sensors come into effect. If there is chafing, they will stop reflecting and trigger an alarm.

The build of the new forestay is part of the substantial 18-month refit and 3 metre stern extension that charter yacht M5 is currently undergoing at the Pendennis Shipyard.

Built in 2004, M5 is a Vosper Thornycroft charter yacht designed by Ron Holland Design. She is Det Norske Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd classed as well as being MCA compliant.

Her interior holds accommodation for up to 12 charter guests in six staterooms - a master suite, three double staterooms and two twin's with Pullmans berths - and her crew of 14 is led by Australian Captain David 'Rocka' Romke.

She has twin 1080hp MTU engines on board that give her a cruising speed of 10 knots, a top speed of 13 knots and a range of 3455 miles at 11 knots when under power.

Sailing yacht M5 has many facilities and amenities that make her a fantastic luxury charter yacht including a sauna, movie theatre, dip pool, gym, on-deck Jacuzzi, barbeque, tender garage and swimming platform.

For more information on charter yacht M5 contact your yacht charter broker.

Sailing yacht M5 has many facilities and amenities that make her a fantastic luxury charter yacht including a sauna, movie theatre, dip pool, gym, on-deck Jacuzzi, barbeque, tender garage and swimming platform.