Can everybody design?

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by ekamarine, Apr 7, 2011.

  1. Alik
    Joined: Jul 2003
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    Alik Senior Member

    Old days designers have to spend years as draftsmen before they get drafting skilss together with understanding og design basics. Today anyone who spent two hours with some software can create some shapes (using hull wizard, ha!), and starts feeling as 'boat designer'... Someone who can write is not necessarily a writer.
     
  2. daiquiri
    Joined: May 2004
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    Location: Italy (Garda Lake) and Croatia (Istria)

    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    Those are particulars and decisions which regard the engineering side of the design. But things like:
    - why sharp windshield corners rather than round ones
    - why that particular "wavy" windshield outline (which might as well be due to structural reasons, but not necessarily so)
    - why aft-inclined back edge of the winshield glass​
    that's design, intended as styling, stuff. Imho (in absence of further data).

    [​IMG]
     
  3. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Yes, I sail Lake Eustis, but now I've got to Google it, just to see what you found.
     
  4. Pericles
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    Pericles Senior Member

  5. frank smith
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    frank smith Senior Member

    Some can , and some can't.
     
  6. Pericles
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    Location: Heights of High Wycombe, not far from River Thames

    Pericles Senior Member

    It was said of the Hunter, "If it looks right, it'll fly right".

    "why aft-inclined back edge of the windshield glass?" The slope seems to indicate the presence of a structural member under the skin, running up to what appears to be an intake hump.

    "why sharp windshield corners rather than round ones?" Same reason as above I guess.

    The waviness seems to be necessary for improved side vision for the crew. EDIT. Looking again at the video, I suggest the waviness is a photographic distortion and the hump is a later addition. I prefer her looks without it!

    There are now larger side air intakes.

    http://www.missgeicoracing.com/

    Regardless of your quibbles, she does what she is supposed to do. Driven by Marc Granet and throttled by Scott Begovich, Miss GEICO has captured five consecutive World Championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    That's tough to argue with.

    P
     

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  7. Pericles
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    Location: Heights of High Wycombe, not far from River Thames

    Pericles Senior Member

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  8. daiquiri
    Joined: May 2004
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    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    Could be, could be not. Nothing I can see in the pics or in the video really can confirm either your or my guesses, so I propose to stick each one to his own and carry on with other topics. ;)
     
  9. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    You have too much time on your hands to look up all that stuff, Pericles. The Lake Harris chain is connected to both the Saint John's and Ocklawaha rivers, though the Griffin lock is closed and likely will not reopen without USACE assistance. The Harris chain is a fairly large series of lakes, offering good sailing grounds, though limited cruising potential, unless you like gators, bugs, cat tails and cypress swamps. There aren't many water side attractions, with much of the lake front land being completely as God intended.

    The image of Lake Eustis you've posted (Ferran Park) is a few hundred yards from an old boat building shop. Years ago, the Harris chain of lakes was the end of the line for shipping into central Florida and the water routes the only practical, year round method of transporting big stuff. Of course the old shop has been torn down in favor of redevelopment, but there's still the remains of an old wooden dredger, under water and slowly rotting away. Hundreds of flat and V bottom boats came out of this boat shop, some still in the area. In fact, in this area there's a very large percentage of old restored runabouts and other wooden boats. One of the highest percentages in the whole country. It's nice to putter along on Lake Dora, for example and see every other boat house has an old Hacker or Chris Craft hanging in a sling.
     
  10. daiquiri
    Joined: May 2004
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    Location: Italy (Garda Lake) and Croatia (Istria)

    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    Back off-topic. :)
    It is not the first time a Ferrari engine was used in a boat. Did you know about this story: http://gonautical.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/ferrari-hydroplane/ ?
    A short video of that old beauty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMDQZtlcLeU
    I believe that I've seen other pics of that hydroplane in some of books about history of powerboating, I'll check it out when I get back home and perhaps post them here.
     
  11. Pericles
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    Pericles Senior Member

    PAR,

    You've discovered my little secret. I'm an insomniac.

    Glen-L offers some beautiful Gentlemen's Runabouts in their catalogue, but how about rebuilding a Riva from the stem and two transom posts?

    http://www.peterfreebody.com/downloads/Classic_Boat_Issue150_2000.pdf

    Resurrecting boats is a young man's game, but restored boats avoid the 5 year ownership before sale, Recreational Craft Directive from the EU and any chance I get to do over those unelected dysfunctional elites, I'll take it. Title papers, a stem and two transom posts eh? A rowboat becomes a 25 footer and who knew?

    P
     

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  12. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

    I doubt a formal education in NA was used by the designer/builder/user of this ancient type of raft, still in use today due to its utter practicality.
    Or the famous watercraft originally built of tree bark, and now polyethylene or fiberglass with the exact same shape.
     

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  13. Pericles
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    Pericles Senior Member

    Bataan,

    Were they within the ***kin' EU, they would have to comply with the RCD for any new boats that they constructed, other than for their own personal use. However, if they rebuilt an old one with new materials, they'd maybe slip through under the covers.

    Guillermo has been negotiating with EU authorities with reference to supporting and continuing the construction of the traditional watercraft of Galicia. I just hope he has success.

    That's the problem with the first world; too many rules and it's the stupid ones that are enforced, IMO. I love Europe, I detest the EU.

    P
     
  14. philSweet
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    philSweet Senior Member

    It is not disrespectful. Is playing little league soccer disrespectful to the elite professionals? Respect comes partly from realizing that you can't duplicate the achievements of the elite.

    Of course, some individuals may be disrespectful regardless of the endeavor; and there is no known way of avoiding them.
     

  15. viking north
    Joined: Dec 2010
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    viking north VINLAND

    Not all native people of a tribe were boatbuilders. We have this vision of first peoples as peace loving, in tune with nature, knew all there was to know about herbs and spices and could build anything using a rock and a sapling.Nothing could be further from the truth. While some could build a rough leaky vessel, there were specialists who excelled at their particular craft. These were the designers and architects of their day.
    Gettin back to the O.P.'s orig. question- Too much knowledge is just as troublesome as too little, both can drive you crazy striving for perfection. Regardless of what level of training it is useless without the input of hand skills whether they be one's own or the payment for others.--

    P.S.The art of buying a total writeoff clunker for it's paperwork has been and continues to be very active amoung the antique motorcycle and auto community. Just bought an old Jeep CJ7 for that very reason. SSShhh keep it on the qt.

    A yacht is not determined by the vessel but by the care and love of her owner.
     
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