Marine Designer for hire

Agreed Alik, if we could afford it, we'd all have a stylist and design team go over our stuff for the aesthetic stuff, if only to make our stuff look good. Just think of how Bolger's box boats might have come out if he'd permitted a designer to work over some of the edges. I know several NA's and designers that do excellent work on a technical level, but fail on the aesthetic side. It's hard to sell a turd, but if it's a shinny turd, you have a much better chance.

I always say naval architect has the word 'architect' that assumes styling skills. Unfortunately, most of today's NAs are just engineers skilled to draw knees and brackets and compile stability booklets. But there are exceptions from the rule.

This time, stylists pretend to draw the hull shape and decide on concept of the craft. As a result, something freak is presented to Customer and approved by him, and NA has no choice other than to follow it on his part of job. I have seen it many times and if such stylist or Customer approaches us we often refuse to continue with such concept and ask them to complete the design themselves.

Thus the conclusion: want to be a marine stylists? Study basics of boat design and operation first. If You can't make complete design of small simple boat Yourself, don't touch boat styling at all.

I've never seen a stylist draw a set of hull lines, though I have seen them suggest the sheer or other line be changed to conform to some perception of something (model styling clues, etc.). It depends on what you can afford, a design team or a single professional with the appropriate skill sets. I disagree in that the stylists need to know how to design a yacht, though they do need to know their limitations, which may include not designing a hull, but simply taking the marketable ideas and incorporating them into the design process, which very probably will be handled by an engineer or NA eventually.

I've been involved on both ends of this relationship and the technical stuff, does get "signed off" on by the appropriate folks, but the input and influence over each element, may be provided by one or several lesser skilled technically, but more creative persons in the team. This is the whole point, particularly on large projects where there's no choice but to segment out the work, while still maintaining some level of aesthetic consistency in and with product branding.

PAR said:

I've never seen a stylist draw a set of hull lines, though I have seen them suggest the sheer or other line be changed to conform to some perception of something (model styling clues, etc.). It depends on what you can afford, a design team or a single professional with the appropriate skill sets. I disagree in that the stylists need to know how to design a yacht, though they do need to know their limitations, which may include not designing a hull, but simply taking the marketable ideas and incorporating them into the design process, which very probably will be handled by an engineer or NA eventually.

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Well said about 'suggesting' and 'know his limitations'. Yes, if working as part of team, this is exactly how our stylists work (but to tell the truth, sometimes we ask them to assess visibility or locate bilge pumps - this gives them some challenge and stimulates the study). But if stylist pretends to make concept on his own, then - come back to my post.

Hot subject. Thanks all for input and thanks to those who acknowledge the fight between design & engineering in product.

First let me be clear...I don't pretend to do NA work, that's for NA. Second I agree a designer is a broad term and can be part of an engineers scope but I will say VERY little and visa versa for design engineering...The NA or engineer has studied little to none on esthetics, human factors, space planning, style trends, for marketing a product in rendering/presentations FOR sale as in industrial, car or product designers DO. Just my 2 cents.

Btw ...When was the last time you bought anything that didn't appeal to you ?

Also, the proposal for discussing the adjustable prop shaft for construction wasn't even touched on. Any engineers have a solution yet ?

CgarciaDesign said:

The NA or engineer has studied little to none on esthetics, human factors, space planning, style trends, for marketing a product in rendering/presentations FOR sale as in industrial, car or product designers DO. Just my 2 cents.

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Is is collection of misconceptions. NAs do study human factors and space planning, this important part of their job. As to the esthetics, we do have 'architecture and artistic design of ships' course (at least in my country)... where we also do the rendering work. Yes, not as much as industrial designers, but this course is present.

Agreed, ergonomics, proportions, general aesthetics, trends, history, etc. are usually covered. The real problem I see is one that exists in all industries, the left/right brain dominance, in the way folks look at things. Some seem to grasp the philosophic and mechanical aspect of things, while most tend to be much more on one side or the other. Engineers and NA's tend to fall on the mechanical side, while designers and stylists the "feel" side. This is why, if you can afford it, you need both on a project. It's a fairly small percentage of NA's and engineers that have developed a good sense of style and these are usually know as the "greats", if only because they're work appeals to a much larger audience.

PAR said:

Engineers and MA's tend to fall on the mechanical side, while designers and stylists the "feel" side.

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Come on, boat design is much on 'feel' side, because for boat even hydrodynamics is much on intuition and educated guess rather than in formulas.

Yes, NA who normally compiles stability booklets is 'mechanical, but any chief designer (normally NA in design office) is on 'feel' side.

You mean to tell me that the NA's, could have been fashion designers or actors, had their interests been elsewhere?

PAR said:

You mean to tell me that the NA's, could have been fashion designers or actors, had their interests been elsewhere?

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Why not? Bannenbeg was a musician but designed yachts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Bannenberg

By the way, in my 'Alma mater' professor Voevodin had a doctor degree in NA, but he also was a higly skilled surgeon during WWII. Talents are multi-faceted.

In reality, we should re-view the very attitude to NA tuition and training. There should be a specialization of NA in architecture/general design/styling; the same today's NA have specializations in structural design, performance/seakeeping, systems design, construction, etc. There are always 5-10% of NA students capable to become good stylists. I strongly believe there is a niche, and it should be based on centuries of traditions of ship construction.

Donald L. Blount and Associates is respected for their technical expertise, but also do project management and "design". It has three components:
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering http://www.dlba-inc.com/naval_architecture.htm
- Technology Integration and Program Management (which includes overall vessel design) http://www.dlba-inc.com/dlba_tipm.htm
- "Fathom Studio is the design and styling department of DLBA, working on both marine and non-marine projects related to interior design, exterior design and styling, industrial design, and graphic design." http://www.dlba-inc.com/fathom.htm
DLBA Robotics is an associated composites tooling company http://www.dlbarobotics.com/

Does Space exploration..like landing on a Comet need a styling department?