Compositeworks technical revolution

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The 335m x 60m drydock at La Ciotat is currently being sub-divided to create greater efficiency and lower rental costs
Technical revolution
Based in a former French
shipyard, refrt specralist
Compositeworks has increased
turnover by investing
in equipment for larger and
rnore compLex projects
JAKE KAVANAGH REPORTS
ounded in 1998, the yacht refit
company Compositeworks has
recently completed its 800th
refit, and at the end of March
2016 will report turnover of
€40rn, an increase of20 per
cent on the year before. Much ofthis success
has been due to the rise in the number of
yachts seeking upgrades and modifications
with a proven superyacht yard - especially as
Compositeworks is also based beside some of
the most versatile haul-out and maintenance
facilities in the South ofFrance.
With the ability to dry-dock yachts in
excess of200m, the company has recently
built on its reputation by investing heavily in
new equipment, and has restructured its
in-house team to become more techno-centric.
The company has also proved highly adept at
tackling some of the most complex refit
projects around - ones which are normaily the
reserve ofthe original builders - and has also
become something of a specialist in managing
superyacht extensions, including designing
and retrofitting large swimming pools.
But,t^/hilst focusing on technical excellence,
Compositeworks has also considered the
'stranded' crew. Despite being opposite a
thriving tourist town, the company has gone
to great lengths to ensure that visiting
superyacht crew have all the creature
comforts of home on site. It's a trend that's
gathering some pace in the industry, and
actually helps the speed of a refit.
We Can SCAII a superyacht during the season
- without interruption to its service - and then have
all the components prefabricated ahead of the refit
56 www.suprRyACHTBUS NESS.NET ApRtr 2016

Compositeworks
From ships to yachts
La Ciotat (pronounced 1a-see-oh-tah) is a
historic town nestled in a wide bay betwee§
Toulon to the east, and Marseilies to the west.
Commercial shipbuilding has been here
since the 13th century, and by the 1950s, the
docks and slipways ofthe Chantier Naval de la
Ciotat (CNC) yard had gror,un out of all
proportion to the low-rise town. In fact, the
harbour was only just wide enough to
accommodate the newly built ships as they
were launched dolun the slipways, the stern
wave frequently swamping the tourists who
had lined the quayside to watch.
The largest ship ever built at CNC was the
162,0009rt tanker Al Rowdatoin, completed in
1976 as the yard began its steady decline
against competition from the Far East. This
eventually led to the closure ofCNC in 1988,
which was a major economic blow to the area.
Pierre Tidda, one ofthe 10,000 workers
made redundant, immediately organised a
picket outside the gates, insisting that the
CNC yard could once again be a major
employer in the region. His eight year action
preserved the mighty shipbuilding
infrastructure, including the giant 550-tonne
Compositeworks has a [arge three-storey
office block which has commanding views
across the rest of the facilities
Krupps crane that straddles the largest (335m
x 60m) of the two dry docks.
Tidda's tenacious siege ofthe 34 hectare
(340,000m'z) site resulted in a newly formed
organization called Semidep-La Ciotat being
funded by the government to create a yacht
repair and maintenance centre. Some €45m
was injected to restore and maintain the vast
infrastructure, and Tidda's vision was finally
reaiized. He is now the manager of a site with
700 specialised personnel that refit and
maintain around 600 large yachts a year.
During SB's most recent visit in early 2016,
a further €16m was being spent to improve
the main dry dock facilities, and the local
authority was making a big investment to
improve the roads and promenades. ll[]
ritish-born Rob PaPworth
began his career with a
degree in navat architecture
at SouthamPton UniversitY,
graduating in 1995. After
crewing and skippering on
high profite superyachts, he joined the UK
composite speciatist Green Marine on the
buitd of the 30m carbon./titanium Leopard
of London, where he met Compositeworks
co-founder Mark Salman, who was the
project's water bat[ast consultant.
ln 2001, Papworth hetped Project-
manage two new buitds for the Votvo
Ocean race, then spent six months in
Itaty with the Prada 11A74 & 80 Luis
Vitton Cup project before becoming a
futt-time member of the Compositeworks
team in 2002.He is currentty chairman
of the ICOMIA Superyacht Refit Group,
which he hetped set up, with the aim of
guaranteeing standards of workmanship
and environmentaI protection.
