Team Holcim-PRB has successfully closed the hole in the carbon fibre hull of their IMOCA yacht. A mould was made to create a new carbon fibre section. This piece was precisely fitted to the hull, with the moulding and fitting process completed last night. With this step, much of the damage has been repaired. Whilst the work is not yet complete, this is significant progress and the boat is taking shape again.
In parallel to the work that will continue on the hull this morning, part of the Holcim PRB team will begin repairing the damage to the port rigging caused by the collision. In particular, the outrigger (D0) will be replaced. A rigging expert will arrive on site to assist the team with this delicate work and certify the reliability of the repairs.
It is uncertain when exactly the work will be completed, when the crew will be able to set off for Portmouth and whether the team will be able to dock there at all.
Interview with Knierim Managing Director
Steffen Müller has been Managing Director of Knierim Yachtbau GmbH in Kiel for over 20 years. Together with his business partner and friend Gunnar Knierim, he has built a wide variety of yachts during this time - from the Americas Cup boat for the German team to a whole range of beautiful cruising boats.
The shipyard has experience with repairs like the one now being carried out on the Holcim PRB yacht, having also repaired the "Guyot", which was damaged in the Ocean Race two years ago. Due to the time pressure and the importance of getting the yacht back afloat in time for the onward journey to Portsmouth, a team of shipyard staff and the Holcim team was formed to work around the clock. A panel was made to repair the damage.
In an interview with YACHT, Steffen Müller reports on the complex repair of the Holcim PRB yacht:
YACHT: How did you manage the repair in such a short time?
Steffen Müller: Immediately after the damage, we got in touch with team manager Sebastian Col via Tim Kröger. Team Holcim decided very professionally and quickly to come to our yard. They arrived on Sunday evening at around 8pm. After assessing the damage and discussing various repair concepts, we decided to build a new panel (basically a new piece of hull, manufactured externally and then fitted).
The Holcim team and our boat builders worked around the clock in two shifts - a total of ten to twelve people were on duty. The cooperation was outstanding, communication was excellent and the atmosphere was very professional and friendly despite the pressure.
The panel was ready on Tuesday morning. At the same time, the boatbuilding team removed the broken pieces and prepared the hull and structural surfaces. Yesterday evening we started the gluing and this morning at two o'clock the last laminates were completed.
Will the boat remain competitive despite the repair?
Yes, definitely. The part we built corresponds very closely to the original laminate plan. The additional weight due to laminating is negligible.
What is the timetable going forward?
Our priority is to finish the structure and the interior laminates. For the visual work and painting, we will use additional staff so that our core team, which is familiar with all the technical details, can concentrate on the structural work. The most important thing is that the boat floats and holds safely.
Two years ago, you were already involved in the repair of the Guyot. How is the current situation different?
Steffen Müller: The time window for the Holcim repair is now much narrower. We had a little more time with Guyot, but the work was also more extensive. The intensity was comparable. Back then, we were supported by a team led by Mark Pickel, which worked well. We had nothing to do with the fact that the Guyot had problems at the next launch (laughs).
Interview: Thea Kohlhoff
