Modern wooden sailing boat ?

All wood;
http://www.burgessyachts.com/SaleAndPurchase/YachtSpecs.asp?thisID=12869&YachtName=SCHEHERAZADE

 

Contemporary as something which is relevant for today. Designed based on requirements and knowledge which is now and not 50's. And trends - they are there whether making sense or not. Racing boats tend to be more purpose-driven (speed) and therefore look more contemporary, detailing is also functional rather than decorative. But for example if you try to find a modern / contemporary wooden yacht you don't. You find 'modern classics', which mostly means old fashioned styling and modern building technologies. Composite boats instead have developed into different directions of which some contemporary design .
If I think about nordic folkboat, what a nice concept. But let's face it: it's cramped and unpractical. Design is outdated (and still it has been even translated into new materials http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_Folkboat ! )

 

Here's one being built (it might be finished already, i can ask the designer) .
Contemporary?

<<But for example if you try to find a modern / contemporary wooden yacht you don't.>>
They are not many but there are around , probably more of them than you realize.

 

To quote your words:

Not sure what kind of research you intend but if you find the folkboat "cramped and unpractical" maybe you should look at Phil Bolger's designs? The PDRacer is a thoroughly modern design.

Just a minor point - "contemporary" doesn't mean modern actually. The Great Harry, launched in 1511, would be contemporary if you were talking about medieval England.

I tried Googling for "modern wooden sailing boats" and various other combinations of words and I think I can see your problem, they don't appear in great numbers. I think the best way for you to start is to get a list of modern (living) designers then Google their names to get a lead on their designs.

There are several boat designers subscribing to this forum. Maybe a few minutes scanning through the members list for boat designers would be a good start; you can send private messages through the forum to them asking for help. However, active designers trying to make a living may not choose to respond.


Good luck with your research.

 

Don't mean to hog the thread but here is the first one i mentioned, before the rig conversion.

 

Corby 27

 

FWIW, last year I joined this forum and asked about modern composite boats. I was immediately pounced on by a bunch of people, including at least one boat designer. They all wanted me to build a wooden boat rather than a composite one, and the reasons were that it would likely be lighter, stronger and faster for the size I was looking for. (by the way, I was looking for <20 feet, which does affect things)

After having done a bunch of my own research, I have decided that they're probably right.

I'm not so certain what constitutes "contemporary" and not sure if I want it anyway. Generally, any time somebody shows me contemporary art or or architecture or anything else, it seems to be synonymous with ugly and tasteless.

In my opinion, "contemporary" should mean "modern construction techniques" when applied to boats.

 

Ken: "using modern construction techniques" is probably as good a definition of modern boat design as any other.

I have often wondered what the great designers of the past might have done with access to marine ply, epoxy and composites. Boat design has mostly been about evolution but introduction of new materials and methods leads to revolution.

I started a thread just a month before your one, much the same "help me get started" theme, and have recently launch the resulting boat. Being able to tap into the minds of hundreds of boat owners, users and designers is such a privilege, even when it means tossing out a preconception or two.

 

Terry,

I remember reading your thread.

The thing that's still somewhat hard to understand here is whether the owner of this thread thinks of contemporary design as cosmetic or as construction techniques or purely as materials.

I was thinking techniques and materials, due to some false assumptions about materials.

The nautical community tends to be aesthetically conservative, and slightly tradition-oriented with respect to materials and technique. However, I submit that there is a very good set of reasons for that conservatism.

Largely, the main reason as far as I can tell is that these techniques tend to keep the boat floating when bad things happen. I've bought several books on boat building. They point out that for centuries, people designed boats almost entirely on trial and error -- in other words, things were extremely conservative. Then some thought started showing up, and finally fairly recently some real engineering started going into it, with simulations and whatever.

Funny thing is, it seems that all that modern technology mostly validates the traditional methods. Yes, things change and boats get lighter, but you might still be using wood rather than some composite -- not because of tradition, but because it's the best material for the job. The older boat designs not only look traditional, but they just might handle the local conditions better than most other designs. Just because the design came to its current point through centuries of trial and error doesn't mean it's a bad design.

 

Ken Hankinson Ensenada25 (find it at GlenL)

 

Agreed: I think there is a language problem that is preventing full communication. with our friend.

That is true beyond any doubt. I spent considerable time in the Space industry where potentially dangerous things were sometimes done for the first time ever. It is quite a challenge to create something from the ground up without precedence to point the way. And expensive ...

Reputable boat builders and designers are well aware of the importance of their work and understandably reluctant to take risks, but every now and then there is a breakthrough. Part of the problem is, it's so difficult to fully evaluate a ground-breaking design at first sight. It may be faster in some sea conditions but a dog in others, it may be unexpectedly vulnerable to a breaking sea for example, but when it doesn't bring its crew safely home all that is left is suspicion.

 

' The thing that's still somewhat hard to understand here is whether the owner of this thread thinks of contemporary design as cosmetic or as construction techniques or purely as materials. '

Good point. 'Cosmetic' sure, meaning what something looks like 'design language'-wise (i.e. seventies edgy design and bright - on the other hand earthy - colours versus eighties pompous design with diagonal lilac and turquoise decorations...) . But also what is the use case in relation to design and execution: this is something that has generally developed into different directions: super yachts for instance may look 'classic' or 'contemporary' - it's a choice of owner whether to have a Ron Holland Design or Wally.
They are still all technically advanced even if don't share design style.
Racing boats, however, look automatically more present-day as they are driven by functionality.


http://www.ronhollanddesign.com/home.php
http://www.imaginelifestyles.com/files/u2/oculus.JPG
http://www.wally.com/default.asp?bflash=1

 

Tcubed, I like this picture

 

Thanks!
This photo is low tide Scilly isles. Priming the bottom.
Also just about the only surviving photo after having gone underwater in another boat.
Twice winner of around the Scillys race. In the second race i slowly overtook a J27 to windward. They were not awful sailors. Goes to show that modern sailboat preconceptions are not nescessarilly correct.
But of course pronouncing such things has been known to provoke extreme rabid responses.

 

My extreme rapid respons will be: I fully agree
Cheers
Daniel