Aesthetic and ergonomic in boat design

Because all rating entities reflect the biases of those doing the rating and contain the weighted values they choose. Many people will and do have different desires and will have different weights applied to the same characteristics.

There is seldom consensus among the forum members here on just about any topic related to boats.

 

So have I, and a lot of the design process is the same. Things like determining usage, who is going to live in it. What are the priority and budget? You can build quality or go for speed.

There is also some similarity in things like electrical and plumbing. Most modern boats today are using Pex, pvc and a zoned AC electrical system rather than the old DC to every point used before.

I have also been using boat building techniques in my house roof lately. And I discovered that the silicon roofing material I am using is really amazing for my decks.

On interior design it seem yachts follow trends in fancy luxury homes. On the Exterior, they seem to follow luxury car design. Next to my boat is a boat yard, half the new boats there are silvery or metallic grey, bronze. They also adding gloss black details with wedges for details and lots of black glass. They all look like oversized BMWs. BTW I think there is nothing dumber than a dark boat, just makes it harder to cool.

Life follows art, art follows dreams... Yacht designs are certainly driven by our dreams.

 

Most are reasonable responses but it just says that engineering is engineering. I am having trouble getting the point across that boats and houses are VERY different even if the design processes are similar.

Your boatyard must be on a different planet from all the yards around here, for which I grateful.,

 

It would appear that Sailcy has not actually sat down to design a boat if he is looking to buy boat plans. ( and I am being loose with the term design which really should be replaced by sketching out the layout of a boat)

The length of say a planing hull drives the ergonomics of layout (ergonomics being the efficiency of interaction between components of a given space). Coupled with the cost of course

Lets choose a 40 foot by 14 foot planing hull as an example

You are installing inboards so you pretty much are committed to provide a transom distance of between 10 - 12 feet in length and say 4 feet from the keel to the cabin floor in height. So the cockpit deck height is established as well as the first bulkhead. (while it might be ergonomically "better" to make the engine room height 5 feet so you can work on the engines somewhat standing, perhaps you want to fish and not be too high above the cockpit.

As you move forward, you keep the cabin and cockpit floor pretty much on the same plane as if you raise it then the flybridge that you want to include will be too high above the water for stability issues. Beneath the cabin sole you will have to provide all or most of the mechanical systems that you would stick in a basement in a house. A hot water tank, watermaker, fresh water tanks, black water tanks, grey water tanks, pumps, 400 gallons of fuel etc. Many of these systems do not even occur in a house with a footprint of 1500 square feet compared to your boat at 500 square feet

You will want a sit around style cabin, another 10-12 feet feet from the rear door, a kitchen, a table, stove, sink, countertop, fridge, drawers but you could position within the cabin area.

Now you need 2 sleeping quarters, the V berth in the front is an efficient ergonomic choice as the hull is tapering up from the chine and the hull determines available space.

A head, shower sink and a narrow aisle to get access to all.

The anchor and chain storage will bring the V berth bulkhead back about 4 - 5 feet from the bow and a bow thruster will use up any other space under the Vberth.

In the cabin, you will probably keep the height to maybe 6 feet 8 inches which will establish the floor of the fly bridge

Within the cabin perhaps you want a helm station and seating for a few others to look ahead when you are travelling, another adjustment in layout is required

The point that I am making is that the tail somewhat wags the dog, ie the hull constraints limits the internal layout.

When all of these components are installed with room to stand and move around, the shape of the boat is somewhat determined.

Now if the budget is unlimited and the length can be anything, efficiency in ergonomics can be attained.

But there are more people with 200,000 dollars than 500,000 and more people with 500,000 than 2,000,000 so the shoe horning in of all the mechanical components is a challenge at a reasonable price point.

I have always been surprised at how efficient the space has been used in boats up to 50 feet.

To brand boat designers as not having considered ergonomics with all of the challenges of installing all of the components in smaller yachts is really not understanding the challenge

The other extremely important aspect is the purpose of what the boat is used for. Pure fishing, large cockpit, pacific northwest excursions, small cockpit and larger cabin to protect yourself from the weather.

And when a designer finally has all the rooms, mechanical systems in place, he still has to produce as well as he can a side profile that looks aesthetically pleasing.

There is a reason for the expression, "form follows function"

 

Thanks Barry! You pretty colourful described the challenges lying ahead of the designer. And these challenges are most attractive part of the design job. When you sit for a few nights brainstorming the challenge and finally, when the solution appear, that relief is worth more than money. As I stated before that real designers are very passionate about their work. And as one can imagine the brainstorming after brainstorming creates the skills to solve the problem quickly and efficiently. So I still see an important role for aesthetic and ergonomic in the creation.

 

In my opinion, all things, boats, houses, coffee machines, ... must be functional and if they also are nice, then great!.

 

Yep. The sexiest supercar in the world (if I could afford it) won't do me a bit of good if I can't fit in it or get out of it again without someone using the jaws of life.

Given my size, my feet alone are 16EEEE (so dead pedal space is to me simply a popular fiction other people believe exists), that probably applies to a fair number of sweet rides.