need help with finding hull designer

We are starting a new boat manufacturing company and need some help with the computer designs so that we can have a plug milled. We are in the early stages and could use any helpful hints that people might have. It is looking like a very expensiive process to design a hull and have a plug milled. Any suggestions to help minimize costs would be greatly appreciated. Also any good contacts in marine design or mold building would also be greatly appreciated. We are located in the Seattle area but could travel elsewhere to have the work done if necessary. thanks

[David Dobbs]

What is the size of the boat you are planning? Sail or Power?

Traditional? Modern Sportboat? Sportfishing? Performance? Cruising?

Are you doing the 3D modeling and engineering yourself, or will you have the final engineering done based on your concepts? I gather you are going to produce the plug using CNC milling - do you also want to have the mold built or might you construct the mold yourself?

Without a few more details, all I can say at this point is do every step to the highest quality possible and the end result will justify all the work you put in along the way.

[Jeff]

Here is the section of our directory which deals with CNC Plug and Mold Making:

http://boatdesign.net/Directory/Boatbuilders/CAD_CAM_and_CNC/

If anyone has additional links that we should add to this section, I would love to have them, so please list any addition companies, large or small, in this thread.

[Jeff]

While I'm at it, here is our list of Yacht Designers and Naval Architects:

http://boatdesign.net/Directory/Designers/

(small, medium, and large)

Others reading this will probably jump in with some specific leads, though it would help if you could tell us more about your project and what specific roles or tasks you would like to outsource to a consultant or service provider.

sorry I wasn't a little more specific. We want to start a new boat manufacturing company. We would like to begin with about a 19.5 ft runabout and eventually move into other sizes. Anyone that is reasonably priced, creates good looking designs and works often with small companies would be what we are looking for. Yes we have contacted some CNC milling companies. We are based in Washington State and have talked to Janicki about doing the milling. But we need to find someone who can come up withan engineered design from our preliminary drawings. thanks

You should contact Ivan Erdevicki at ivanerdevicki@telus.net.
He lives in Vancouver B.C. and often works in Seattle for various clients.
He also does a lot of our hull predictions and is very talented.
Good luck,
Marice
http://www.kazulinboats.com

[Stephen Ditmore]

There's a powerboat designer named Apolonio, or something like that, in your area who's very good.

Before you mill a plug you might consider building a prototype using Duflex from ATL Composites <www.atlcomposites.com>

[Stephen Ditmore]

I still think you would do well to speak with Apolonio (or perhaps it’s Appolonio or some other variation). He can most likely be reached through the Northwest Chapter of SNAME www.sname.org. Other people you might speak with there in the NW include Heinemann (again I’m uncertain of the spelling), an engineer who has often partnered with Ed Monk, and Paul Bieker (Rip Tide Design, Seattle), best known for his sailboats, but who could help you with sources of sheet composite material in your area, and who is a first class composites engineer. The guy who designed the various “Miss Budwiser” unlimited hydroplanes also lives in the Pacific Northwest (I can’t think of his name). You might also look into Art Andersen Associates. They'd be expensive to hire, but a good relationship with them might bring you other opportunities.

Now that I’ve thought about it there are several people in other places you might also consider.

Tim Barnett
Marlborough, New Zealand
contact through Frederic Laffitte
www.pyiinc.com

Duthie Lidgard
New Zealand
contact through
www.atlcomposites.com
or
www.vacantisw.com

John Kiley
21 Cotachoiset Lane
Osterville, MA 02655
508-428-8449

Peter Granata
11 Old Ft Lane
Hilton Head, SC 29926
803-681-5688

Robert Schofield
Melbourne, Florida area
Try reaching through www.preforms.com
or www.proboat.com if you can’t find his web site.

Harry Schoell
www.pulsedrive.net

Lou Codega (designer of the Contender line)

Michael Peters
http://www.mpyd.net/

John Keisling
550 Sand Hill Rd
Crescent Beach, CA 95531
707-464-9151
kiesling@iname.com

Dave Sintes
Sintes Fiberglass Design
New Orleans, LA (on Lake Pontchartrain)

Richard Oehrli
Ke Stanici 67
159 00 Prague 5
Lahovicki, Czech Republic
Tel: 420-2-5499092

The last three might be able to deliver particularly good dollar-for-dollar value.

Good Luck!

[Stephen Ditmore]

If the issue is just CAD lofting you should talk to Cliff Estes at
http://www.basline.com/

Rereading the initial postings, I think Dave Sintes in New Orleans is someone you should definately speak with (see list in my previous posting). He could lay out for you an alternative to milling a plug involving pre-cut parts and C-Flex.

Just to complete the list of people in your area that I know about, there's:
http://www.kastenmarine.com/
http://www.tadroberts.com/
Bill Garden and Ed Monk, of course, and the guy who designed the big jet pilot boat that was in Professional BoatBuilder a while back.