The British Antarctic survey ship, RSS Ernest Shackleton, drydocked recently in Denmark. Her hull stunned the shipyard engineers and paint specialists. The ship spent two seasons battering her way through ice up to 2.5 meters thick. A high content of abrasive gravel and volcanic lava exists in the ice. Amazement seizes the inspection team. The hull coating stayed virtually intact and undamaged.
STRIPPED HULL
This is in strong contrast to the Shackleton’s previous drydocking. Specifically, almost the entire hull with a conventional ice-going underwater hull coating, was practically stripped. Bare, unprotected steel exists.
THE HULL COATING
The difference lay in the fact that when the Shackleton left drydock in 2009, the hull was newly coated with Ecospeed, a glass flake vinyl ester resin underwater hull coating proven to have extraordinary anti-corrosion strength and flexibility.
The success of the new underwater hull coating on the Shackleton heralds a breakthrough in icebreaker protection. Some observers foresee this as an opportunity for the expansion of Arctic luxury yacht charter.
BIG FISH – McMullen & Wing Superyacht
COLD WATER EXPEDITION YACHT
Leading the way for cold-water expedition yacht charters is motor yacht BIG FISH. This 45-meter explorer is a 2010 build. Her owner wants a yacht that travels to remote parts of the world. In addition, also has a contemporary, open style with floor-to-ceiling windows. Designed by Greg Marshall and built at the McMullen & Wing yard in Auckland, Big Fish visited Antarctica as part of her virgin circumnavigation of the globe.
“We see more expedition-style yachts enter the market each season,” says Sheeder. “Exploration vessels like motor yacht BIG FISH are opening the door to a new world of charter possibilities. The new Ecospeed hull coating technology could mean even more yachts will be able to safely visit remote cruising grounds in both the Arctic and Antarctic. I can’t think of a better way to learn about nature and our endangered wildlife.”
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