What is she supposed to be?

After reading posts that ask if a power boat can be made into a sailboat and if a displacement boat can be made to go fast I wonder if the people asking these questions have ever spoken with a real yacht designer/ naval architect. Some may have, however, they didn’t listen to the answers because of their preconceived ideas. As a designer of boats and things not nautical the first question I ask when starting a design is. “What do you want to it to do?” Then start discussing size, power requirements, etc. as appropriate.

I know that boats have been boats built that claim to be sailboats and fast motorboats, however, in reality their performance is poor in either mode. All too often designers /architects are tasked with designing a boat that will sleep 8, separate heads in each stateroom, win the Americas’s cup plus tow water skiers on days when there is no wind.

The point is everything is life is a compromise, all good designers try to meet the requirements of the client as best they can, however, all to often others make “improvements” to the original design. Often those improvements can be very costly.

I’ll get off my soapbox now.

 

Good grief, that was difficult to sort through...but I think I understand and agree with you.

 

What office are you running for ?

 

So?

You can ask an engineer to make a bridge from Paris to Washington. The only problem is that you wont like the cost estimate. Many amateurs come here and ask if their pet project is feasible. There is alot to learn from the ensuing communication even if the project is a wild shot.

 

Bruce46,

I concur.

I believe some call it "reverse engineering".

I've never really been a fan of it myself but it's an easy trap to fall into, especially for rookies.

-Tom

 

A lot of these questions deal not with new construction, but with making the best of what you have. Converting a sailboat to a powerboat is often going to come up because someone has access to a cheap or free sailboat and isn't into sailing, but thinks that using it as a powerboat might work.

Same with the "Can I make ____ go faster". Someone has a boat that is designed to go X speed and is trying to figure out if they can make it go 2x speed.

Finally, it's not a bad thing to start from "Here is everything I want my boat to do" and working towards reality.

 

The rookie's problem is that the answer to the above sentence is intutively obviously yes, it can be done and the rookie knows it. You therefore have a difficult time telling the rookie that it can't be done.

Its a bit like asking for directions in Pittsburgh Pennsyltucky USA. You will often get the answer "Well, you can't get there from here". What the person giving directions means is that you will have to go around several steep ridges and through much congestion just to go a short distance by the way a crow flys. That is not what the person asking for direction hears. The person asking for directions knows damned well its possible to get there so they wonder why the asnine answer to a simple request for directions.

The same is true when we tell the rookie to "forget it, it can't be done". What we mean is that if you had a brain cell in your head that was still alive you would come to the conclusion that what you are trying to do is akin to taking the tonsils out through the *******. Technically it can be done but, there is a much better cheaper easier way. WE are not always clear in our answers to such questions in our posts.

If we get a somewhat logical thinking dumby, we often turn them off with our opening salvos because they know "it can technically be done" and from then on they only seek answers that confirm that perception. We have bruised their ego and they dig in their heels.

My conclusion: These threads are very entertaining as a result of the misunderstandings. Keep up the shody responses

 

This /\

To quote someone's sig, "Don't tell me it can't be done, tell me how to do it", or at least explain why that may not be the best approach and what might be a better one.

I'd rep you if I could, Pierre

 

I'll give him a little for you....