"Since 2011 we have doubled our
turnover, and our figures for this last year
suggest an increase of 20 per cent," he
says. "We think this is because owners are
beginning to put greater trust in the refit
Papworth is a former superyacht skipper
"TechnicaI demands are also increasing,
which is why we've expanded our
technical team. We now have ].3 project
managers and a 1o-strong support team.
With repeat clients where we know the
boat wet[, we can reduce the time needed
for a refit - and therefore the price.
"lt is stitt highÿ competitive out there,
and even post recession, we are seeing
due diligence as customers shop around
for quotes. This is stitt not the time
to be raising prices, but instead to be
not the time to
instead to be concentrating on
be raising prices, but
being more
competitive and technically efficient than our rivals
sector as a whole, particularly when it
comes to major projects, and they want to
place them with [ong-estabtished yards.
"Previousty, if an owner wanted major
modifications done, they would take the
yacht back to the builders, but that is
changing. There are now lots of yachts
on the market, so owners are buying
them at a good price, then budgeting for
a personalized makeover. This has hetped
fuet demand for competitive refits.
"When it comes to 8Om-plus yachts,
the new buitd yards are pretty futl at the
moment, with tittte capacity for refits.
So, if you want a new pool or a restyled
superstructure, you're either going to wait
five years or you're going to modify your
existing yacht. We've therefore seen a lot
of growth in the 80m-1"00m range, with
more US owners coming to us for refits.
concentrating on being more competitive
and technicatÿ efficient than our rivats,
which is why we have invested in new
equipment such as the 3D scanner and
associated design software to improve
turnaround times by using prefabrication.
"The improved dry dock witt make a
big difference to the avaitabitity of deep
water space, and faster turnarounds for
dry docking services. lt shows Semidep's
continued support for the industry.
We've been abte to cover the temporary
shortage of space by using yards nearby.
The new infrastructure improvements wi[[
hetp attract new ctients. Meanwhile, the
investment in our crew lounge and gym
has proved very popular.
"The future tooks bright, but we must
always stay ahead of our rivals - and
continue to provide fast turnarounds." Etr
APRIL 2016 ] WWW.SUPERYACHIBUSINESS.NET 57

insight
To handte increasingly complex refits,
Compositeworks has restructured
its technicaI resource service. The
various disciptines are now steered
from one department comprising 10
managers, and covering the principle
activities of navat architecture,
engineering, scanning, technicaI
drawing and marine coatings.
The team is assisted by a new 3D
scanner - accurate to within 1mm -
which provides the data to attow the
prefabrication of components ahead
of a superyacht's scheduted refit.
Compositeworks was one of the first
companies to be drawn to the potential ofthe
CNC site, and has since been joined by 34
other marine specialists. In 1998, it leased a
series offormer building sheds, and began to
create cutting edge sailing craft in carbon
fibre, a skill reflected in the company name.
This led to new builds for the Volvo Ocean
Race and the America's Cup, and eventually to
much larger projects, the last being a 30m
catamaran. Although the company still builds
bespoke superyacht tenders, the emphasis
now is entirely on ref,ts.
Compositework's steady annual growth
(around 10 per cent) was helped by Semidep's
continued investment in the former CNC
facility. One of the first communal investments
was a 2,000-tonne synchrolift beside the main
wet dock, using a design originally intended
for nuclear submarines. Whilst the doc§ard
cranes remain in commission, including a
giant Krupps crane ideai for lifting ketches,
Semidep has since added a host ofyacht
movers and travel lifts. The business model is
to continue funding communal infrastructure,
and lease it back to the on-site companies.
Whitst much of the infrastructure
is communat, Compositeworks
commissioned its own climate
controlted paint shed, which is partty
sotar powered. lt can take craft up to
45m, and atlows intricate paint jobs
to be carried out atl year round.
Repainting has atways been key to
the yard's portfotio, but the emphasis
is now moving more towards hutl
extensions and other major works.
The exceptions are where a company needs
something for it's sole use, such as the
climate-controlled paint shed Compositeworks
built on site, just a short distance from the
haul out dock. Then the item becomes
self-funded on a long-term 1ease.
Complex refits and major rebuilds
When SB first toured Compositeworks in early
2012, with the recession stiil largely playing
out, the yard was exceptionally busy.
