The birthing suite
by John Curnow, Global Editor, SailWorldCruising.com 6 Dec 2024 12:00 PST
Bows with presence! Look out for the Cure 55 © Cure Marine
Due date of December 13, 2024, for the first offspring. It will be a natural birth. As and when it feels like it. Eager parents await, for sure, and there are extra parts that have already appeared that are also eagerly anticipating the arrival, so they can marry up and finally we will have the first Cure 55.
So, Hull #1 of the Cure 55 will see daylight for the first time on Friday the 13th, but it will be just a little longer before the momentous day arrives when she undertakes the trip down from Coolum to Brisbane under the veil of night. This of course will set in motion a plan of stepping, commissioning, and testing. Then some handover time, with smiles all round. A great journey ends and many a delightful passage begins...
"Our number one priority is that we want the boat to be right," said Carl Bird, CEO of Cure Marine. "We've always been about being able to put boats on the water and essentially go sailing right away. The first Cure 55 will leave here ready, whether that is the 13th, as we hope, or maybe a few days later if there are things we need to tidy up here at the factory before it is trucked off. Correct is first, date is second."
The first boat in any line always takes longer, and the Cure 55 is no different in this regard. "It is a slightly different build process, and so has been a tad longer than anyone wanted, but we are close, and now is not the time to rush. The whole global build and componentry aspect of designed-for-manufacture means you really live by the 'measure twice and cut once' mantra, which we have."
"The benefit of this fastidiousness is that we are seeing really rapid declines in the build times for Hulls #2 and #3 (like 15 and 20% respectively), so in the middle of 2025 we should be on target for one Cure 55 every three months."
This is all about putting a boat in the water that does not have to come back. If you're out in the Pacific cruising away, or even further afield, that is a real bonus. Warranty is nice to have, but ultimately the kind of thing you don't want to have to use. There is a long and esteemed history with the founders of Cure in the RV, aeronautic, and maritime space, and this is not merely tapped into, but the very yardstick from which things are measured.
Nearly time
"The Cure 55 is an adventure machine. It's what they are built for. The hands-on founders are proud of their history, and the quality of vessels produced," added Bird.
As it stands, Hull #1 is painted, and apart from a few deck gear items, and maybe a spot of non-skid, is all set. That means the interior is the key aspect, presently. Scans confirm numbers to plans, and then eyeballs check things like overall dimensions and radii for corners before the button is pushed and the componentry is cut further up the road at one of the other companies inside the greater empire.
Once sorted, the creation and installation of said items is pretty quick, and a lot of the appliances etc are already on board. Being masters of their own destinies in this regard is a godsend. Nothing like being 'family' when it comes to a supplier/client relationship...
So, when all of the ticks go on the QC checklist, then Hull #1 will head off to The Yard in Brisbane, where its Hall Spars rig and North Sails green engines await. "Brisbane provides relatively quick access to near closed waters for sea trialling in a wider variety of weather conditions, and as all the lifting facilities are there it is faster, easier and more cost effective, in the end. This is our preferred plan moving forward, as well."
Clearly at this point in a build there is the proverbial plethora of items being undertaken, and the ability for trip hazards to appear goes up exponentially, which can slow things down astronomically. This is why rush cannot be allowed to creep in. Cool heads reign supreme. Here, adherence to the digital schedule allows the cookie cutter to do its job best. Check, check, check...
The mothers know that their baby is just about fully cooked, but in no way want to see it go ahead of time. Not even sure there will be time for tears, for the other siblings are there in the shed and need their share of love and time, just as much as the eldest did.
Solid, reliable, tested, and trusted
The Cure 55 has a pair of 57hp Yanmar 4JH Common Rail Diesels with sail drive. When maintained properly, these are nigh on indestructible, and about as green as you can get without using the rags. Equally, modern sail drives from the last five or so years are brilliant and can even have their oil replaced whilst in the drink! Add in being terribly efficient, also delivering a low drag profile, and it is a chicken dinner (You know, 'Winner, winner!')
Those sorts of things are pretty important when you are an express cat. Of course, it also occupies far less space, which is crucial when you have slippery hull forms. In other words, use the oil burner to its best effect.
So that means it's time for current. The mains start of 12V AGM, and the house is run of 48V LiFePO4, housed in a separate, fan driven, ventilated 'locker' on the main deck, adjacent to the stick. In only the last two years, the amount of items available as 48V has skyrocketed and this will simply continue. So that's oven, cooktop, fridge, AC, instant water heaters, the lot.
The well-regarded Safiery Electrics have been the masterminds to a lot of this, and there is 30kWh on board, as standard, delivered by their Meteor battery range self-contained in their own carbon fibre box, along with a separate battery management system. This system can avert BMS failure (overheating, rapid discharge and overcharging) as well as being able to jump across packs to ensure continuous supply. And yes, there is monitoring and retardation included, as well.
Remembering all the time that this sort of LiFePO4 arrangement requires a lot of gateways to be passed before you even get close to an issue. You're more likely to have to deal with a Tsunami before taking that lot on.
Lee Randall, Rigging and Sales Consultant for Cure Marine, said, "The two instant hot water heaters (one in each hull) also mean you are not carting stored hot water around in an engine room, meaning the weight is closer to CoB on the main (for'ard) beam, and the unit is lighter itself, too. It does mean there is an inverter to go from 48 to 240V, however."
Presently, there is 3,850kW of Copperflex solar (on the lid), which can be expanded to 4,400kW, without the need to decorate the boat in black. You could add wind and hydro if you wish, but the solar seems to have it covered, and there are high output alternators on the mains if it comes to that. Me thinkey that means you're electing to have way too much AC running, along with snow making on the beach and hills to go boarding, and the amps totally cranked for your Doof Doof. Put the Ibiza Chill on and come back a few rungs...
Randall added, "Safiery have also placed on board the DAME Award Winning Scotty AI DC to DC converters to send the charge exactly where it needs to go. Importantly, this gear has telemetry, so if your Wi-Fi is on, Jonathan Turnbull and the crew at Safiery will know about any issues before you do." Nice. Really nice...
Real world solutions deliver genuine, hugely extended at anchor time with no ICE, just ice for the Sundowners. Bring that on. The battery management system/redundancy also allows for cranking both mains off one starter battery should it come to that.
"Cure Marine are also working with Sydney's Logix Group to make sure they have completely assessed and looked at every eventuality in terms of marine corrosion and any electrolysis issues," said Randall in closing.
The key with a vessel like this is to have the widest possible sailing window, with easily deployable and controllable rags that deliver an efficient and therefore swift experience. After all of that, it is icing and cherry time. Not many get a zero birthday cake, and have to wait until being one. However, I am tipping we'll see one around the middle of December with 55 candles arranged in a circle. Cameras to the ready...
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Finally, stay safe, and let's see where it all goes now,
John Curnow