Aspiring boat designer/engineer

harlemriverman, from my recollections of uni studies, A broad reading is necessary, as evidence of this is expected in essays, analysis and other written reports that must be submitted for assessment and evaluation....

freesail, Get the books and a couple of coloured pencils or highlight text/formula and anything of relevance to your core studies in one colour, and of personal interest in another.... carefully index by a "keyword" for future access when you need to find that reference for your assessable dissertations....

Go for "Highly distinguished" and good luck......;

 

Yeah, its not so much I don't listen to the lecturer, more that I want some extra reading so I can get the high marks. With the way my lecturer's teaching at the moment, I think most of my knowledge will come from the tutorials and much of my own reading.

 

i see your point masalai.

 

Freesail, THAT is the way it goes, - - lecturers do not teach - they should aspire to inspire.... Tutorials are to ensure you are pointed in the right direction and doing the appropriate reading and research.... Learning is your own responsibility.... The old universities had some colleges with - - the right definition - - being, "Reading Law" or "reading at Cambridge" (I never went there or did that)....

 

Freesail

I got a degree in Ocean Engineering from Virginia Tech, where they lump the Aerospace and Ocean departments together. More than half of my professors were aero guys. You're getting all that you need to work with boats - fluids, thin walled structures, controls - so you should have a good background when you're done. Personally, I think its best to push yourself in school and take the hardest classes possible to find your limits - grades be damned, just ensure that you learn, learn, learn.

I recommend going to work for a boatbuilder during breaks or after graduation. The pay is awful, but the knowledge is the real payment. I spent several years working for builders, and now I do only consulting. Learning how things go together will give you good hands on experience to tie in with book learning. Afterall, you are designing a product, not a piece of art to hang on a wall. You can always take post grad classes instead of a full degree. The biggest thing you can take away from an engineering degree is the ability to think like an engineer and solve problems. The world needs that everyday

One book I recommend is "How Boat Things Work" by Charlie Wing. It is far from a design guide, but will teach you a lot about the building of boats in layman's terms, something which is a prerequisite to designing a hull.

Best of luck,

Darron
Shorebreak, LLC

 

Yep, I've certainly been trying to find placement work during the summer break. I have tried to apply for quiet a few positions, but the problem is that there really isn't that much of a Boat industry down here in Melbourne, and most companies that do provide placements are usually only looking for 3rd or final year students.

I may well be posting fluid mechanics and thermodynamics questions on this forum if I get stuck during my studies!

 

Up this way it is mostly owner build cats (Bob Oram et al) Will you go so far as to do some "hard labour" like sanding/fairing by hand also known as "torture boarding" ? and such like?

 

I haven't done any sort of boatbuilding before, but I'd be more than happy to get some hands-on education.

 

Shoebreak was he an aero guy, or a construction guy 'C Wing' I mean? I kne his family from Dallas - the Ewe Wings (think about it, get yer daddies to explain)

 

I wonder if the aero guys have an easier time dealing with fluid mechanics since they really only worry about air flowing around an aeroplane, whereas boat designers have to worry about water on the bottom and air on the top?

*Forgive my ignorance, I only just started fluid mechanics this semester.

 

According to some off-the-cuff remarks by Prof. Ernie Tuck at Adelaide Uni, hydrodynamics is at least 50 years behind aerodynamics. Firstly, flight is just so bloody wonderful and useful, hence it has been more thoroughly analysed. Secondly, free-surface effects make the equations you have to deal with about four orders more difficult than the "simple" aerodynamic equivalents. A good example of this is the full 3D planing problem. There are many similarities to aero problems, the equations to be solved are well-known, but no-one has come up with a really satisfactory way of calculating the beasts.

I know how you feel about Uni and formal studies. Personally, I couldn't stand Uni courses and so I never finished an under-grad degree. I ended up learning aero on my own, and then I was lucky to find a prof who didn't give a toss if I had a degree or not.

It's not a road I would recommend to everyone, but it is one that gave me a lot of fun over the last 15 years. No money to speak of, but a lot of fun and no early morning commuting to get to lectures that put you back to sleep.

Have fun!
Leo.

 

Yeah, 8am lectures aren't exactly the best thing in the world, especially since it means I have to get up at 6am.....

The engineering timetables seem geared towards wearing out students as much as possible as opposed to the commerce or science timetables, which are much more structured.

Also, it seems stupid that hydrodynamics are quiet behind considering so much of the earth is covered in water!

 

Listen Up...

Hello...

I am with Harlem here - you are in the academic stream and it is very important to stay focused - being in same you get to see a lot of options and talk to a lot of people - one thing at a time - if you wish and wash now - you will create a pattern of behaviour for yourself that you will find difficult to get rid of when things matter - BOOM - you are 35 or more - a mortgage - car payments - feed the kids - flowers for your wife...

Also - any employer - is not really looking for the piece of paper - dime a dozen - they are looking for someone that has a consistent record of social skills - work ethic - focus - and proven ability - that is the bottom line...

Do not create a CV of half measures - stick it out - one thing at a time...

Best that I can offer up...

SH.

 

Fluid mechanics? ain't that what happens when you pour a whiskey out the bottle into the glass? can't see the problem there!

 

I wish fluid mechanics was that easy....