CCN Panam c4002

questions for the owner:

1. Regarding the main saloon green garden, can you please update us with the outline plan for this.  We understand that the yacht may remain with the yard until early next year.  We are not familiar with the maintenance of this and are wondering if this install is to be delayed until a closer time for delivery? Please advise.

2. We are about to move into a significant phase of the construction-  the systems testing and acceptance phase. We aren’t aware of how this is intended to happen.  If we can please have some information or outline a plan to better understand how this will be intended to be executed.  Is there a Chief Engineer expected to join the project?  This is a discussion that should be had at a management level, but it is becoming vital now.  We will need to transmit this to the yard so they know how to proceed.  This will be a particularly time-consuming process. Please advise as soon as possible.

GENERAL UPDATE:

The yacht sits port side to the dock in the Baglietto facility in La Spezia.  Secured with mooring lines aft and stern, she floats on an even keel and is safely moored with a number of fenders deployed.

The wheelhouse appears to be quite behind in its fit-out and general installation.  Given that the yard is looking to proceed out on internal sea trials in roughly two week’s time from now, much remains to be done in order to fulfil the classification requirements in this respect. More detail later.

The beach club area has seen the greatest level of progression since the last report.  The area in technical terms is almost complete. The piping, which constitutes the majority of the work, is almost completed.  As previously mentioned, the aft propulsion couplings are not installed, but the hydraulic systems that control the transom hatch, side hatch and garage shell door are nearly completed.

The beach club area is now covered with fire protection material and insulation material. The watertight door has had its principal installation between the beach club area and the tender garage.  The window cut out has no change since last reported.

There are some damages noted in the engine room.  The builder has been informed and is undertaking to rectify these.  These are noticeable in the main passageways or entrance routes to the engine room.  The yards level of cleanliness and attention to detail needs to be improved in this respect, otherwise they are going have to remove pumps and piping to have it re-painted.  The damages are all cosmetic and nothing serious, but it does outline a change in behaviour since leaving the yard in Massa.  We will continue to monitor this aspect of the construction and actively communicate this to the yard in order to maintain the highest standards.

A great deal of electrical installation work is underway.  Both in the main switchboards and local distribution panels throughout the yacht.  The large effort here is to try to meet the stringent requirements for the Principal safety systems to be fully operate so the yard can progress to the sea trials phase.

Interior:

• Following on from the last report (on launching), their doesn’t appear to have been much progress in this area of internal fit-out with respect to carpentry and cabinetry. 

• There remains a good amount of final stage installation to happen, this includes flooring and side wall finishing. 

• The lower cabins are having minor works done, and much of the lower deck doesn’t appear to have advanced such from the last report, that said, there is not a huge amount of work remaining in these areas.

Exterior:

• The external painted areas for the most part are completed, this includes the sun deck area, which has been particularly slow during the production phase.  The two wing control stations are due to be installed this coming week (7th September onwards) and begins their integration to the primary control system of the MTU command and control structure.

• Works remain in progress with the pool area aft.  The workforce was still polishing the deck sole as of 04/09/2020 in preparation for the installation.  The first install has already taken place and the structural components are undergoing their final minor works prior to final fitting.  They are painted and prepped, currently at the supplier’s facility. The same for the life raft covers and main engine room ventilation grills.

• The mast has recently been fully installed, along with its navigation/communication system antennas and transceivers and looks good.  The installation is strong and well-constructed.

• The fore-deck area is currently partially covered by scaffolding. The horizontally installed glass is now installed and sealed. The teak is fully installed with minor works ongoing where some of the seams are undergoing rectifying finishing touches.

• The crane is now fully installed and sits athwart-ships in front of the main superstructure.  The crane is painted and well supported by the under deck-sole structure.

• The main deck external doors have been removed for final outfitting and are in the process of re-installation.

• The transom door, tender garage door and beach club shell doors are now fully installed, with their respective hydraulic ancillary systems currently being tested by the builders’ team.  Minor cosmetic repairs are ongoing along with alterations to alignment etc.

• The main deck aft and inner bulwarks are completed throughout the yacht.  The main corridors and passageways are all well protected with taped water-resistant covering materials in order to protect the paint from any damage as the construction phase continues.

• We are still awaiting confirmation of external paint acceptance.  As the final works are on-going on the upper deck, these are not anticipated by us for the next few weeks.

Engineering:

• The tender launching system is progressing. The stainless steel trolley system is in place, as is the recovery winch at the inboard end of the garage area.

• The main drive shaft lines are awaiting final installation.  The aft couplings are currently awaiting installation. The main engine and gearbox alignments have been carried out.

• MTU main engines and Kamewa Jets system are scheduled for manufacture testing this coming week (7th September onwards).

Testing:

Testing done to date:

•             The jets vacuum system (sanitary system) has been tested and commissioned by the supplier.

•             Air conditioning system has undergone its first start sequence.  This will be ongoing for the next weeks area by area.

•             The Kamewa starting sequence has been carried out by the manufactures.

•             The GEA Westalia fuel separation system has been commissioned by the technicians.

Meetings have been had between ourselves, the yard and the classification society (Lloyd’s Register), from here in referred to as LRoS. Two surveyors have been appointed by LRoS. They are undertaking systems and installation reviews locally in the yard and have setup a working desk next to the yacht.

The next phase is to have certification issued from RINA, the Italian authorities, as they hold control of all yard trials and testing in this area.  Both of the classification societies will be working together in this respect. We are communicating with both.

summary:

Their does seem to have been a slowdown in the general work over the past weeks.  This can be partially attributed to the well known Italian holiday periods in August, but also likely the change of location and possible logistical challenges that come with moving the Yacht away from its main pro action and outfitting location.

The yard is scheduled to hold an internal meeting this coming Wednesday 9th September 2020.  This was anticipated earlier, but for some reason unknown to us, the meeting is now scheduled for then.  The meeting focus is to generate and confirm the time frame for the next phase of construction and system testing and acceptance, the end zone being the delivery of the vessel.

In this respect, we should anticipate a testing and delivery system schedule, likely towards the end of next week.  We hope it will clearly outline the next weeks plan.  It will be complicated and somewhat movable as the production team breaths with logistical events and the availability of technical assistance and local suppliers.

The yard has verbally indicated to us that the schedule for delivery of the vessel should be anticipated towards the middle of October.  This will of course be apparent in the schedule to be received next week. The surveyor anticipates this schedule to slip significantly, how far is difficult to tell.  Once we receive the schedule, we will update you accordingly.