Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. Designs Lashings for Hemisphere, the “World’s Largest Sailing Catamaran

Bristol, RI – November 9, 2009 - Bristol Harbor Group, Inc’s (BHGI) recent lashing design has helped secure the safe transport of the world’s largest sailing catamaran, Hemisphere, safely from Derecktor Shipyard in Bridgeport, CT where she was built, to Quonset Point, North Kingstown, RI. From Quonset, a Rickmers heavy lift ship transported Hemsiphere to her final fit-out at Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, UK.

Logistics Company, Peters & May Ltd. contracted BHGI to devise the lashing plan to secure the 44.2m (145 ft), Hemisphere, to the structure of Catherine, a 45.7m (150 ft) deck barge. The designed lashing plan, which included BHGI designed loading grids, had to distribute the load efficiently from the keels of Hemisphere to the structure of Catherine. Lending some familiarity to the project was the fact that Catherine, owned by Hughes Marine of Edison, NJ, had been designed by BHGI and built by Senesco Marine in North Kingstown, RI over a decade ago. Gavin Bladen, Captain of the sailing yacht Hemisphere commented, “Firstly I greatly appreciate your involvement with these barge arrangements, I’m not sure how we would have progressed without your support and commitment.”

As the surveyors for the underwriters requested an allowable sea state envelope, Maine Marine Composites, LLC of Portland, ME, and, specifically Dick Akers, P.E., were commissioned on behalf of BHGI to conduct a hydrodynamic analysis of the barge and cargo under maximum allowable sea states. The seakeeping analysis was used to predict motions and accelerations of the yacht and barge, and was accomplished using the Visual SMP computer program which is based on the U.S. Navy Standard Ship Motion Program (SMP).

Upon completion at Pendennis, the Caribbean will be Hemisphere’s destination as a luxury charter vessel. Regarding BHGI’s role in facilitating project Hemisphere, Simon Judson, Marine Logistics Manager at Peters and May, Ltd. had this to say: "Bristol Harbor was very professional, detail oriented and responsive. We could not have made our time critical move without them."

For further information on Bristol Harbor Group, Inc., visit their website: www.bristolharborgroup.com. BHGI provides naval architecture, marine engineering and construction oversight services both commercial and recreational. Their commercial work includes small passenger vessels, oil and deck barges, tugboats, split hull hopper vessels and offshore supply boats. Recreational vessel work includes mega yachts as well as powerboats and sailboats. BHGI is located at 103 Poppasquash Road, Bristol, Rhode Island 02809. BHGI also recently launched a southern affiliate, Bristol Harbor Group South, Inc., www.bhgsouth.com, located at 4747 Bellaire Blvd., Suite 275, Bellaire, Texas 77401 which is focused on owner’s representation and construction oversight services.