Need help with Phinisi/Dhow/Schooner design

What you need more then anything else, is an understanding of yacht design. Software can not provide this understanding, nor can it overcome any short falls in regard to it. If working on pretty computer generated pictures, you're off to a start, but as far as this design floating where you think it might, let alone not immediately capsizing on launch day, well you've got a considerable amount of studying to do.

Buy the book "Principles of Yacht Design" and absorb it's contents. The questions you've asked will become answered and of course you'll have more specific questions, where a place like this can be more helpful.

 

re

Well, most of the replies were appropriate and especially those suggesting to read the principles of design, however what he produced was actually rough and basic but pretty consistent with the actual Dhow currently being "master built" in the GCC and by the "great artists" of the dhow building down in Kerala.
Even the limited height of 6ft in a 60 ft Dhow is absolutely not far from truth.
Since they don't have a clue about boat building and much less in boat design, they waste a huge amount of space because they'd never considered living aboard in a "comfortably" way.

Which is the difference between a barn and a royal palace ? They don't know, because they'll never have a chance to get in [a palace], just replicate the barn instead.

What I see in his sketches resembles pretty well what they actually build, built for centuries and keep building.
I'm designing now the interiors for customers from Qatar, the Dhow being built in Kerala... I'm trying to get the customers getting just the bare 80' hull from them and let us redesign the superstructures from the scratch (they build them so badly and with so cheap materials ... real s...t).

You can't even imagine the "technical solutions" for the power train, the fuel and water tanks. Would you mind placing a single engine on the stern ? with a single long shaft running thru the 80 ft hull ? Vibrations? Power loss? Lubrication ? Who cares ...

They're good in carving wood (with questionable taste about the decorations) that's what they should focus on. Boat building is something they should stay away. Missing the basic principles of it and - what's worst - not giving a damn to learn anything. They simply don't care.
No interest for improving, no care for details, no taste, no care for living...
A new day, new boat, same s...t.

At least he started with drawings and a 3D model, he should be encouraged.
Yes, he still have a lot to learn, he simply scratched the surface, but at least he didn't start by harvesting wood scrap here and there and building up his boat on the beach.

I personally have a great interest on classic boats, local cultures and heritage, and I'm interestd on Dhows but I got annoyed with all the ******** around them and these un-professional, unskilleld and unreliable "masters" dominating the scene and the area.

I appreciated the suggestion of buying a good book like Principles of design, this will be an excellent start.
However, I'm really curious to listen about the "too many" mistakes and flaws on his design.
Because, I repeat, his design - crude and basic - was not that far from the truth of what they actually build and sell (pretty expensive for what I know).

Paolo

 

I like your drawings. They dont tell much, but I think that they are nice artistically.

What are the men on board looking at ?

Maybe a beautiful island girl.

Frank

 

pavel59,

You bring up an interesting point, but consider that the average height of the Indian male is
5 ft 3 1/2 in.

Given that, I would think that 6ft would be quite comfortable .