Can everybody design?

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

  1. ancient kayaker
    Joined: Aug 2006
    Posts: 3,497
    Likes: 147, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 2291
    Location: Alliston, Ontario, Canada

    ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

    - it's called pre-emptive salvage and it's not cheating provided you don't use your boat's wash to hurry things along a bit!
     
  2. daiquiri
    Joined: May 2004
    Posts: 5,371
    Likes: 258, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3380
    Location: Italy (Garda Lake) and Croatia (Istria)

    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    I believe you should have read most of the answers before putting it down that way... ;)
     
  3. bigbowen
    Joined: Apr 2011
    Posts: 44
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 17
    Location: Wales Uk

    bigbowen Junior Member

    Hi Dai,
    Maybe so but Im just so incensed at his front to suggest it in the first place, Its against everything I stand for,
     
  4. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
    Posts: 5,857
    Likes: 400, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 2489
    Location: Control Group

    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Speaking as an amateur designer, I believe the question is valid. I would, however, object if someone tried to infringe upon my right to indulge in my amateur design efforts.
     
  5. ancient kayaker
    Joined: Aug 2006
    Posts: 3,497
    Likes: 147, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 2291
    Location: Alliston, Ontario, Canada

    ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

    - agree most strongly. The principal beneficiaries of the advice offered on this forum are amateur builders and would-be designers. Not much point in having the forum if only the pros can play . . .
     
  6. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
    Posts: 813
    Likes: 52, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 465
    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    Agree 100%.

    I think it's important to encourage people who are seeking to design their own boat, and to offer whatever assistance I can. People come here because they're looking for information, for help, in making the vision they have in their head work in the real world. If they thought they knew it all, they wouldn't be here. The fact that they are seeking out experienced designers and NAs shows that they are trying to do it as well as possible.

    That's why it's so personally frustrating to me to see new members asking questions get told "don't bother, you'll just fail", or "Go buy a set of plans", or, worst of all "you're not smart enough to design a boat". I think we've largely reached a consensus that everyone can design a boat, and most of those designs will float, however badly. I think we should be trying to help those who are trying to design and build the best boat they can.

    The reason I joined this forum is that every time I googled something related to design I ended up getting links to BD, and I know that's how we get most new members. Unfortunately, this site has a reputation for being very unfriendly to amateur boatbuilders and given the vast amount of knowledge of the members here, I hope that can change.
     
  7. upchurchmr
    Joined: Feb 2011
    Posts: 3,287
    Likes: 259, Points: 83, Legacy Rep: 579
    Location: Ft. Worth, Tx, USA

    upchurchmr Senior Member

    Ya know I have been guilty of jumping into a thread with a comment without reading the whole thing. And I felt bad about that "lack of respect".

    However, I don't feel a need to respect an opinion based on nothing other than hot air. I will listen for a little while, I keep trying to be more polite than is my nature. But respect??? No, that is reserved for those who show they deserve it. Facts, minimal understanding of the language used, logical presentation of a theory or fantasy so I can understand it - those things deserve respect.

    Tolerance for those who try is another virtue to me.

    We need as many people as possible trying, working, inventing (or reinventing with a twist), or just making something old work a little better. Naval Architects, bozos, and us regular people.

    Demanding respect for nothing is hot air.

    IMHO (isn't that term just BS - I really did not mean humble) - Everyone can design, everyone can fail, a very few make something really good. Not necessarily the educated.

    Marc
     
  8. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
    Posts: 813
    Likes: 52, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 465
    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    Respect is a kind of a tricky concept because it has a certain duality.

    On the one hand, you're right, respect must be earned. On the other hand, there is a certain basic level of respect that everyone deserves by virtue of being another human being. There are a lot of people for whom I have no respect, but I still try to treat them decently, as I do everyone. There are people on this forum who post stuff that absolutely drives me up the wall, but if I can't reply to them in a respectful manner I don't reply at all.

    So how does that all play into the question of designing? My own take is no matter how dumb someone's ideas may be, always treat them decently.
     
  9. ancient kayaker
    Joined: Aug 2006
    Posts: 3,497
    Likes: 147, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 2291
    Location: Alliston, Ontario, Canada

    ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

    My advice to someone clearly set on a course that can only end badly, is to start small, minimize the risk to yourself and others, try out your theories by all means, learn from your mistakes, and only listen to creative advice. Oh - and tell us how it turned out!
     
  10. bntii
    Joined: Jun 2006
    Posts: 731
    Likes: 97, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 1324
    Location: MD

    bntii Senior Member

    I think it might be time to revisit the OP's starter:

    Honestly I 'think' he is saying the damn few people can design a decent boat and even a education in the field wont be much help.

    I believe this thread wandered off into Pro vs amateur on its own accord..
     
  11. ekamarine
    Joined: Nov 2008
    Posts: 43
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 36
    Location: Turkey

    ekamarine Junior Member

    I have no words for people who design their own boat or who build something on the backyard. I shared my thoughts with you guys because I see many people, who have different professionals, start to design yachts and make a business out of it. That's what I was complaining about. Interior architects, civil engineers, even doctors... They do it because they all think that designing yachts is a cool thing to do and brings some good money. I hear many of them say that naval architects should not design but only take care of calculations of their designs.
    Well, some of you guys say that the boats would be boring if only naval architect designed them. What's the aim of a design? Good design or beautiful design? Everybody prefers to have both but meaning of "beautiful" might change depending on someone's choice, however "good" is good for everybody.
    I always tried to help amateurs who want to do something for themselves if they have interest to learn about boats. On the other hand, there is a majority of people who see "naval architecture" as an old version of modern softwares. Those people call themselves professional designers and they believe that they can design yachts if they learn using some softwares.
    Well, everybody can pull a tooth with proper equipments. Some do good, I would do with giving a big pain but at the end the tooth will be pulled so should I call myself "dentist" ?
     
  12. daiquiri
    Joined: May 2004
    Posts: 5,371
    Likes: 258, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3380
    Location: Italy (Garda Lake) and Croatia (Istria)

    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    Which shows that people often tend to read stuff the way which best suits their preconceived idea, whichever way you might put it down...

    I have never considered this topic as the Pro vs. Amateur fight, just Knowledge vs. Ignorance.

    Don't know why is it so hard to accept.
     
  13. Alik
    Joined: Jul 2003
    Posts: 3,075
    Likes: 357, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 1306
    Location: Thailand

    Alik Senior Member

    100% agree.

    I did learn a lot from some amateurs.
     
  14. ekamarine
    Joined: Nov 2008
    Posts: 43
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 36
    Location: Turkey

    ekamarine Junior Member

    Some people here say that designing a boat is nothing to do with "disrespect" but calling boats "supremely boring" is quite an interesting way to show respect to other people.
    I don't see many big changes in airplanes either so should we all start designing new airplanes? and would you put your children in such airplane that's designed by some amateurs who know nothing about aerospace engineering?
    I believe that there is a thin line between doing something as a hobby and being a professional. Everybody can design their own boat but turning it into a business is something else.
     

  15. Alik
    Joined: Jul 2003
    Posts: 3,075
    Likes: 357, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 1306
    Location: Thailand

    Alik Senior Member

    And hairdressers also! No joke, I met one 'yacht stylist' like that :)
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.