Hands-On innovation at Morrelli & Melvin

A common attribute among designers and engineers at Morrelli & Melvin is the ability to build what they design. We believe that the hands-on experience enables our team to not only design products that can be built efficiently and economically, but also leads to innovation in materials and construction methods.

Gino Morrelli started out working on racing cars and boats in his family’s back yard as a teenager. He built his first boat with his dad and brother, a 33-foot Crowther trimaran in high school. Soon after he started his first company, Climax Catamarans, designing and building 18-square meter cats. He has been entrenched in onshore and offshore race-boat construction efforts since the early 80’s, managing and participating in the construction of 60’ ocean racing catamarans, Formula 40’s, the 1988 Stars & Stripes America’s Cup catamaran and many racing beach catamarans. Today he manages the Product Development side of our business where he helps bridge the gap between design engineering and our customers’ production lines. His many years of experience in racing, design, as well as on the shop floor, help us design boats that are beautiful, perform well, and are practical and economical to construct.

Pete Melvin has been creating innovative vehicles since his youth.  Not discouraged when the boat he built as a 6-year old did not float, he rebounded and built a fast motorized skateboard by the time he was 10. Pete and his father designed and built several Optimist dinghies and then formed a company to build them. They used Nomex honeycomb and carbon fiber long before these materials gained acceptance in the marine industry. Pete has always designed, built, rigged, and prepared his own race boats, creating many innovations along the way and gaining valuable hands-on experience. He recently designed and built an innovative electric motorcycle that goes 50 miles on a single charge at up to 60 mph. His motorcycle is a test bed for lithium battery and electric propulsion systems that are increasingly finding their way onto M&M’s commercial, military, and pleasure boat designs.

Read more (click here)

“Consequences” / Wing Sails – Seahorse Magazine

Seahorse Yacht Racing Magazine - Jan 2009

Bob Covarrubias in Seahorse Magazine takes a look at using wing sail technology since it was famously used 20 years ago on Dennis Connor’s 1988 America’s Cup catamaran. Bob analyzes current uses of the wing sail by Harbor Wing Technologies for the US Navy and coastal security, as well as interviewing Pete Melvin, of Morrell & Melvin, about the other advantageous opportunities for hard airfoils on yachts and commercial ocean vessels.

Seahorse Magazine Jan 2009 Reprint (1.0 MB, PDF)

Taking Wing – Boat International USA Magazine

Taking Wing by Lynn Fitzpatrick, Boat International USA, Jan - Feb 2009

Taking Wing by Lynn Fitzpatrick features illustrates how the wing sail has become a useful technology not only in America’s Cup racing yachts, but prototype and future industrial marine designs for Harbor Wing Technologies.

Read how everyone from the US Navy to BMW Oracle Racing are taking a serious look at wing sail technology.

Boats International USA in the January / February 2009 Reprint (1.6 MB, PDF)

38 Feet of Great Vacation Sailing is Launched

Sunsail 384 hulls in sling being lowered by crane into the water

Sunsail celebrated the launch of the new Sunsail 384 catamaran from the Robertson and Caine factory in Cape Town, South Africa the week of July 14, 2009. The first yacht in a major fleet to feature solar panels, over thirty of the new catamarans are heading for Sunsail destinations across Asia and the Caribbean this fall and the Mediterranean next spring. Sunsail’s total fleet purchase plan for 2010 is over 140 new yachts, demonstrating confidence in customer demand and in line with Sunsail’s strategy of continued growth with an exceptional fleet.

The Sunsail 384 has been exclusively produced for Sunsail, with the design completed by performance multihull architects Morrelli & Melvin Design & Engineering, Inc. This catamaran is a market leader, designed for high performance with a generous sail plan, yet is also highly practical and easy to sail, making it an ideal entry level catamaran.

Bright, comfortable interior

Morrelli & Melvin design a wide range of racing, cruising, and commercial yachts.  Our designs have won the America’s Cup, numerous World and Continental championships, Round the World and Transatlantic records, and multiple industry awards.

Look for details and a review of this new cruising yacht in upcoming issues of Yacht World Magazine

www.yachtworldmagazine.com .

