TEAMORGIN continues tradition with Salthouse Boatbuilders

by Richard Gladwell on 6 May 2010
When the Audi MedCup fleet crosses the start line for the first event Cascais, Portugal, next week, most eyes will be on the performance of TEAMORIGIN.

The new TP52, helmed by triple Olympic Gold medalist Ben Ainslie, was launched from the Salthouse Boatbuilders yard in Auckland in March, during the 2010 Louis Vuitton Trophy.

Although TEAMORIGIN is not the first venture into the white hot TP52 circuit for Salthouse Boatbuilders, the association with TEAMORIGIN, and Team Director Mike Sanderson, is well established.

In fact, the TP52 is the second order for the British America's Cup team - having previously commissioned a 16.5-metre tender.

Sanderson, winning skipper in the 2005/06 Volvo Ocean Race on ABN Amro One also commissioned a 37ft classic Salthouse designed and built powerboat with a top speed of 30 knots.

The latest project to leave Salthouses is TEAMORIGIN's TP52, designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian.

An extremely tight build schedule meant meeting every target along the way was crucial for getting the boat in the water on time. It's therefore been hugely rewarding to see the boat go into the water several days ahead of plan as well as on budget and under weight. The TEAMORIGIN sailing crew were able to test the boat over several days before shipping to Europe for the Audi Med Cup Series.

After being eliminated prematurely from the Louis Vuitton Trophy, the TP52 was pressed into commission for her first full sea trial in winds of 15-20kts.

Due to the introduction of a new TP52 class rule, time was tight when Sanderson came to Salthouse Boatbuilders with the exciting design from Juan Yacht Design. Juan Kouyoumdjian designed ABN Amro One, winner of the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race, and repeated the feat in the 2008/09 Volvo Ocean Race with Ericsson 4.

'The building schedule was tight enough to scare even the most optimistic among us', recalls Director of Salthouse Boatbuilders, Greg Salthouse. 'However we saw the challenge as one not to be missed.'

Working closely with JK and his design office, along with TEAMORIGIN's shore crew headed by Dave Duff, Salthouse’s delivered the new TP52 to TEAMORIGIN just 18 weeks after construction started.

She came in under weight and under budget, too.

Greg Salthouse says the new Germansky Lloyd (GL) requirements created an extra dimension of difficulty in building high performance raceboats, due to the fact that additional structural systems need to be incorporated in the new designs.

With some of these new rules being learned during the build process, it was crucial that the communication between the Juan Yacht Design's office, TEAM ORIGIN and Salthouse’s ran smoothly. It is in this area that Salthouse’s seem to be creating a reputation as a yard that is easy to work with.

Started by Greg’s father John, in 1956, Salthouse Boatbuilders is based in picturesque Greenhithe, on the edge of Auckland's upper harbour.

Beginning as an outstanding builder of wooden craft of all types, Salthouses have developed a reputation built on quality craftsmanship, outstanding service, and strong business values.

In the early days of the business, it was the traditional craftsman ship and the attention to detail in the finish of each boat that helped grow the business. As new materials and construction methods have evolved Salthouses have kept pace with developments and have expanded to construct many hi-tech carbon fibre race yachts.

Those same traditional values and skills that have been the signature of John Salthouse's early business have been handed down to his sons, as the next generation of Salthouses take the yard into a new era.

The diverse capabilities of the yard have placed them in a unique position, when it comes the skill and knowledge base of the staff. One of the original sheds provides ample space and height for refits and traditional builds using traditional craftsmanship methods. While an adjoining new shed provides climate controlled space and all the amenities for the hi-tech carbon race yacht builds.

The yard facilities themselves reflect some of the ‘old with the new’ character of the business.

Positioned right on the water, in the Greenhithe inlet, Salthouses enjoy the use of three slipways where maintenance and haul out work, and can be undertaken - along with the recent launching, last March, of the world's latest TP52.

Construction of TEAMORIGIN's TP52 is over 50 years on, and a long way from founder, John Salthouse' s first boatbuilding commission of eight 12-foot dinghies at a cost of £65 each. These were built at his original yard at Stanley Bay on the opposite shore to downtown Auckland. A year later John moved the business to Greenhithe on the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour where it remains to this day.

Although the location is unchanged but the premises have been regularly updated with slipways and buildings being added over the years.

As new materials and construction methods have evolved, Salthouse Boatbuilders have stayed abreast, applying generations of boatbuilding experience to proven advances in technology.

When TEAMORIGIN is put to her first test off Cascais in the first of the Audi MedCup regattas, her crew can be assured they are sailing a yacht from one of the world's most experienced boatbuilding teams.