.{
Returning inJanuary 2016, business was
positively booming. We witnessed the major
construction works to the dry dock, and the
investment in the Compositeworks off,ces,
which have commanding views over the
1.5km of quayside moorings.
The company is very aware that although
space for the larger yachts is limited, there is
still plenty of competition, especially in this
area of the Med. Although Compositeworks
built its reputation largely on its paint f,nishes
and stylish new builds, with their team of
international project managers an important
bonus, the emphasis of its work has moved
more towards complex ref,ts and major
rebuilds. For this reason it has restructured
the project management teams, and begun
using highly accurate 3D scanning equipment
:$&
,;5
rü
With new build yards at capacity, owners
wanting modifications are coming to us - they know
we can do this work to a very high standard
58 www.suprRyACHTBUSNESS.NEr I ApRL2016

made by Florida-based Faro Technologies.
"We believe heavily in peop1e," explained
operations director Rob Papworth. "We have
strengthened our 100-strong in house team
with 15 more people, and now have a
dedicated technical office where every
discipline is represented to give a centrally
based, but multi-faceted service."
This 'technical brain' is headed by
Jean-Michel Arnaud foliowing an internal
promotion, and comprises ten highly
experienced managers. This includes a
resident naval architect, three engineers, and
a paint superintendant, with the rest made up
of technicians and draftsmen.
"We know that clients will beneflt from
this greater technical approach, starting with
more accuracy at the initial quotation stage,"
.ar.tr
§h:
lnstalted by Semidep to supptement
the main dry dock, the 200-tonne
synchrolift has a five-hour turnaround,
and gives access to 14 hectares of
reinforced hard standing. The tift
requires each yacht to drop into a
speciatty-made cradte that can cost up
to €400,000 each, but can be stored
on site for repeat customers. The tift
was originatly buitt to handte nuctear
submarines for the French navy.
Arnaud explained. "There will also be a
reduction in warranty exposure by minimizing
the technical risks ofa major project."
The purchase of a highly portable Faro 3D
Iaser scanner that maps anything from a
specific target area to an entire vessel has
allowed for plans with a tolerance of just
1mm. The scans are taken from a number of
positions, which can help interpret
inaccessible areas, and are then uploaded to a
computer. The data is combined to give a
rotatable 3D graphic.
"The accuracy reduces the need for any
re-working or modif,cation during a new
installation," Arnaud said. "Another advantage
is that we can scan a superyacht during the
season, without interruption to its service,
then have all the components pre-fabricated
Gompositeworks
Much of the original structure of
the CNC shipyard remains, inctuding
the tatt sheds designed by Gustave
Eiffet, creator of the Eiffel Tower. The
sheer height of the buildings lets
Compositeworks haul in large saiting
yachts without detaching their keets.
Within the buitdings are temporary
and permanent workshops, handting
everything from meta[ fabrication
to advanced carbon composites.
The company also makes custom
superyacht tenders, and uses the
remaining space for the storage.
ahead ofthe ref,t. When the yacht arrives,
everything will be ready and waiting, and
- most important of all - will be a perfect fit."
As a worked example, we saw the 3D
design of an enlarged swimming pool being
developed by naval architect John Stott for the
74m Feadship Mogambo. Key to the design
was a clever wave-catching gutter, and a
storage tank deep in the bilge that allows the
five tonnes of fresh water to be used as ballast
when the yacht was in transit. The tank also
keeps the water f,ltered, and at the correct
temperature for reuse.
"We are doing a lot more swimming poois,
either retro-fitting or enlarging, and have
become quite specialized," Papworth
explained. "With the main new build yards at
capacity, oivners who want major
modifications are coming to us as they know
we can do this lype of work to a very high
standard. For example, we recently created a
new pool for a 130m superyacht that was
previously pool-less."
Looking after the crew
The drive for a technical edge has also led to
investment in the crew and SB was shor,rm the
new crew wing, which was opened in July
2014. There is a large lounge, with a bar and
S§-equipped plasma TV on the wa1l, with an
adjoining gym that looks out onto the water.