And, find out more about Robertson and Caine and the production luxury boats they build at www.robertsonandcaine.com .

SunSail’s full announcement is available at www.sunsail.com/media/press-releases/

ABOUT SUNSAIL
Sunsail celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, offering a wide choice of sailing vacations for all skill levels, with over 900 yachts in 28 locations worldwide.  In addition to bareboat and skippered yacht, Sunsail provides fun flotillas, sailing school courses, beach club resorts, corporate and incentive team building events.

Stable, easy to sail cruising catamaran

Sunsail was founded in 1974 and is owned by leisure travel group TUI Travel PLC, a FTSE 100 leading international leisure travel group. Sunsail’s Gold LEED certified headquarters is located at 93 North Park Place Boulevard, Clearwater, FL. For yacht sales information, call 1-800-817-0807. For yacht vacations, visit www.sunsail.com, or call 1-800-772-3500.

Volvo Ocean Race Filmed by High Speed Boat

The Volvo Ocean Race 2008/2009 and its official provider of satellite communications, Immarsat, pushed the standards of media coverage of an around the world race in numerous ways. Coverage was beamed to a global audience of over 2 billion – on TV, radio and the Internet. Not only did each boat have an on board media person recording the action, but at points in the Mediterranean and when the fleet reached Galway and started its European port to port sprint some of the media swat team climbed onto Fleet Broadband Express.

The advantage of the power cat is it can maintain speed with the racing yachts

The Volvo yachts were filmed from the water from a specially designed power catamaran

FleetBroadbandExpress can be seen at the right side (leeward) of the fleet

Fleet Broadband Express is the 15-metre catamaran platform designed by Morrelli and Melvin so that the media could follow the fleet. The race organizer’s goal was to bring its audience the stories and multimedia usually could not be provided because the fleets were too far offshore.

It’s difficult to keep up with a fleet that is moving at 25 knots. Even for a catamaran. While the likes of Torben Grael and his team on Ericsson 4 crashed and burned in high seas and gale force gusts, Fleet Broadband Express did its best to match the pace. It proved to be a valuable media platform for the in-port racing and the short legs in European waters.

From the 2009 VolvoLog:

“For the first 18 hours or so after the start, the FleetBroadband Express worked according to plan. In extremely challenging conditions (20-plus knots of wind, two to three metre seas), it was able to keep up to some of the fastest racing monohulls in the world as they scorched down the Irish Coast to the Fastnet Rock.

 

The boat was a great platform to film from, as you can see by some of the shots Dave Kneale was able to take. The television images were impressive as well, and will turn up in the weekly shows that cover the Galway start.”

- Rick Tomlinson, Volvo Ocean Race.

Fleet Broadband Express is managed by Water Wizards, an international media company specializing in on the water live-feed and film coverage.

HarborWing Receives Security Industry Award

Communications, Disaster Preparedness and Maritime Category

On May 21, 2009 HarborWing Technologies was awarded first place by the Security Network’s 6th Annual Security Summit panel of judges. This experienced panel determined that the HarborWing AUSV (Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vehicle) was the most innovative and timely product at the show in the Communications, Disaster Preparedness and Maritime categories. There were over 40 companies participating in the Security Summit event this year.

This award represents the first industry recognition of the innovation that is the HarborWing AUSV. HarborWing Technologies is very happy to have been recognized and to be able to share this accomplishment with Morrelli & Melvin Design and Engineering.

Announcement made by

Ken Childress
Vice President, Business Development
HarborWing Technologies, Inc.

Morrelli & Melvin is part of a team that provided engineering and consultation on an innovative, unmanned wing-sail vessel that is used to monitor open ocean and shallow waters. The vessel was originally designed for military use and has become attractive to law enforcement and commercial maritime markets. Morrelli & Melvin design a wide range of racing, cruising, and commercial yachts. Their designs have won the America’s Cup, numerous World and Continental championships, Round the World and Transatlantic records, and multiple industry awards.

