Projects

Launched December 14 2015, the 18.7 metre Bajaca designed by Roger Hill Yacht Design, New Zealand, was commissioned by a Sunshine Coast businessman with a brief for up-to-date styling above the waterline, self-contained facilities for extended cruising in remote areas, and the ability to run at 25 knots if required.

Design Concept

With those goals in mind, it was clear to Roger that a semi-displacement hull form would meet the type of boating and performance the clients were looking for. Live aboard ability was critical so fuel capacity, water-making ability, power generation, and storage were priorities in the design.

Construction

Noosa Marine was commissioned for the build, and construction began in June 2014. Founded by Julian Griffiths in 2008, Noosa Marine specialise in custom boat building services and consult closely with the owners and designers to create a craft that will suit their needs - a proven formula that will ensure an outstanding result for this luxury project. Julian has an impressive portfolio spanning 25 years and has used the DuFLEX System extensively in many projects, most recently in the construction of the Schionning Designs G Force 1800 KATO that was launched in May 2014.

Because of previous project experience and construction successes, Roger based the design for construction with ATL Composites DuFLEX composite panels with structural DIAB Divinycell foam cores. 

The hull bottoms, lower topsides, chines and engine bearers were cored with 30mm Divinycell H130 and laminated with 2 layers of 850grm E-fibreglass quadraxial.  Divinycell H has a proven track record, and its unique IPN chemical structure, yields impressive mechanical performance making it ideal for applications subject to fatigue, slamming or impact loads.    

DuFLEX panels, cored with Divinycell H80 and laminated with a variety of fibreglass orientations, were manufactured for all other structural areas, predominantly in flat panel form, but in some cases, with unidirectional laminates for strip planking curved sections, to optimise the engineering and performance in specific areas. 

ATL’s Featherlight panels have been  supplied for the non-structural interior parts, and are cored with lower density Divinycell H60 and H35 cores laminated with a 600grm quadraxial E-Fibreglass to ensure uniform stiffness, stability and lightweight. The interior panels will be finished with a combination of timber veneers, decorative fabrics and some painted sections.

Roger commented “Construction with DuFLEX will ensure the required weight, stiffness and stability is achieved to optimise the performance and fuel consumption without sacrificing comfort or performance.  Using the DIAB foam- cored DuFLEX option has saved approximately 2,000 kgs over more conventional building methods”

To take full advantage of the DuFLEX Building System, Roger worked with ATL engineers to supply the design as a CNC-routed kit to reduce labour and keep wastage to a minimum, and a DuFLEX Z-Press was supplied to Noosa Marine to join the panels and further speed up the build process. 

The design layout was developed closely with the owners keeping the cabins as large as possible with full head room. The main cabin/saloon area is open plan with the doors and windows sliding away to allow entry to the cockpit with no step-over sills, and the large dining space is easily served from the galley or the BBQ on the aft platform.

The owner’s cabin is forward, featuring a large ensuite bathroom, and takes the full width of the starboard hull. The prime guest cabin also has its own ensuite and the other two secondary guest cabins share a large, mid-ship bathroom that includes a full-size domestic washing machine and separate dryer.

The design does not have a conventional flybridge, but does have a sun-bathing area on the cabin top where the tender is stored with a davit crane and a surfboard/paddleboard rack. This cabin top area is also fitted with large sliding hatches to maximise ventilations and light into the forward area of the saloon.

The boat will comfortably house family and friends, and the modern design, extensive entertaining both inside and out, luxurious interior, and a cruising speed of 16 knots will make it perfect for long range cruising and living.