In late November, amidst the snowy landscape of Maine, the 95-foot pilothouse sloop, named Project Ouzel, achieved a noteworthy milestone. Emerging from the construction facility at Rockport Marine, the hull showcased all its structural bulkheads firmly in place. It underwent a meticulous process: lifted and inverted using a Travelift, then carefully rolled back into the workshop to initiate the interior component work. This pivotal event marks a substantial progression in the hull’s development. Penned by Langan Design Partners, the hull is constructed using cold-molded Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and carbon fiber, meticulously assembled over a male building jig.
“We planned for this carefully, and there were no surprises other than some light snow,” said Sam Temple, president of Rockport Marine. “It’s not the first time we’ve done this operation, but Ouzel is certainly on the larger end of the spectrum for us; I’m happy to say it all went smoothly.”
Peter Wilson, MCM co-founder and the owner’s representative, remarked, “This process certainly marks the passing of an important milestone. Even though Rockport Marine has their systems well dialed-in, there is always some element of trepidation when turning a large hull. My congratulations go out to Sam Temple and the team at Rockport—one big step.”
“The process of flipping the hull requires precision and careful coordination,” said Langan Design’s Tom Degremont. “It highlights the attention to detail that Rockport Marine brings to every aspect of the build. In addition to the technical achievement, it is the first time we all see the yacht right-side-up and outside—as there isn’t much room left inside the building to stand back and appreciate her scale and lines. She has given us all a stunning first impression.”
The next phase in the yacht’s construction involves preparing the interior of the hull for the composite structural grid, responsible for transmitting keel loads into the hull. Once this step is finalized, the shipyard will commence system layout, installing the main engine, associated machinery, and initiating preparations for the interior components meticulously designed by Mark Whiteley Design—many of which are already in the process of being crafted.
Simultaneously, the construction of the yacht’s deck is underway and is anticipated to be installed later in 2024. This installation will be part of an equally captivating outdoor operation, wherein the hull and deck, due to the yacht’s size, will be joined outdoors before being brought back into the building for the final stages of the build.
As the launch of Project Ouzel approaches, the yacht will make its last appearance outside the building, where it will be connected to its keel and receive its mast. The highly anticipated launch is scheduled for the summer of 2025.