For more information see

Harbor Wing Technologies
http://www.harborwingtech.com/

Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vehicle for patrolling harbors

The Security Network
http://www.thesecuritynetwork.org/

Center for Maritime Systems and Security
http://www.cfmss.org/

Launch Date for 100’ Power Catamaran Draws Near

Watch out for a 100’ Morrelli & Melvin Power Catamaran to be splashed soon at Baja Boat Building of La Paz, Mexico.  Lead boatbuilder George Clayton, who has been involved with many Morrelli & Melvin R&D shop projects, started construction on the big catamaran in 2008.  Light-weight and strong resin-infused cored fiberglass materials are being used in the hull and deck structures to provide significant weight and fuel efficiency benefits compared to the same boat built in aluminum or steel.

The big catamaran will be used for luxury charters out of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  She is designed to carry up to 300 passengers and will have three deck levels.

• The lower decks in the hulls will house a full galley, store rooms, and bathrooms.
• The main deck level will have large aft deck area complete with barbecue a buffet.  Wide steps on each transom lead to secure water access for snorkeling and boarding from docks and dinghies.  The saloon on the main deck provides general seating and dining areas, a bar, and entertainment screens.  The foredeck area provides ample space for sun worshipers to lay out and soak up the Mexican sun and scenery.
• The “skylounge” deck level provides outstanding panoramic views from the dance floor, bar, and lounge areas.

Baja Boat Building, a new venture, is set up in a fantastic new facility in La Paz, Mexico near Cabo San Lucas.  The Morrelli & Melvin-designed catamaran is their first project.  Baja Boat Building and Morrelli & Melvin are actively seeking additional boatbuilding opportunities for the new venture.

Case Study: Tank Testing Models in China

World class towing tank at the Shanghai Ship & Shipping Research Institute (SSSRI)

Responsible: Bobby Kleinschmit, Morrelli & Melvin Design & Engineering Inc.

Client: Neil Clarkson, Windcat

Location: Hangzhou Sino Eagle & Leopard Co. Ltd
Fuyang/Hangzhou, P.R. China and SSSRI Shanghai, P.R. China

Project: Assisting Model Boat Builder, Hangzhou Sino Eagle & Leopard Co. Ltd  and Tank Testing 24m power catamaran at SSSRI

Duration: Nov 08-Dec 08

“We found a world class towing tank at the Shanghai Ship & Shipping Research Institute (SSSRI). The tow tank was not far away from Hangzhou Sino Eagle & Leopard Company where we had built the 1/12th scale model of our 24-meter power catamaran. The tank was long and wide, could create accurate wave profiles and it had a fast carriage. It was perfect for the tests that we were conducting, because testing with a faster carriage gave us more accurate results for the high-speed power catamaran.”

Bobby K, Naval Artchitect setting up the test model

“We ran the test under the worst scenario for the boat, which meant trimming the boat to compensate for a lot of heavy cargo on the bow. The engineers at the tank were really interested in our project and made some recommendations about how to trim the boat differently and shift the cargo around. We did some more tests based on their recommendations and incorporated the improved results into our final design.”

“The test reports were similar to ones that we receive from other tanks around the world and they were delivered in the same time frame. The extra service and attention made the difference. I am sure that we will use SSSRI again, especially for projects with limited time and limited budgets.”- Bobby Kleinschmit – Engineer Morrelli & Melvin Design & Engineering

http://www.morrellimelvin.com/

http://www.windcatworkboats.com/

Construction Commences, 100 ft Power Catamaran

Baja Boat Building of La Paz, Mexico has recently started construction of a 100′ Morrelli & Melvin designed power catamaran.

Lightweight composite construction of a tourist vessel for Cabo San Lucas

Crane used for assembly of composite components

Staff help give perspective to the length and height of the hulls

Hull and deck structures will be built using light weight and strong resin-infused cored fiberglass materials. This type of construction provides significant weight and fuel efficiency benefits compared to the same boat built in aluminum or steel. George Clayton, who has been involved with many Morrelli and  Melvin R&D shop projects, is the lead boat builder.

Baja Boat Building is a new venture set up in a fantastic new facility in La Paz, Mexico near Cabo San Lucas. The M&M designed catamaran is their first project. Baja Boat Building and Morrelli and Melvin are actively seeking additional boat building opportunities for the new venture.

New facility in La Paz/Cabo San Lucas, Baja Mexico.