| "body"> | | | | the assembly line. This part of the facility is a |
| The Catamaran Company visited Paris in the | | | | completely separated building. Cranes that hang from |
| beginning of December. The participating members of | | | | the ceiling move the catamarans down the assembly |
| this trip where given a tour of two boat factories by | | | | line. The assemblers do not move from station to |
| Nick Harvey. One of the factories produced Lagoon | | | | station. They perform the same function the boats |
| 380's and Lagoon 440's. The other one in Les Sables | | | | just move down the line to a different station. |
| produced Lagoon Power 44's, Lagoon 420 Hybrid's, | | | | Furniture comes packaged in separated crates for |
| and Lagoon 500's. | | | | each boat. Each boat has a particular layout that has |
| St. Gilles | | | | been assigned to it. A furniture kit comes prepared |
| The group traveled 4.5 hours to get to the first | | | | for each boat. Individuals who are in charge of |
| factory. This particular boat building facility was | | | | assembling furniture build as much of it as possible |
| located in St. Gilles and produced Lagoon 380's along | | | | outside of the catamaran. After each piece of |
| with Lagoon 440's. The factory tour showed the | | | | furniture is constructed it is carefully placed inside the |
| complete process of creating an entire catamaran, | | | | boat. |
| from start to finish. A new catamaran rolls of the | | | | Once a boat has been completely constructed, it is |
| assembly line every 3.5 days. | | | | taken outside the factory and it is left there until it is |
| The tour began with the injection molding process. | | | | brought inside again to be tested in a pool. A crane |
| There are two major molds that are used to insure | | | | places the boat into the pool. The boat is anchored |
| maximum stiffness. There are a few other molds | | | | down; hoses are attached to the exhaust. This is |
| that go in the Lagoons to complete the structure. | | | | done to ensure that the fumes are pumped outside |
| The molds are held up by large apparatuses that | | | | the factory, so that nobody suffers from carbon |
| allow the mold to swivel around so the workers can | | | | monoxide poisoning. Several high powered sprinkles |
| comfortably work on each section. This also speeds | | | | surround the pool, this simulates rain and ocean spray. |
| up the building process. | | | | During the test the boat is monitored and inspected |
| Resin is applied to fabric in several ways depending | | | | for leaks. Water is constantly pumped into the pool, |
| on which part of the boat the workers are creating. | | | | because the boat siphons water in order to keep the |
| In this phase the workers must move quickly while | | | | engines cool. As the engines run waves splash out of |
| applying resin because it cures extremely fast in | | | | the pool causing for more water to empty out of |
| order to increase the building process. When the | | | | the pool. Once the vessel has passed its inspection it |
| material cures it has the same strength as steel. The | | | | is ready to be taken to the Les Sables docks. This is |
| mold templates that are used are marked in each | | | | where the vessel is prepared for delivery. The |
| place that needs a hole drilled, paint strip placed, | | | | finished product is mounted onto a truck where it |
| wires routed and what not. Everything that can be | | | | has to be escorted by three police vehicles to the |
| marked into to the mold is done in this part of the | | | | docks. It is about a 35 minute drive to Les Sables |
| process, this way the boat builders don't have to | | | | from St. Gilles. The boat transport is extremely |
| measure every single time and everything is placed in | | | | dangerous since this area has narrow streets and |
| the same area on each catamaran. Areas that need | | | | many round-abouts. |
| holes drilled are marked with an X. | | | | Les Sables |
| After the mold(s) has completely cured they are | | | | The facility in Les Sables specializes in building Lagoon |
| taken out of mold forming facility and taken next | | | | Power 44's, Lagoon 420's, and Lagoon 500's. |
| door. When a mold has been completed it has many | | | | Everything is done the same in this factory except |
| uneven edges and sharp fiberglass pieces along the | | | | for the manner in which the boats are positioned |
| sides. These imperfections are drilled and sanded | | | | along the assembly line. In this factory holes in the |
| down to make nice smooth edges. Then the molds | | | | shape of a catamaran appear throughout the floor of |
| are closely inspected, when an employee finds a | | | | the facility. This greatly increases the comfort level |
| blemish they mark it with a red numbered tag and | | | | for the builders since they don't have to climb and |
| record it into a log. | | | | balance themselves on ladders/platforms. Workers |
| As the vessel moves down the assembly line | | | | walk right on the boat via the factory floor, instead |
| workers take care of these imperfections until the | | | | of having to climb to get in the vessel. This reduces |
| finished product is perfect. After the molds have | | | | the amount of time it takes to build the boat. |
| been cleaned up and assembled they are moved into | | | | |