Compiling a concise vessel spec database

[Scott Carter]

The title of this thread just sucks you in, doesn't it?

As I humbly learn how much I don't know about the hard numbers in boat design I repeatedly run into the same chore. When I read about any given boat invariably a set of numbers is offered to describe her. While I know the significance and the calculations for all of these numbers (LOA, LWL, draft, CP, D/L, Sa/D, ballast ratio, CB, Speed/L, on and on) I regularly draw a blank (and therefore have to refer to some sort of guide) on where the numbers fall within the overall scope of other comparable vessels. Is this boat fast for her length? Well, lets go to chart X. What about her displacement? Is she heavy? I'll go to X website or text. That task, repeated many times over, is generally giving me a feel for the relative value of these values. But a one-stop reference is my goal. I have many of the texts often mentioned in this forum as well as my Westlawn student materials, but compiling these into a concise guide is what I'm after. I'm intending to do the leg work, but I'm seeking lots and lots of data. Lots of it. Accurate statistics need lots of values.

The point of this particular preliminary thread is to solicit ideas for how best for me to develop a general design characteristic based database. It could be as simple as a text list, or if I'm able to collect enough data for various vessels an interactive spreadsheet or database. I'm considering google docs as a possibility to encourage public (you) input, a poll posted on this or other forums, a blog...no firm avenue yet. The proposed restrictive criteria for inclusion are:

Less than 100' length (arbitrary number)
No wacko designs to throw off the curve
Mono-hull for now
Sail and power
No use restrictions (pleasure and work boats included)

If you want to reply to this now with a link or your own contribution then that's great. I intend to develop this into a very easy (and therefor likely to be used) format to harvest this data (online poll, google doc, etc.) But even just your ideas are needed, or go ahead and give me your numbers. I'll include design credits where applicable, of course, as well as photos of the vessel if available. I want this to be a proper and use-able database useful for anyone with this kind of interest (I know I'm not the only one who needs this, am I?).
Looking forward to your participation and SUPPORT of this worthwhile effort.

Scott

p.s. Um, has anyone else already done this?

[Scott Carter]

Please click on but don't yet respond to this form (google-doc link below), as it is incomplete and poorly organized. But your comments on the general idea would be helpful.
Scott

https://spreadsheets.google.com/view...DQ4NzA5YWI&ifq

[Tad]

I presume you researched this a bit? You know about http://sailboatdata.com/ Which is a great general resource.......

The biggest problem with this endeavor is that you are perpetuating lies......published numbers for displacement, speed, power, waterline length, etc....bear no resemblance to reality.....but nobody will talk about that.

[MatthewDS]

@Tad, thanks for the link to Sailboatdata, I had not seen that before.

I'm thinking about a similar project, for my use as a coastal engineer. Much of the published data regarding vessel sizes is out of date, and vessels are getting wider and taller. It would be nice to have access to a current database of vessels, so that new harbors are built to accommodate recent vessels.

[Landlubber]

I work for a living playing with other peoples boats, the comment by Tad is sooooo very real....you simply cannot trust the published figures for almost anything...they are way out of reality.