Hybrid Powered Trimaran Liveaboard

Discussion in 'Projects & Proposals' started by Carlazzomark, May 17, 2020.

  1. Ad Hoc
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    Ad Hoc Naval Architect

    The forum is whatever you wish it to be.

    But in the absence of an SOR... what is it your are "developing" other than how many ways you can arrange a blank sheet of paper!?

    And thus all you'll receive is the sound of crickets!

    Design requires an objective a target to aim at...otherwise it is just a waste of bandwidth of my dog is bigger...
     
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  2. Carlazzomark
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    AdHoc,

    If you had seemed genuinely curious about my concept, I would continue to take the time to respond to you. However, you seem to be content to enjoy an argumentative circle jerk that I want no part of. I get it, you don't think my concept has merit. Fine. Now go elsewhere for your pleasure.
     
  3. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Mark, that was a mistake.
    Ad Hoc could be one of your most valuable allies here.
    He knows his stuff and speaks the truth.

    I'm not sure you understand design.
    But good luck to you none-the-less.

    Cheers
     
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  4. bajansailor
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    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    We are now on page 2, so I shall copy an excerpt from one of Mark's posts on page 1 for reference here.

    Mark said :
    "For my house, I have a footprint of 40.5' long, 16.5' wide, and about 14' tall.* Walls will most likely be 3" thick, making the interior space 40x16. On the main floor there are a small exposed foredeck, two staterooms each with complete head, followed by a galley and salon, and a cockpit. Upstairs are the pilothouse, a half-head, two-three sleeping nooks, and access to a small upper rear deck. Lots of roof room for solar panels and perhaps a helical wind turbine. I have this very simply sketched out in line drawings. The overall shape needs some nicer lines."

    Materials would be at designer/purchaser discretion. In any case, structural integrity is most important. Since my boat would be for the San Francisco Bay and the delta waterways East of it, I do not need to achieve ocean specs. So the main concerns for the house are structural strength related to water motion, weight, and appropriate weather and sun external materials.

    The hulls would have to have their access hatches pre-defined, so designs would have to work with that as well as with the hull-to-home securing mechanisms and plug-and-play systems hookups.

    Yes, the homes would cost more than a tiny home on land, but the comparison should be with motor yachts and luxury houseboats. And I think this concept would be tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars less expensive than a similarly sized watercraft."
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Re your simple sketches / line drawings, could you maybe post them on here? Nobody cares if they look professional or not, a drawing will always speak a thousand words. And these could help to develop your SOR?

    Will it be more like a houseboat (that rarely goes anywhere), or like a motor yacht (which can cast off and go for a cruise fairly easily)?
    If the former, than a typical barge type hull would be the cheapest / easiest to build for the main hull of your trimaran, with perhaps smaller barge hulls for the amas / outriggers.

    Will there just be void spaces below the main deck of the main hull for installing tanks and systems and storage spaces in addition to the engine room?

    I am having difficulty in seeing how this is going to be significantly cheaper than other similarly sized vessels, no matter if they are motor yachts or luxury houseboats. Although the cost could be a bit less if you omit 'luxury' from the SOR, and have it basic and simple (but still tasteful and attractive).
    Similarly if you just have a relatively small propulsion engine, as opposed to a pair of 600 hp diesels which you might typically find now in a motor yacht of this size.
     
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  5. Carlazzomark
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    Yeh, yesterday was a bad back day for me, which put me on a short fuse, so I was mean in my response. AdHoc may know a lot, but I still think he enjoys sniping more than helping.

    As for me, I clearly do not understand design, which is why I am here.

    Thanks for your good wishes.

    Mark
     
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  6. Carlazzomark
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    Bajansailor,

    Thank you for your continued interest and helpful questions.

    As for typical use, the standardized trimaran platform which I described would be designed for cruising, although for my use it would be weekend inland cruising. If this were to become a business, the hybrid power specs would be customer-ordered according to intended use.

    The void spaces in both the center hull and the outriggers would have multiple storage areas. Please see attached drawing.

    The reason I think the cost would be lower (once volume is achieved) is the separation of the flotation/propulsion/mechanical/electric/storage component and the cabin area. By publishing the cabin area specs for hull securing and systems connection, a competitive market opens up for third parties or DIYers. Think of some segments of the car market where a platform is used for several different models, some luxury and some more basic. Except in this case, it is not a single manufacturer that changes the model on top of the platform, but the market as a whole.

