ROCKPORT, MAINE, USA—The hull and deck of the modern classic sloop known as Project Ouzel moved out of its build shed on July 15, 2024, and the two essential components of the yacht were fitted together, marking another major milestone in her construction at Rockport Marine. The operation required some ingenuity, as the building’s doorway needed modification to allow the expansive deck to pass through—a testament to Ouzel’s impressive scale—95 feet long and 20.5 feet wide.
The precision of the deck-to-hull fit was spot-on, validating Rockport Marine’s meticulous planning and execution throughout the process of building the cold-molded wood and carbon fiber hull and the foam-cored plywood-fiberglass deck. Once the deck was in place, the yacht was carefully maneuvered back into the building and positioned for the permanent bonding process.
“While we know from experience to trust our work, there is always a measure of unfounded anxiety in a large move such as this,” says Sam Temple of Rockport Marine. “Beyond fit, the challenges were to keep the relatively thin deck panel from flexing under its own weight and to tuck the aft end of the deck into the bulwark tumblehome while fitting chainplates through pre-cut holes. All went smoothly almost to the point of dullness—the result of careful planning and excellent help on the rigging side from Cote Crane service. We are excited for the interior and on-deck work this step enables.”
“The hull-to-deck joint is one of the most critical connections on any yacht,” says Tom Degremont of Langan Design Partners. “The deck will be permanently screwed and glued to the hull structure, so the team at Rockport Marine has been carefully preparing the hull structure by fairing the surfaces at the joint for a sound structural connection. The inner bulwark installation will come next, while the teak cap rail will come later.”
Now that the deck is in place, the deckhouse installation remains a future milestone. This scheduled approach allows for easier access to install the Mark Whitely-designed interior, many pieces of which are being built in advance. The deckhouse itself is built on a precision-cut jig to ensure another perfect fit when it’s time to close up the deck completely.
The installation of the deck points to on-schedule progress on Ouzel. The project is shifting from primary structural work toward the detailed finishing stages. This includes Ouzel’s interior, where the majority of the composite structural work is nearing completion. Rockport is now focused on building the Mark Whiteley designed interior and continuing the installation of the systems.
A joint venture of Rockport Marine, Langan Design Partners, Mark Whiteley Design, and Marine Construction Management (MCM), Project Ouzel is scheduled for launch in late summer 2025.