COOMERA, QUEENSLAND – The molding process for the hull and all major components of the exciting new Riviera 395 SUV has been completed at the company’s model lamination facility.
The Riviera 395 SUV will have its World Premiere at the 2018 Festival of Boating and Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show beginning on Thursday, May 24.
The hull was fared before the Christmas holiday period, achieving exactly the desired shape and finish of the running surface for the new motor yacht to achieve optimum performance with her Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system that includes twin D6 turbo diesel engines and IPS500 pod drives.
The deck and hard top plugs were also completed and preparation for molding began in early January.
Preparation for molding
Each plug was carefully painted and then coated with a sealant to cover any pores in the paint. Then a layer of special wax – similar to car wax – was applied to prevent the fiberglass and resin mold from sticking to the plug.
Once each mold was completed, it was lifted away from the plug using the flanges we described in the December 2017 edition of Experience.
As well as the major components, all of the molds for small parts required during the construction phase of the motor yacht have been completed. Those parts that will be fitted to the motor yacht during final fitout, including the fold-away coaming seats, will commence molding after the build begins.
Cradling the hull
A timber cradle that will contain the hull mold has been assembled on the lamination facility floor beside the hull plug. The highly skilled team of master craftsmen dedicated to this project will complete the delicate task of lifting the cradle, turning it over and lowering it over the mold. The cradle, mold and plug are then carefully lifted, turned upright and lowered to the floor. The plug is then removed from inside the mold. This is because, without the cradle, the hull mold is flexible. It requires the rigidity of the cradle to ensure a perfect result during lamination.
A steel wheeled cradle that will hold the completed hull of the 395 SUV has also been built and tested for perfect fit on the upside-down plug. Riviera will build six of these cradles to be used throughout the production cycle. The heavy wheels allow the team at Riviera to move the new motor yacht from the lamination shed to engineering and then on to the fitout sheds.
Above: Detail of the upturned steel cradle and the hull plug.
We will continue to follow the progress of the build on this exciting new motor yacht through each stage as she moves toward her World Premiere.
