Boat Design

[hary]

Hi Everybody,

I am new here. Basically, i have done M. Eng in Lightweight Aeronautical & Vehicle Structures, and presently working in an automobile company as a Stress Engineer.

Now, I am interested in Designing a Speed Boat, but as you can imagine, I have no knowledge at all in this field. But, i am ready to face all the challenges for this work.

So, can anybody from you help me in this work. I mean, from where i have to start my work, and how to follow it up to the end? which factors do i need to consider?

I know, it sounds crazy, but its my dream and so any help in fulfilling my dream would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hary,
(impossible = I M Possible)

[tananaBrian]

Hi Hary,

There are a number of routes forward if you want to get educated in boat design (below.) Before you get too far, you need to decide what you are going to do with the knowledge. For example, if you intend to sell designs or manufacture boats in your state, then you need to find out if YOUR state requires a professional engineering (or other) license in order to do so. If such a license is required, then your options will become more limited.

If however, your own goals preclude needing a license, or it is not required where you intend to do business, then the world is at your doorstep. If you're a sharp fellow, and I suspect that you are, then there is no reason that you cannot self-study your way to success. If you prefer a more organized program, then there are a few available. Michigan for example has good Naval Architecture programs in their universities, but the focus is more on the development of larger vessels ...really, subsystems within those vessels. If you want to do design of smaller vessels, say something shorter than 125' or so, then Westlawn is a reasonable choice ...although I think Westlawn's course (the professional version) is still lacking. You will still want to follow up with additional study on your own. MacNaughton's program is getting better all the time, but he still focus on displacement vessels a bit more than I would prefer, personally that is. While his courses appear to be economical, note that the required book list is long and expensive.

Whichever route you take, realize that it is a path that you are on. Boat design requires a special sort of intuition that only comes from doing ...boating in the kinds of boats that you are interested in designing (lots of boating), and plenty of design and test as you gain experience. Designing boats is somewhat like art in how only certain folks have 'the touch' and others just never get it, no matter how much they study and try.

Since it sounds like you are interested in planing hulls primarily, I'd study Lindsay Lord's and other's works (drawing a blank and my library is not where *I* am right now). I really think that if you are going to dive in, that once you have a bit of learning behind you that you will also want to invest in software that predicts drag, hydrostatics, and hydrodynamics for you ...it's far more accurate than the manual methods. Rhino3D plus RhinoMarine is an option as is ProSurf (although it's becoming dated) and Delftship among others.

Dive in! Have fun! Don't just post here, but email professional naval architects as well ...for the most part they are pretty friendly and will offer very good real-life advice along the way.

Brian D

[ukebert]

If you fancy england then Southampton does Ship Science, and Southampton Solent does a yacht design course.