Two or three spreaders for TP52 masts?

[Source: Breitling MedCup] Marnix Lippen, project manager with Hall Spars, has been at most of this season’s Breitling MedCup TP52 regattas. Hall have remained staunch advocates of the two spreader rig, so far, and are presently working on the next generation, generation eight, of the Hall Spars TP52 rig, the first of which will be seen on the new Mutua Madrileña.

Free of the limit on the modulus of carbon used in the TP52 rigs, the TP52 rig can be made in a carbon which is the next level up from that allowed by the VOR 70’s and the America’s Cup boats. As Hall’s Ben Hall noted earlier this season:

“ This super-high-mod material is more brittle and must be handled with care in the molding process. It is also much more labor-intensive to manufacture a mast in super-high-mod due to the fact it is only available in a lighter-weight unidirectional tape (150 gram vs. 300 gram). This material, used in conjunction with male mandrels and almost 7 bar (90 PSI) of autoclave pressure, yields an incredibly stiff mast tube.

The latest Hall mast is our seventh generation system. Throughout the four years of development, we have used five different sets of mast tooling, some of which have been used only on a proprietary basis. The latest two mast iterations are minimum-width sections. Other than minimum width and optimum mast stiffness, our two most important refinements for 2006 are reduction of weight and further reduction of windage.”

Hall’s biggest steps have been introducing a new lower profile masthead crane, virtually flush spinnaker locks, flush rod connections on the upper shroud tangs. New spreader shapes were introduced which are more aerodynamic and use flush inboard ends and integral stemball sets, with the new Navtec tip cup system outboard. Spinnaker goosenecks are smaller. Specifying a bigger headstay allows greater headstay loads which aligned to greater mast stiffness gives the 2006 rigs more stability.

The TP52 masts on display at the Palma yacht club during the 2006 Copa del Rey. Photo copyright: Richard Page / Breitling MedCup

Marnix Lippens outlines the relationship between the client and Hall and how the decision making process works:

“ We have two different stiffnesses, the way that the client preferred, and it is down to the way that the client’s choice, the client being the sail designers and the boat designers who have the most input on that because they are the most knowledgeable Our latest developments this year are that for Cristabella which are minimum to the TP52 rule, using an extra high modulus of carbon fibre through the whole tube. This is to the specific wish of the client.

We also looked very carefully at different parts to make a more aerodynamic to give a nicer look and to be very weight conscious, of course everyone wants a rigging package which is to the minimum weight for the rule, minimum centre of gravity of the rule. There are quite clearly specified parameters in the TP52 rule. Minimum weight, minimum centre of gravity, the section size. You try to build as close to them as possible and we are always developing. “

And how are the seventh generation rigs different?

“ The new generation are not really different in terms of weight, just basically we are able to put in 15 kilos of more carbon into this year’s rigs compared to the 2005 rigs, and of course based on comments we have had, looking to 2007 we are looking at further refinements, looking to play more with laminates.”

“ At the moment we don’t want to save weight, we just want to add to build the mast as stiff as possible to the weight. They might have the stiffer rig in the fleet but still want a stiffer one, and so the easiest way to do that is to add material. Everybody basically wants the minimum weight and minimum centre of gravity.”

And what about new boats, you are in the front line what have you heard and what do you realistically expect Hall Spars to do for next season?

“ There is lot of talk of talk of new projects. There is a lot of talk of new boats, of up to 13 new boats. We are talking to lots of different teams. We would expect to do three or four rigs at Hall Spars in Holland and three or four at Hall Inc. I am sure other mast manufacturers will build some rigs as well. At the moment the latest rig was the Rusal Synergy rig and the next TP52 rig we do will be for Spring 2007 delivery.

Hall are advocates of the two spreader rig, what are the values of both two and three spreaders?

“ We looked at both options and did quite detailed studies of the three spreader rig. The first time we looked at that was three or four years ago, when the first TP52 rigs were built at Hall. Then we decided two spreaders was the way to go. Three spreaders is an extra bit of windage and weight. I think if you put in an extra set of spreaders you have extra weight and so you have to take out carbon and make a softer tube.

We find again this year that we make two spreader rigs which perform well, but if a client came up to us and insist on a three spreader rig, we would be happy to build one. We feel that the two spreader rig is still the better option.

So no other news on new boats, when will we hear or see more?

“ As far as new boats are concerned now is the time to be making decisions. We have one new boat confirmed, to be built in Holland (Mutua Madrileña), but we have a lot of people requesting quotes.”