BartW
Well-Known Member
One of my friends was in the market for a new boat,
Monte Carlo Yachts MCY76 was high on the list.
During winter last year, we had a invitation for a visit and tour in the MCY factory
Here is a report from that exciting day.
The MCY people asked me not to take pics, so unfortunately I can’t show boats in build neither from their interesting building methods
http://www.montecarloyachts.it/
MCY Company is part of the Beneteau group.
Company started in 2008
First boat in the water in 2010
Now 4 models, 35 boats produced in 2014
The new model 105 is about to be launched,
and they are working on a new SD range.
The Beneteau group didn’t have any products in Superyacht flighbridge class, therefor they launched this new company,
From the start their strategy was to do something completely different compared to the competitors in that segment.
While Beneteau is a French company, they thought that luxury yachts should be produced in Italy,
This and a few other reasons made them build a completely new yard on the sea site in Monfalcone.
At the moment the Monfalcone plant is 50000m2 and they have 50000 m2 extra land available nearby.
The yard is near a river, 1mile from the see, and has its own qay
At this moment the GRP is produced in another location, also part of MCY, at 30km inland.
MC4, MC5 and MC6 are in between the Beneteau range and the MCY yacht series,
Produced in France in Beneteau factory,
Finishing is not up to yacht standard, but again a interesting popular designs in that market segment, featuring some new and modern idea’s
Many of the R&D and management staff are coming from Feretti and Azimut, aswell from a few other yards who are suffering from crisis.
Most workers are sourced locally, and there is a fantastic spirit and mentality, as MCY is in a young, dynamic and growing mood.
Irc there are now about 350 workers in that plant,(but that I don’t remember for sure)
They work in shifs, also during the weekend, to reduce manufacturing time, and optimize return on the investments.
Basic strategy was:
1) to decrease the manhours and building time of the boats, while having superior quality and finishing levels,
Traditional methods for this boat size require approx. 1 year from order until delivery, MCY is at about half of that
2) reduce weight of the boats by using modern materials and production methods.
during the visit I noticed the following special building procedures;
- Building method of the hull, is resin infusion, and lots of use of carbon fibre or light materials
- approx. 8 Hulls are arranged on a rolling support with their stern around a huge platform,
All the tools and materials that are required inside the outside shell, are on that platform.
In this shell they place most of the basic machinery on board.
- There is no internal GRP shell !
- all other parts of the ship are assembled simultaneously in another place;
- the insert / interior of the cabin level, is assembled completely separately, ,
Basically the construction consists of the framing GRP bulkhead walls, connected with alluminium beams which are the supports for the floor
All this sits on a mechanical cradle so that the dimensions / shape are maintained very accurate.
Advantage is clear, they have very good access for installing the furniture, and all hoses pipes and cabling of the complete lower level, heads, galley, crew area, etc.
Alle systems are tested before this insert is placed in its shell. Very easy acces for pre-assembly adjustments !
The connections from upper to lower levels are standardized for easy testing of different systems.
When the outside shell is ready and assembled, and this lower level insert is finished and tested, they have a huge metal rig frame to lift this insert, and fit and glue the interior in its shell. This frame can be used for the different boat sizes (adjustable predefined fixing points...)
-The GRP mould for the deck level is assembled again on another spot, and the same for the flydeck, and are placed on top of the hull, after assembly and testing.
There still is a great level of customization possible, limited by the constraints of the construction and assembling method.
Certain teams of workers will follow the build of one boat, for better consistency and variation in the workers job.
Another important feature in the design is that the hight of all levels is kept lo,
Fe the bow lounge area and portugese bridge are on a fairly lo deck level, but on top of the bow cabin,
But nevertheless, there is a full 2,x m height in the cabins
MCY offeres custom color painting from the factory,
For this they have a huge painting oven, (>35m long iirc)
This painting hall is dustfree
Has special lightning (zero shadow)
And full thermal and humid controll.
I’m not 100% shure of this, but I believe that this super hall was on this land, and formerly belonged to yachtbuilder “Shipman”, which is part of Seaway (Oceanclass and Greenline), correct me if I’m wrong with this.
This hall was build ao to “bake” carbon hulls before it belonged to MCY, it must have been a very big investment.
MCY is in direct connection with the paint supplier, (Dupon iirc) and the painting of eacht boat is supervised by the paint factory, samples taken, etc…
Regarding inside finishing,
MCY does build all furniture in house. They have a dedicated modern department to do that,
All wood cutting is CNC and computer optimsed
They do produce their own wood veneer, we have seen how they make large veneer panels from small wood sheets
they supervice the wood supply from the very origin, choosing the threes,..
So that they have full control over quality and can have a distinct and exclusive finishish.
