hello all, wheelchair friendly 45' boat design

[Anytec1210]

Here is 25ft built for wheelchairs only. I friend have it. Not to live on but still you get out on the water.. ..or perhaps get ideas for your project.

www.hanterbarabatar.se

[ColinFitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Tad

Hummmm........if you really believe this the Westlawn Course will be a waste of money....concentrate on the systems and hire some one else to design your hull.....There is a ton of work to be done in the area of hull design.......not to mention structure......

In my case, I want to learn the boat/yacht specifics in a practical context. As for "systems", I'm an industrial designer by trade. In a decent size blue water yacht you have a myriad of systems, the hull and framing count as two of them, the two I currently know the least about All of these systems need to be considered simultaneously to arrive at a great design.

Besides, if I wanted to "save money" I'd buy a production boat, but where's the fun in that !?

Anyway, about the catamaran for Wheels: Just more ideas. Everyone has their favorites and its pretty much subjective.

[Lampy08]

Hi Wheels
There was a fellow in the late ‘80s early ‘90s who was well publicized for building and sailing a Bolger Micro from his wheelchair. It’s too small for what you want, but it was inspiring. I agree with Tad, with regards to stock cat plans but then they are usually designed and built to take advantage of their inherent speed. One could easily be made to accommodate the weight requierments and still have the comfort factor it just wouldn‘t be as fast. Maybe more appropriate would be a trimaran it would still have the open deck space and a more conventional cabin arrangement. Biggest problem I see would be the cost and work of building one.
As to your idea of chartering for other wheelchair boating enthusiast, there was a fishing lodge in my area that used to have a couple cats that looked like Boston whalers that were specifically rigged for wheel chairs. They were very popular and were booked solid for the whole fishing season. A charter sail boat like that would be a good business I believe

Dennis

Originally Posted by ColinFitzgerald

As for "systems", I'm an industrial designer by trade. In a decent size blue water yacht you have a myriad of systems, the hull and framing count as two of them, the two I currently know the least about All of these systems need to be considered simultaneously to arrive at a great design.

Not really wrong, but not correct either.

The general decision how to shape a hull is made regardless of the systems at the first steps. Although they are included in the weight estimation.
And we don´t count hull and framing as part of the systems.

Regards
Richard

[sabahcat]

Originally Posted by Anytec1210

Here is 25ft built for wheelchairs only. I friend have it. Not to live on but still you get out on the water.. ..or perhaps get ideas for your project.

www.hanterbarabatar.se

Heres a larger version done in Australia


I have visions of a house down the back and shade and BBQ out front

[sabahcat]

I did actually go on this compcraft powercat about 12 mths ago and it was built specifically for a guy in a wheelchair out of WRC and epoxy

Incredibly impressive bathroom, able to have wheelchair wheeled in

[outside the box]

Google Roger Hill yacht design New Zealand he has a catamaran for a client with his wife in a chair.
All the best

[Anytec1210]

sabahcat. I was acctually going to suggest Wheels to look at a working boat type of config but was to lazy (sorry wheels).
I´m not in a wheelchair so i might not be the most educated in terms of what you need to call it practical but i know a few things or two about boats.

My suggestion is for you to work your way down the twin hull concept or to look at work boats. Workboats usually provides a ramp for easy access and large flat areas, a design that most twin hull configs could hold as well.

[Vulkyn]

Welcome to the forums wheels

And yah this is a great place to be good luck with your project !