Baltic Yachts, located in Finland, is the world’s leading boatbuilding yard specialising in high quality carbon fibre yachts of up to 60 metres (197 feet) in length. The company approached Wärtsilä Shaft Line Solutions to provide a complete
water lubricated package solution for its ‘Baltic 175 Pink Gin VI’ project, the world’s biggest carbon fibre sloop ever built.
The scope of the package covered the water lubricated stern tube bearings mounted in composite sleeves, a water lubricated stern tube seal, bearings and the alignment of the entire propulsion system, including the main engine, the gearbox, and the stern tube bearings. The composite sleeves were required since the yacht, with an overall displacement of only 235 tons, was to be optimised for lighter weight. Most importantly, Baltic Yachts required a partner with the experience and expertise to deliver a reliable, efficient, and highly sophisticated total package.
More importantly, the installation of a water lubricated stern tube package prevents any potential environmental risks, especially for vessels operating in environmentally sensitive areas, and reduces lifecycle cost by extending the operational life of the seals and bearings.
The complete Wärtsilä solution was delivered to the yard in the latter half of 2016 and the final alignment of the propulsion system was successfully completed in the summer, 2017. The project demanded a highly qualified supplier capable of delivering a total package for a large, state-of-the-art carbon fibre yacht.
The Pink Gin VI project has been both innovative and demanding. This is why we selected Wärtsilä for the water lubricated seal and bearings package, and for ensuring full alignment of the propulsion system. We needed a partner with the experience and in house expertise to deliver a light weight, reliable, and environmentally friendly solution, and Wärtsilä more than fills these requirements. At Baltic Yachts we are focused on taking innovation and construction techniques to another level, and we aim to work with leading suppliers having the same ambitions.