The veneer gets a chemical threatment to create certain “light” collors
For the wash bassins etc…they use a sintered stone, on a honeycomb insert, providing that solid marble look, but at a light weight.
All fabrics used are high quality Italian made.
We have seen lady’s doing high quality leader stitching
All sun blinds are leather covered (I believe these are from Ocean Air in UK)
a detail that grabbed my attention; The boat has a water drain, covered with a teak grading, on the side deck floor, exactly underneath the fuel inlet, for draining potential fuel spilling.
We looked at two finished boats in the water, a70 and 76 but completely different finish,
Some finish inside are not my preferences, but that’s taste, my friends liked most of it.
Some of the specs I would choose differently, but the MCY people are really open for suggestions, (even extra fuel tanks ! ;-) )
Some observations to summerise
- Impressively nice looking vesels for a competetive price
- Fairly extensive standard inclusive list, such as Hi lo platform, dishwasher, navigation electronics, invertor,bow thruster, all whinches, airco, towels and grocery’s
For a Base price of 2900000 euro for a MCY76.
- Options are: Gyro stabs, stern thruster,
and since our visit also CMC electric stabilisers, these fit perfectly in their concept of light weigt and low power consumption. Even better in their SD range !
- Top quality finish inside, with many custom options, there will always’s be details that I would like different, buts this is one of the few designs I like as from the factory
- The Factory offers winter storage / maintenance in their yard, This is a nice feature for med delivered boats, and a win win situation for the yard / owner regarding small warranty issues that will come up in any new boat.
- The new 105ft will very soon be released,
- And they are working on a new SD line, to be launched in 2016, where some new “energy” and “consumption “and weight topics will be featured.
- We got a feeling that it was a modern (mass) production plant for highly specialized and quality boats compared to San Lorenzo, which was more the old fashion, but specialized crafmenship yard.
As I’m not a frequent visitor nor specialist of new boats of this size, I’m unable to give more detailed analasys or comments on the boats and the design,
there was so much to see that I didn’t know what to focus at, now I would know ;-)
My report might have some “marketing Tone”, but yes the manager tried to sell us a boat ;-)
I believe at home I have a catalog picture from the painting hall, I’ll post a scan later
One of these SD boats in developement might suit me, when I'm retired, who knows
I wrote the best part of this report after our visit almost a year ago, but never managed to finish it.
Here it is, as promissed to a few mates if not just for them.
Monte Carlo Yachts MCY76 was high on the list.
During winter last year, we had a invitation for a visit and tour in the MCY factory
Here is a report from that exciting day.
The MCY people asked me not to take pics, so unfortunately I can’t show boats in build neither from their interesting building methods
http://www.montecarloyachts.it/
MCY Company is part of the Beneteau group.
Company started in 2008
First boat in the water in 2010
Now 4 models, 35 boats produced in 2014
The new model 105 is about to be launched,
and they are working on a new SD range.
The Beneteau group didn’t have any products in Superyacht flighbridge class, therefor they launched this new company,
From the start their strategy was to do something completely different compared to the competitors in that segment.
While Beneteau is a French company, they thought that luxury yachts should be produced in Italy,
This and a few other reasons made them build a completely new yard on the sea site in Monfalcone.
At the moment the Monfalcone plant is 50000m2 and they have 50000 m2 extra land available nearby.
The yard is near a river, 1mile from the see, and has its own qay
At this moment the GRP is produced in another location, also part of MCY, at 30km inland.
MC4, MC5 and MC6 are in between the Beneteau range and the MCY yacht series,
Produced in France in Beneteau factory,
Finishing is not up to yacht standard, but again a interesting popular designs in that market segment, featuring some new and modern idea’s
Many of the R&D and management staff are coming from Feretti and Azimut, aswell from a few other yards who are suffering from crisis.
Most workers are sourced locally, and there is a fantastic spirit and mentality, as MCY is in a young, dynamic and growing mood.
Irc there are now about 350 workers in that plant,(but that I don’t remember for sure)
They work in shifs, also during the weekend, to reduce manufacturing time, and optimize return on the investments.
Basic strategy was:
1) to decrease the manhours and building time of the boats, while having superior quality and finishing levels,
Traditional methods for this boat size require approx. 1 year from order until delivery, MCY is at about half of that
2) reduce weight of the boats by using modern materials and production methods.
during the visit I noticed the following special building procedures;
- Building method of the hull, is resin infusion, and lots of use of carbon fibre or light materials
- approx. 8 Hulls are arranged on a rolling support with their stern around a huge platform,
All the tools and materials that are required inside the outside shell, are on that platform.
In this shell they place most of the basic machinery on board.
- There is no internal GRP shell !
