Catamaran project

[brucechu1228]

I am currently in charge a catamaran project at our factory, to be honest I have never had any experience before, it would be a challenge for me. I am a project engineer at one of boat yard in Asia, not very familiar with sail boat building but I am very interested in this field. The boat is being the wooden plug at the moment, and the designer will send the drawings to our company step by step. Could someone tell me how to manage a project in person? also I do need more informatino about multihull building as far as I can. I have just participated this group recently, which felt facinated lots of. I know there should have some senior experienced people who browse this website everyday, so that it would be the best advice that to be got from them. However I would like to take any suggestion that can give me a great deal of ideas, besides it must be very useful. Looking forward to hearing any reply.

Bruce

[Petros]

This is the best suggestion I can give you: FOLLOW THE PLANS, and if the plans are not clear, contact the deisigner. If you need to make deviations from the plans for any reasons you need to clear it with the designer first. Do not assume the change is unimportant to the design.

I would presume (and hope for your sake) the designer is experianced in designing this type of watercraft, therefore he should be your first contact with any questions, information or requests for alternatives.

good luck

[CTMD]

Originally Posted by Petros

This is the best suggestion I can give you: FOLLOW THE PLANS, and if the plans are not clear, contact the deisigner. If you need to make deviations from the plans for any reasons you need to clear it with the designer first. Do not assume the change is unimportant to the design.

I would presume (and hope for your sake) the designer is experianced in designing this type of watercraft, therefore he should be your first contact with any questions, information or requests for alternatives.

good luck

Good advice.

I'd add ask for a weight estimate early. And then as each item gets added to the boat update the estimate. Have a couple of different size scales set up next to the boat, as items are taken on board get the builders in the habit of weighing them and noting them in a log book. You can then use this to update the weight estimate. You should plan on weighing the boat at least 4-5 times during construction and when you do you need to calculate weight and LCG.

A good project manager will focus on in order.

1. Quality control
2. Time management
3. Weight management
4. Cost management

[brucechu1228]

Originally Posted by CTMD

Good advice.

I'd add ask for a weight estimate early. And then as each item gets added to the boat update the estimate. Have a couple of different size scales set up next to the boat, as items are taken on board get the builders in the habit of weighing them and noting them in a log book. You can then use this to update the weight estimate. You should plan on weighing the boat at least 4-5 times during construction and when you do you need to calculate weight and LCG.

A good project manager will focus on in order.

1. Quality control
2. Time management
3. Weight management
4. Cost management

Thanks for your suggestion.

At this moment we just received hull lines and 3d geometry imagination.

We require to deduct the hull lines 16mm that in order to pre-space for plywood thickness, Can you also advise me how to manage a project at the beginning stage. I think I am concentrating on this project and do pay attention for it, but I do have enough experience to handle on it. Your any advice will be much appreciated.

Best regards

Bruce

[CTMD]

To be honest, based upon your posts I'm worried about the project. If you feel you are in above your head do the right thing and confess now. Have you or someone else generated a construction time line? If not how do you know how long the project will take? Do you work for the client or the yard? The two roles have very different job descriptions?

As project manager you're in a position which can make or break not only this one project but also the company you work for. Be really careful.

[brucechu1228]

Originally Posted by CTMD

To be honest, based upon your posts I'm worried about the project. If you feel you are in above your head do the right thing and confess now. Have you or someone else generated a construction time line? If not how do you know how long the project will take? Do you work for the client or the yard? The two roles have very different job descriptions?

As project manager you're in a position which can make or break not only this one project but also the company you work for. Be really careful.

Thanks for your opinion, Basically I am working for the boat yard and an assistant of project manager, the drawing just submitted to our factory by today, I found the section was too wider for tooling also it would lose the accuration of the dimension. That's why I was really concern about my personal experience, therefore I posted this article to get any help or suggestion for me.

[Petros]

I would also suggest you make no binding committments until you receive a full set of drawings. I would not commit time or materials to a project where they feed you incomplete information a little bit at a time and expect you get started. You will often get a continuing string of changes, adding up rework and costs which the custormer rarely till tolerate paying for.

The least expensive way to build something is to do it once. I am sure there are others on this list who know how costs can run out of control when there is a never ending string of changes. This could put your employer into bankruptsy if the custormer refuses to pay for the cost overages.

In my own consulting firm I make no firm cost estimates, and I certainly do not commit any time or materials to a project unless I have the completed set of drawings. If the client is in too much of a hurry to wait for compete drawings, I decline to take on the project.

This is a hard lession learned, if the project starts out poorly managed, it seldom improves as you get more involved. Projects like that I do not want anything to do with it, too many costly lessions learned first hand. I am better off without the job than to loose money over something I have no control over.

You would best serve your employer and yourself to make sure you protect them from potencial abuse (and loss) by not commiting to time or costs until a full set of drawings and specifications are delivered.

Good luck.

[brucechu1228]

Thank you so much for your kindly concern, To be a project engineer is not very hard, but I think to manage a good schedule and making profit for the company would be part of tough job. For myself it would be an opportunity to increase personal experience, whereas our company need to pay more responsbility if I failed the project. we are currently working on hull lines printing, which means the catamaran is under construction. Unless the designer do not submit the drawing and follow the schedule, otherwise everthing is going to through very well so far. In fact I still worry about this project. we just build the boat and get the buyer satisify this project, that's all. Thanks again.