Method
What gets measured, stays
On a custom boat promises are worth little. Recorded weights, signed trials and a minute for every stage are worth a great deal.
The principle
Weight is the one number that never forgives
Every kilo above the waterline is paid for in speed, in fuel and in how she behaves in a sea.
So the hull is weighed three times during the build — hull closed, systems complete, boat finished — and each weighing is set against the weight estimate signed at the start.
When a discrepancy passes three per cent we stop and decide together where to win it back. It is an uncomfortable conversation, and it is better had in the shed than on trials.
Checks
What gets measured, and when
| Point | What is measured | When | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | Weight estimate and centre of gravity | Before signature | Technical office |
| Lamination | Thicknesses and lay-up | Every critical layer | In-house + RINA |
| Hull closed | First weighing | End of structure | In-house |
| Systems | Pressure and insulation tests | Before bulkheads close | In-house |
| Boat complete | Third weighing and trim | Before launch | In-house |
| Trials | Speed, consumption, noise | Sea trials | In-house + owner |
| Handover | CE certification | At handover | RINA |
Every row produces a signed minute. The complete file is handed over with the boat, on paper and digitally.
The stages
Five moments when we look together
-
01
Freeze
General arrangement and weight estimate signed. From here, changes are variations.
End of drawing
-
02
Hull closed
Structure and deck complete, first weighing. The last time you see the whole boat at once.
Month 7 – 9
-
03
Systems
Pressure and electrical testing, before the furniture covers everything.
Month 11 – 14
-
04
Fit-out
Finishes complete, third weighing, trim checked.
Month 15 – 20
-
05
Handover
Sea trials with the owner aboard, and the file handed over.
Last 2 weeks
Questions
About the method
What does the warranty cover?
Five years on hull and structure, two on systems we installed, and the manufacturer’s own on engines and electronics.
It lapses only on work done elsewhere without telling us.
Who certifies the boat?
An external notified body follows lamination and handover. It is the only way the verdict is not ours.
Can my own surveyor follow the build?
Yes, and above twenty metres it is normal. It needs to be one person, with access to the minutes rather than to the floor.
Transparency
Ask for the file from a recent launch
With the owner’s consent we show the complete documentation of a delivered boat. It is the most honest way to be judged.