- all other parts of the ship are assembled simultaneously in another place;
- the insert / interior of the cabin level, is assembled completely separately, ,
Basically the construction consists of the framing GRP bulkhead walls, connected with alluminium beams which are the supports for the floor
All this sits on a mechanical cradle so that the dimensions / shape are maintained very accurate.
Advantage is clear, they have very good access for installing the furniture, and all hoses pipes and cabling of the complete lower level, heads, galley, crew area, etc.
Alle systems are tested before this insert is placed in its shell. Very easy acces for pre-assembly adjustments !
The connections from upper to lower levels are standardized for easy testing of different systems.
When the outside shell is ready and assembled, and this lower level insert is finished and tested, they have a huge metal rig frame to lift this insert, and fit and glue the interior in its shell. This frame can be used for the different boat sizes (adjustable predefined fixing points...)
-The GRP mould for the deck level is assembled again on another spot, and the same for the flydeck, and are placed on top of the hull, after assembly and testing.
There still is a great level of customization possible, limited by the constraints of the construction and assembling method.
Certain teams of workers will follow the build of one boat, for better consistency and variation in the workers job.
Another important feature in the design is that the hight of all levels is kept lo,
Fe the bow lounge area and portugese bridge are on a fairly lo deck level, but on top of the bow cabin,
But nevertheless, there is a full 2,x m height in the cabins
MCY offeres custom color painting from the factory,
For this they have a huge painting oven, (>35m long iirc)
This painting hall is dustfree
Has special lightning (zero shadow)
And full thermal and humid controll.
I’m not 100% shure of this, but I believe that this super hall was on this land, and formerly belonged to yachtbuilder “Shipman”, which is part of Seaway (Oceanclass and Greenline), correct me if I’m wrong with this.
This hall was build ao to “bake” carbon hulls before it belonged to MCY, it must have been a very big investment.
MCY is in direct connection with the paint supplier, (Dupon iirc) and the painting of eacht boat is supervised by the paint factory, samples taken, etc…
Regarding inside finishing,
MCY does build all furniture in house. They have a dedicated modern department to do that,
All wood cutting is CNC and computer optimsed
They do produce their own wood veneer, we have seen how they make large veneer panels from small wood sheets
they supervice the wood supply from the very origin, choosing the threes,..
So that they have full control over quality and can have a distinct and exclusive finishish.
The veneer gets a chemical threatment to create certain “light” collors
For the wash bassins etc…they use a sintered stone, on a honeycomb insert, providing that solid marble look, but at a light weight.
All fabrics used are high quality Italian made.
We have seen lady’s doing high quality leader stitching
All sun blinds are leather covered (I believe these are from Ocean Air in UK)
a detail that grabbed my attention; The boat has a water drain, covered with a teak grading, on the side deck floor, exactly underneath the fuel inlet, for draining potential fuel spilling.
We looked at two finished boats in the water, a70 and 76 but completely different finish,
Some finish inside are not my preferences, but that’s taste, my friends liked most of it.
Some of the specs I would choose differently, but the MCY people are really open for suggestions, (even extra fuel tanks ! ;-) )
Some observations to summerise
- Impressively nice looking vesels for a competetive price
- Fairly extensive standard inclusive list, such as Hi lo platform, dishwasher, navigation electronics, invertor,bow thruster, all whinches, airco, towels and grocery’s
For a Base price of 2900000 euro for a MCY76.
- Options are: Gyro stabs, stern thruster,
and since our visit also CMC electric stabilisers, these fit perfectly in their concept of light weigt and low power consumption. Even better in their SD range !
- Top quality finish inside, with many custom options, there will always’s be details that I would like different, buts this is one of the few designs I like as from the factory
- The Factory offers winter storage / maintenance in their yard, This is a nice feature for med delivered boats, and a win win situation for the yard / owner regarding small warranty issues that will come up in any new boat.
- The new 105ft will very soon be released,
- And they are working on a new SD line, to be launched in 2016, where some new “energy” and “consumption “and weight topics will be featured.
- We got a feeling that it was a modern (mass) production plant for highly specialized and quality boats compared to San Lorenzo, which was more the old fashion, but specialized crafmenship yard.
As I’m not a frequent visitor nor specialist of new boats of this size, I’m unable to give more detailed analasys or comments on the boats and the design,
there was so much to see that I didn’t know what to focus at, now I would know ;-)
My report might have some “marketing Tone”, but yes the manager tried to sell us a boat ;-)
I believe at home I have a catalog picture from the painting hall, I’ll post a scan later
One of these SD boats in developement might suit me, when I'm retired, who knows
I wrote the best part of this report after our visit almost a year ago, but never managed to finish it.
Here it is, as promissed to a few mates if not just for them.