The lounge also has full lViFi connectivily, and
other home-from-home facilities for ll[]
APRIL 2016 I WWW,SUPERYACHTBUS]NESS,NET 59

1. ! .'.. ,- '"..:
ï r;: t.:
The originalgate suffered from
major leaks at the corners
Paimboeuf buitt a reptacement with
a leak-proof wedge design
The new gate wittbe repositioned
over the secondary citt in mid-2016
active young people who may find themselves
temporarily homeiess.
"We saw a need for somewhere for the
Iiveaboard crew to go when the yacht was
inaccessible, such as when we x-ray seams,"
Papworth explained. "The gym has also
proved popular, as today's creurmembers are
more into fltness and Facebook than before.
The lounge gives them a breathing space,
somewhere to catch up on emails, and to
mingle with other crews. A relaxed and
refreshed crew is a vital element to a
successful refrt, especially as the yacht will
probably go straight back out onto charter."
Compositework's location is popular with
crews anyway due to the proximity to ski
resorts, and to the airports ofMarseilles and
Toulon. Owners can also fly in to a private
airf,eld just 15 minutes away. The company
60 www.suprRyACHTBUSlNESS.NET I ApRtL 2016
employs a full-time crew support manager,
and retains a taxi service with English-
speaking drivers. The bay, with its protected
status and offshore islands, is also a delight
for water sports enthusiasts, and there is
plenty of rentable accommodation in the
town, especially outside the tourist season.
Fixing a dry-dock
Although the main dry-dock has been a huge
asset for the various companies at La Ciotat, it
proved expensive for singie projects, so
Semidep has been working to reduce its size
from 336m to 200m, still 20m longer than the
world's largest superyacht. A new leak-proof
dock gate with a 'wedge seal' design was
installed in 2012 by the French civil engineers
CM Paimbeouf, and in January 2016, a new sill
was being made for it further donrn the dock,
lntended for ships onty, there was
littte freeboard between the dock
edge and the hutt, making eftective
fendering difficutt. As part of the
improvements, a new, and higher
inner wa[[ is being made, which witl
make better provision for yacht
fenders, and provide better access
and mooring points. Diver access to
the dock is also being enhanced.
so it can be repositioned. Additional
improvements include superyacht-friendly
sidewalls and a new pumping station to drain
the doôk in just seven hours. AIl the mains
services, including three-phase power, wiII be
availabie to each docked project.
The shorter dock should make it quicker
and more eff,cient for single, fast turnaround
projects. In addition, it will free up over 260m
ofhighly accessible quayside, all easily
reached by mobile cranes.
Spearheading the transformation is the
CEO ofla Ciotat Shipyards, Jean Yves Saussol,
a fluent English speaker with a vision to make
the yard even more amenable to superyachts.
"I am striving to implement a renewed and
coherent strategy to take this amazing place
to the next level," he told SB. "The current
remodeling of the dry dock is obviously a
insight

cornerstone ofthis strategy, and our new
motto is 'Something bigger is coming'."
New investors are now being sought for
the onward progress ofLa Ciotat Shipyards,
with long-term partnerships being
encouraged to create yet more marine
opportunities in the area.
Looking ahead
There is no doubt business is booming for
Compositeworks, with 112 refits successfully
completed in 2015 alone. La Ciotat Shipyards
As this graphic shows, the dry dock
witt be shortened to 200m after
the gate has been retocated to the
new citlposition. The wortd's largest
superyacht is currentty 180m, but
shoutd there be demand for even
greater dock space, a new gate
can be made and inserted into the
originaI position to return the dock
to an overatl tength of 335m.
also has the advantage ofbeing abie to handle
some ofthe largest superyachts afloat, either
via the 2,000-tonne synchrolift or the 200m
drydock, but Papworth is determined not to
rest on the collective laurels.
"We've come a long way," he said. "This is
thanks our in-house team and their know
how, and the experience ofthe local
contractors, up to 300 ofwhich we have on
site at any one time. We also have the
powerful tools being provided by La Ciotat
Shipyards to carry out each project. But other
Compositeworks
Accessibte quayside for floating
projects is highty vatued, especiatty
as the harbour has an average
depth of nine metres, ideatfor
sailing yachts. By moving the gate
back, two lengths of deepwater
quayside of 130m each side wittbe
reteased, adding to the flexibitity
of the facitity. As with the main
dry dock, this extra quayside wilt
be furnished with power, data and
water hookups, and wit[ have futl
vehicutar access.
yards around the world are also developing
new skills and investing in better
infrastructure - so, in order to atffact new
clients we will have to continue to do the
same, especially on the technical side.
