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Solving the deepest challenge.

Following explorer-filmmaker James Cameron's recent successful record-breaking descent to the deepest part of the world's oceans, McConaghy Boats in Sydney is able to confirm its significant involvement in this remarkable project.

For more than forty years, McConaghy Boats in Sydney has been solving complex composite engineering problems in the marine, aviation, military and industrial markets. Internationally recognised for building high-performance, record-breaking racing yachts, McConaghy was approached eighteen months ago to assist the explorer-filmmaker James Cameron and his engineering partner, Ron Allum, with the complex construction of the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible, a submarine capable of diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Western Pacific, eleven kilometres down at the deepest part of the worlds oceans - with Cameron himself onboard as sole pilot.

The challenges involved in this project were immense. The pressures involved at these extreme depths meant any faults or voids in the materials or construction process could prove catastrophic. During a three-month period, McConaghy developed a solution for bonding more than two hundred and fifty sections of the submersible's core-buoyancy material - an extremely hard and high-strength composite foam structure innovated by Cameron's team called ISOFLOAT® and forming the 5.8m main structure of the submersible. This beam had to be constructed to withstand 16,500 psi (114MPa) of sea pressure - allowing the main beam to become massively compressed at its record-breaking depth at the base of the Mariana Trench, resulting in the submersible becoming 60mm shorter than it is at sea-level.

Having overcome the problem of bonding the core buoyancy materials, McConaghy continued to work closely with the Acheron Project, Cameron's and Allum's Sydney-based team, fabricating 95% of all composites in the project, including the main beam thruster units, doors, access panels and battery housings.

Cameron and Allum spoke with McConaghy general manager Richard Stanning just days before the submersible left Sydney for sea-trials. They were delighted with both McConaghy's commitment to the project and its engineering capabilities. "It's safe to say we couldn't have done this without the McConaghy team," said Cameron.

More information please visit: www.deepseachallenge.com
 

May 2012 - Afloat
Solving the Deepest Challenge

"Following explorer-filmmaker James Cameron's recent successful record-breaking descent to the deepest part of the worlds oceans, McConaghy Boats confirmed its significant involvement in this remarkable project."

April 2012 - The Weekend Australian Financial Review
Sydney's Titanic Contribution

"Film maker and ocean explorer James Cameron recently plumbed the depths of the Mariana Trench in a super submersible that was made in Australia."

April 2012 - Asia Pacific Boating
James Cameron Goes Deep

"Famed filmmaker James Cameron dove into the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the ocean, as part of the National Geographic Deepsea Challenge programme."

Mar 2012 - Sailing Anarchy
Going Deep

"McConaghy boats are renowned for building the some of the fastest yachts afloat. Now McConaghy construction skills have been used by film maker/explorer James Cameron - who has just entered the history books and became the first person to make a solo dive to the ocean's deepest point."