Launch of the First Exploration 45 : Jimmy Cornell's New Boat

[Seaworthy Lass]

On Monday I was lucky enough to watch the launch of the first of a new line of production boats: Garcia's Exploration 45. It's always exciting seeing a new boat taste the water for the very first time and even more so when it is the very first .

This is a boat designed to be suitable for ice conditions and will be taken through the North Passage this summer. There are not many production boats that have been designed primarily with long distance cruising in mind, let along suitable for ice, so this is a welcome newcomer.

The 14m aluminium hull is 10mm at the base, then 6 and 5 otherwise. The substantial pilot house is topped by a GRP roof and contains a nav station, main living area with settees and dining table, and a galley to port. 270 degrees around are double glazed windows, overhung by the roof.

Aluminium hull is 5083 and extrusions 6060. The centreboard swings to give a draft of 1.05m. There are twin rudders and twin steering wheels. Unusually for this style of boat the prop is shaft driven, well protected behind a stout sub keel. A nice alteration. Davits for dinghy storage, solar panels (only 140 watts in this case, but could be doubled), D400 wind generator. Heating is via Webasto air system.

It is cutter rigged with furling headsails and slab reefing for the main.

Lots of good ideas have been incorporated. 100m of 10mm chain is lead back to the mast (putting the chain weight low and central) where an anchor winch is cleverly enclosed in a small recessed locker with clear hatch (anchor is a 33 kg Rocna). A small pump empties the chamber. There are watertight bulkheads forward and rear and a watertight companionway door. Through hull fittings are on aluminium standpipes with the valves above water line. Both water and fuel can be shifted to act as ballast. There are small protection skegs in front of the rudders.

Jimmy's boat has been set up to sleep 8, but other interior plan more conventionally accommodates 4 in two separate double cabins with a large workshop/technical area then and more capacious storage.

Hulls are constructed in Garcia's factory in Conde-sur-Noireau (we visited the premises and the workmanship is impressive) and fitted out at Allure's premises in Cherbourg.

Lots of construction photos are on the website:
Nos voiliers

We brought Aussie sunshine and clear blue skies to Cherbourg for launch day . Here are a few pics.

Two hours before tow:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Prop being fitted:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Shifting out of the yard. Luckily there was only a few hundred metres to travel:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Down the ramp she comes:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Patiently wait for the tide:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Yes, she floats .
Few people other than the yard staff and us were in attendance. No champagne was cracked on the bow, but this will probably happen later :

[Seaworthy Lass]

Ready to start the engine for the first time:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Untethered and underway. Dinghy in close attendance:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Heading out to raise the mainsail and test it out:

[Seaworthy Lass]

This is the standard two cabin interior plan. The starboard rear cabin could be a workshop area. Jimmy's version has two bunks here and also two in the storage area forward of the galley, sleeping 8 (would have to be 8 people that got along extremely well ).

I have loads of shots of the interior, but it was still not quite finished at the time of launch:

[MarkJ]

Well at least its a totally different design than his Ovni! He's changed the.... ummmm....the.... ummmmmmmm......maybe the....... Sink tap?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Well at least its a totally different design than his Ovni! He's changed the.... ummmm....the.... ummmmmmmm......maybe the....... Sink tap?

And a euro galley, oh the horror of it.

Dave

[Cheechako]

Cool looking boat. Ice conditions with those big rudders and that flat botom canoe? Hmmmm. That boat looks like it will ride right over a big chunk of ice, until that ice bends the rudders.... What do I know though....

[Jim Cate]

A very nice looking boat from the outside... many interesting features. Any idea of the displacement, SA and so on? I've admired some Garcia designs before, but without much knowledge of the details. They always have a good level of finish (for Alloy), too.

Good luck to her and her crew.

Jim

[Coops]

The looks do absolutely nothing for me. I think that it really does look like half a catamaran. No doubt I will be in the minority but perhaps not the only one.

Coops.