"There are less prime spots for larger
boats, which increases demand, but we are
already competing with three yards in our
area of the Med which have similar levels of
serviceability and price, so at the end ofthe
day it's about quality and delivery. A
superyacht yard with a long track record of
successful refits will always be a wise choice."
By way of a conclusion, Papworth indicated
the most recent refit, the 30m Inace explorer
yacht Zulu which had just received a hull
extension and full interior reflt. The use ofthe
3D scannêr allowed for pre-fabrication of the
new transom, so the whole reflt was
completed in a tight three month time scale.
"We were able to accurately price this job
from the start," Papworth explained.
"Combined with improved efhciencies and
reduced time scales, we reckon that it can now
be possible to increase the resale value of
some yachts beyond the outlay ofthe reflt. If
so, that is the Holy Grail ofour industry." Etr
Improved efficiencies and reduced time
scales mean it's now possible to increase the resale
value of some yachts beyond the outlay of the refit
d mrcx ouR sHoRT video of
Rob Papworth giving a guided tour around
Compositework's new facitities in La Clotat
www. yo utu be. c om / user/ SYB Ma ga zin e
APRIL 2016 ] WWW,SUPERYACHTBUS NESS.NET 61

insight Compositeworks
rypifyingthqkirld of extensive projects
Compositework§.undertakes is the
68.?m Feadship'Èalcon Lair. Built in
1983, tùe yachiwas originally named
llorizon L, and then later becam e llÿhite
Cloud. Gômpositeworks had worked
on her several times prior to her major
transformation to a redesign by Briüsh
naval architects Olesinski Ltd.
The work involved a total remodelling
across every deck, and a 3m hult
extension. Also added were modifications
to her wing stations, bulwarks and the
building of a lm sheerline to the bow.
The final touch was a full hull repaint in
blue and white before she was delivered
in August 2015. She has since been put
forward for a world superyacht award.
Works
Major interior and exterior modification
Systems & equipment upgrades
Dry docking
Dry docking, modifications and repaint
Dry docking, maintenance and repaint
Dry docking, modifications and Paint
Dry docking, major engineering mods
Dry docking, major modifications
Dry docking, repaint, structural mods
Major modifications
Dry docking, major speciaI survey
Dry docking, machinery upgrades, teak
Dry docking, machinery upgrades, repaint
!-J""
Compositeworks reports compteting a total of 112 refits in 2015, with turnover
acceterating from a steady 10 per cent year-on-year growth to 20 per cent for last year.
The size of the yachts, and the comptexity of the refits, is also on the increase. Here is a
snapshot of some of the most recent projects, listed in descending order of size:
Make
Lurssen
Lurssen
Lurssen
Feadship
Oceanco
Nobiskrug
Trinity
Feadship
Amets
Perini Navi
CRN
Attoy
Perini Navi
LOA
l40m
L25m
115m
90m
80m
75m
75m
7Om
65m
65m
60m
55m
55m
Power/sail
Power
Power
Power
Power
Power
Power
Power
Power
Power
Sait
Power
Jdil.
Sait
2,000-tonne synchrotift
200m drydock
300 tonne travel hoist
66O-tonne mobile crane
1.7km of deepwater quayside
Wide range of mobite cranes
l4 hard standing stots
Wide skitts base of subcontractors
45m paint shed
Large storage capacity
115 full-time staff
l0 member technicaI team
Futt-time navaI architect
13 project managers
Fut[ range of workshops for
wood, metaI and composites
Extensive rigging, etectricaI and
mechanicaI services
Comfortabte crew lounge and gym
Specia[ist 3D scanning
46 Quai Francois Mitterand
Boite Postate 20015
13703 La Ciotat
France
) Emait: info@compositeworks.com
) Web: www.compositeworks.com
)Tel:+33 (0)442 838300
Owners want [arger pools, so Compositeworks has become expert at building and installing
spil[-proof designs that store water in a deep, temperature-controlled tank when underway
62 wwwSupTRyACHTBUSTNESS.NET ApRL2016
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Compositeworks technical revolution

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