Inside M5's extensive rebuild at Pendennis

A trip down to Falmouth, Cornwall last week gave us a behind the scenes look into the extensive works that are completely transforming what was Mirabella V into the new M5.

“It’s a rebuild more that a refit,” Captain Rocka Romcke told me as we discussed the extent of the works underway in the main hall at the Pendennis shipyard in Falmouth. “The boss wants it to go out as an ‘as new’ boat.”

Touring the project this week, it was clear there is an enormous amount of work underway. With about 150 workers aboard, plus about forty others from crew to office-based team members, M5 is the subject of intense industry, which will transform the yacht—the world’s largest sloop—into a very new creature indeed.





The initial plan had called for a well-publicised stern extension and interior refresh. What’s currently underway is far more extensive. The entire vessel has been opened and virtually every interior surface has been taken back to insulation, and in many cases, even further. The stern has been opened and a newly designed aft section, built by Green Marine, has been added, providing a huge new transom for the yacht. With the added length, both the recessed exterior area aft of the salon and the sundeck above have been extended, adding even more area.

The engineering and electrics of the yacht is being completely upgraded, with new gensets, Caterpillar main engines, shore power and switchboard. A new side boarding platform portside aft is being added and the boarding ladder turned 180 degrees to drop down to it, enabling guests to board the yacht alongside from the tender.


 
The rigging is being replaced with a new carbon setup, and so the keel is being modified to adjust for the new lighter weight of the rig above.

Inside, Redman Whitely Dixon have been engaged and the grand central spiral staircase has been removed completely, and the wheelhouse now opens aft to the main salon with a wide staircase, which joins the navigational and social areas of the yacht together. Interior outfitting of the main deck level is being done by Superyacht Interiors New Zealand, while Pendennis’ own interiors and cabinetry team is handling the guest cabins, and crew and technical spaces.



The portside entrance to the superstructure will now be the owner’s private lobby, while the starboard area inside the superstructure is being completely reworked as a food prep area and pantry for the staff to serve parties.

New winches are being installed in the bilge for running sheets, stainless handrails are being completely replaced and re-lamination is happening everywhere. Crew cabins have been refreshed, and the crew mess and galley is currently being taken out and redesigned.



Touring the project, there didn’t appear to be any area of the vessel that hadn’t had modifications. And as Franck Bonnamy, the project manager explained, “each modification has its own implications. It’s incredible. This job is seriously major.”

A full report on the refit will appear in the upcoming April issue of The Superyacht Report.

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