Sail with New Freebooters

Not many years ago, Telezygology, Inc., of Chicago introduced a fastening system that is being enthusiastically tested by the aviation industry. So it’s no surprise that the superyacht industry is also taking an interest - in fact, World Superyacht Awards gave it a prize last year.

In the cumbersome style that is beloved of many US institutions, the full name of the system seems to be INTEVIA® ENTERPRISE, but I shall refer to it as Intevia.

What is it?

- a set of fasteners that can be locked, unlocked and monitored remotely

- a set of remote controls, both fixed and portable

- associated software

In other words, something rather more complex than that familiar boat door and drawer latch that you operate by sticking your finger through a hole.

How does the fastener work?

The secret ingredients are a circlip-like ring made of shape memory alloy, a microchip that can be persuaded to give it the short burst of current that loosens or tightens it, and a radio link between the microchip and the controller. The fastener is a stud that fits into a latch controlled by the shape memory ‘circlip’.

Typically, you would close a door or fit a panel by pressing it into place. Once you’ve done that, the only way to open it is with the controller, which may or may not have a security system built into it (typically, you would key in a number, but one demonstrated application was a laptop lid latch that sensed the owner’s fingerprint).

What use is it?

There are three main justifications for all this complexity:

• security
• safety
• speed of assembly and disassembly

Let’s look at them in turn, as they might apply to a superyacht.

Security

A cabinet whose doors are closed with Intevia fasteners cannot have its locks forced. They are inside the cabinet. No part of the fastener is accessible from outside.

Safety

Intevia fasteners can by monitored and controlled from a central console. They have been proposed for school bus seat belts and for aircraft baggage lockers for this reason.

Speed of assembly and disassembly

The aviation industry got very enthusiastic about this, and it applies equally to the superyacht industry. Traditionally, things like seats and ceiling panels are screwed and bolted in place. Imagine, instead, just pressing things into place, and unfastening them (sometimes several at a time) by pressing a button on a handheld controller that you have enabled by keying in an access code.

• both assembly and maintenance are much quicker
• screws and bolts don’t vibrate loose, get forgotten, or break

What if there is no electrical power?

Good question. And, particularly, what if you need to open the cabinet or drawer in an emergency when there’s no power? The latches have battery backup, but that can fail, even if you include a battery monitoring system. There are humans in the loop.

Civil aviation regs, for instance, insist on an alternative manual method for opening the door - which would mean it was no longer as secure. You can’t have your cake and eat it.

So?

I’d be interested to see where this system gets used on superyachts. Access panels and the owner’s drinks cupboard are fine, but there are a few mission-critical fastenings that will have to stay the way they are.