    This standardized platform + customizable cabin concept allows the business to concentrate on the manufacturing of the platform, which should reduce overall manufacturing costs and time-to-market. If the 50' platform becomes a success, different lengths could be offered, but would require only minor adjustments of what goes into the hulls.

    For my own use, I am committed to the most environmentally sound propulsion system I can afford. I do not need speed in my boat. For the market, if a business would develop from this concept, it would be up to the company to determine if it wants to offer faster power plants.

    I will try to improve my drawings this week and post them by the weekend.

    Mark
     

    Attached Files:

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  7. Carlazzomark
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    Another cost advantage of the platform concept is transportation costs. The unconnected hulls could be shipped on one flatbed (with overhang), and no special permits nor guide cars, to a third party tiny home maker closer to the customers final location.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2020
  8. Carlazzomark
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    I have been reflecting on some of the comments I have received and wish to therefore better communicate what my vision is.

    First, as is obvious, I am not a marine architect nor designer. That is why I have come to this forum — to receive feedback and guidance from experts regarding my concepts. The insistence from some that a Statement of Requirements is the only way to start a conversation is, in my opinion, premature. I will get there when I understand more of the issues involved in my concept. A SOR should not be too far off — maybe in a month, depending on how much I learn in the next few weeks.

    Second, I would hope that commentators understand that I am talking about more than the design of a boat. This concept is as much about manufacturing systems, creating new markets, combining hull platform standardization with a unique take on cabin design and manufacturing, transportation cost of hulls, possibly patentable plug-and-play connection systems between the hull platform and the cabin, advances in marine hybrid propulsion, and a few other innovations.

    Third, my hope is that this concept further brings to the market for a more environmentally sound motor yacht at more affordable price points than currently available.

    I welcome all comments that guide and inform me.

    Thank you.
     
  9. Carlazzomark
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    Attached are a crude, boxy port elevation view of a cabin concept and the floor plan. Note that this is a rough expression of the boat I would like. But cabin layout is a fully third-party customizable possibility.

    Per the above description from Tuesday, the points of differentiation between this power trimaran and all others are:

    1. Separate manufacturing of the contained hull platform (including all propulsion, energy, plumping and HVAC systems) and the above deck cabin, merged via

    2. the plug-and-play component noted in the attached file.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. bajansailor
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    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Hello Mark,

    Just some thoughts re the drawings posted above.

    Re the side profile view, it reminds me of a camper van conversion with a double bed cantilevered over the driver's cab. I think it would look better if you brought the wheelhouse aft so that it is not cantilevered. This would also make it easier to build.

    I am thinking that a pair of very simple hulls in a catamaran configuration would be much easier / cheaper to build than your trimaran - the catamaran could have the same 'plug and play' method of construction surely?

    Re the general arrangement plan view - the guest bedroom appears to have no natural light, as the heads / closet takes up all of the outboard side, and I guess you cannot have a skylight in the roof above if there is a 'sleeping nook' aft of the wheelhouse?

    It looks like you have to go into the master bedroom to access the stairs going up to the wheelhouse?
     
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  11. Carlazzomark
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    Bajansailor,

    Thanks for your comments. I think you are right on all accounts. I had already fixed the stair access issue, and brought it out to the hallway adjacent to the master stateroom door.

    I would hope that my final design would look so much better than a camper conversion. I will continue to work on this and the other issues you raised.

    The even more important feedback I would like is regarding the technical feasibility and market acceptance of a fully complete electric or hybrid hull platform (tri or cat) designed so that third parties can customize the above-platform cabin and then join the two parts through standardized connections. This is the core innovation that I hope sparks enough interest for collaboration.

    Mark
     
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  12. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Hi again Mark.
    I really admire Bajansailor's patience and generosity.
    Okay, fair enough: feasibility.
    Do a market survey, it's not feasible.
    You're costs will never be recouped.
    Then there is the whole hybrid concept:
    An internal combustion engine, running a generator, to charge batteries, to run an electric motor turning a prop.
    Perhaps a bunch of expensive, heavy solar panels on the roof as well.
    Could you maximize the weight and cost penalty any more?
    But first you need to design the entire system to work with a boat you also have to design.
    But you're not a designer you said.
    If you have deep pockets and a passion to see this work, great.
    Otherwise...
    Enough said, but you asked.
     
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  13. Carlazzomark
    Joined: Oct 2006
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    Carlazzomark Senior Member

    Bluebell,

    Thanks for your input. It’s an appreciated dose of reality.

    Yes, Bajansailor has been greatly patient and generous. He deserves an award.

    Mark
     
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