The yacht emerges from its cocoon

We have now entered the final stages of this custom-made project here in Les Sables-d’Olonne. The hull built in OCEA’s aluminium workshop in Fontenay-le-Comte was transferred here in May 2022. The superstructure, which was built simultaneously, was installed in September, thus defining the yacht’s finale silhouette. In November, what our technicians call the “aluminium metalwork” phase was completed. Since then, several other steps have taken place one after the other. The two engines along with their propulsion lines have been loaded, and the generators have been installed. Simultaneously, numerous other operations have been carried out, including those relating to the boat’s pipework and electrical systems. All the main equipment has been installed and connected.

Controlled conditions

A yacht emerging from its cocoon… This image is not all that far from reality. The scaffolding set up around the hull has in fact been lined with a cocoon-like plastic film in preparation for the coating phase. The hull is coated with several layers of resin to smooth out any rough patches. Using large rulers, the layers are smoothed out in increasingly thin layers and then sanded down to obtain a perfectly flat surface. For the resin to catalyse, it needs a rigorously controlled temperature and hygrometry. Hence the use of this “cocoon” with heated air inside. After this coating phase, the hull is sprayed with a final coat of lacquer in the colour chosen by the shipowner, thus ensuring an impeccable final result.

A full custom boat

The 32.70-metre-long Commuter 108 New is – like all OCEA yachts – a very seaworthy transoceanic boat. It is capable of cruising the world’s seven seas under all weather conditions, while ensuring optimum safety for the eight guests and four crew members on board. Although designed along the same lines as OCEA’s other Commuters, this yacht has been entirely custom-built to meet the needs and expectations of the shipowners. The latter were delighted to be involved in the interior design created by naval architect Pierre Frutschi.

Respecting the environment

In order to reduce the carbon footprint, the engines meet the latest ISO Tier III standards for reducing pollutant emissions. The yacht is also fitted with the latest generation of batteries and solar panels with optimised on-board energy management. The yacht is due to be launched in the next few weeks and will then undergo harbour and sea trials. This will free up space in the OCEA shipyard for the construction of a new boat of similar size to be delivered in 2025.