MacArthur's Trimaran progresses in Somersby

by Gemma Jones on 30 Sep 2003 A Central Coast NSW, Somersby factory is making world sailing headlines by building a rare $5 million trimaran for famous yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur who will use the vessel in an attempt to smash the solo round-the-world sailing record.

The seven-month construction operation, at Peter and Sari Ullrich's factory, is being televised in Europe, where Ms MacArthur is best known.

Live footage, from carefully placed cameras on the factory floor, is also being relayed to the world over the internet.

Mr Ullrich said his company, Boatspeed, which specialises in skiffs, has never taken on a trimaran project before and is ``still learning' how to build the vessel which has three hulls and is capable of super high speeds.

Planning has taken place half a world away with naval architect Nigel Irens, directing the project from France.

Each night Mr Ullrich and his dedicated staff liase by phone with Mr Irens and, using digital pictures emailed to France, plans for the next day's construction are nutted out.

The process means construction can be updated every day and has ensured every aspect of the trimaran is state of the art.

`Not many people in Australia are building trimarans,' Mr Ullrich said.

`It has been a really popular project. The web site is getting 672,000 hits a week.'

The new trimaran will be capable of speeds of up to 40 knots, or just over 100km/h.

It will be almost three times faster than most yachts in the annual Sydney to Hobart race.

`Trimarans are fast and dangerous and they crash a lot,' Mr Ullrich said.

`The French always build them. It has only been done a few times in Australia. They said they came to us to build it because they didn't want it to break, which is a nice feeling.'

Racing trimarans is one of the most extreme forms of open water racing and carries a high risk of accidents.

Ms MacArthur is considered brave for being willing to handle the 75-foot vessel on long solo journeys.

The solo round the world record stands at 62 days but Ms MacArthur is hoping her new $5 million trimaran is just the weapon to write herself into the history book for the fastest solo trip.

The trimaran is due to leave the Somersby factory on November 1 with the staff committed to work 24 hours a day, if need be, to get the vessel out on time.

It will be taken to Sydney over land, in three sections, aboard semi trailers before being pieced together at White Bay, near the Anzac Bridge.

Mr Ullrich said there will be a four week fit out before the trimaran is launched and handed over to Ms MacArthur who will sail it to the United Kingdom and may even set a solo record on her way home.

The 26-year-old's achievements so far have been remarkable.

She was named yachtswoman of the year in 1998.
Her autobiography, Taking on the World has won rave reviews.

While she cuts a dominant figure on the world sailing stage, she slips quietly in and out of Somersby.

She is due back from England, in just over a week to check on the progress of her trimaran.