Scaled down Center Console design?

Hey all, always read this forum and learned a whole lot from it! I spent a few hours designing a model of center console skiff...ish boat. In the model program I drew 24 or so frames and lofted the lines... it certainly still needs some adjustments so it is far from perfect, but lofting all of the lines was strangely somewhat enjoyable. FYI the reverse chine at the bow flattens out and blends into the hull... the lines come out looking all wanky!

Length 15'
Transom height 20"
Deadrise 12

My thought was does a design like this scale down? Most center consoles of similar designs are 25+ feet.

Lastly, I went with an obvious reverse chine for spray deflection. What about skegs or strakes ect... along the bottom for tracking purposes. I read in other forums and was astonished by the debates!

 

Welcome to the Forum Itchy.
Re scaling down a centre console, a pal of mine here has one that is 14' long, but it does not have a T-Top, and he makes sure he is sitting down, not standing up at the console while underway (it is designed for sitting height, not standing).

Are you saying that you have lofted your lines, and the bow is fair, despite the lines coming out looking very wonky?
I think you definitely have some work to do on this bow - and even if the lines are 'fair', I think it is going to give you hassles when building it.
What is your philosophy behind designing a bow like that, compared to a more 'conventional' type of bow?
Is this all about spray deflection?

 

First question is of course: what software do you use? The top sides are not fair in the meaning that there are "islands" with varying curvature gradient.

 

I know there is still some adjustments to make in the lofting to fair everything out perfectly, I just figured what I had so far was good enough to seek some recommendations. What about the bow makes you think it will be trouble when constructing?

 

Fusion 360... I use it for my other design and manufacturing so its what I have and know. Its pretty obvious the topsides need some work... I didn't want to spend forever fine tuning it as I know I will make much larger changes.

 

Ok, here a few comments. First, direct scaling down from 25' to 15' is not going to result in a useful boat. There are design compromises necessary, between stability (transverse and longitudinal) plus planing performance and bottom loading that do not scale equally.

Second, those forward chine lines will give you constant showers over the foredeck in anything of a seaway. The spray is thrown forwards/upwards; there is a reason that why you don't find chines like that in successful constructions.

Did you use only the transverse sections for the lofting, or do you use any longitudinal guiding, such as splines along the keel, chine and deck edge?

 

Make good sense. I did not scale down an already existing design. I just took some of the design aspects and included them into a smaller hull. The chines certainly need to be tweaked on, I was imitating what I see on other hulls.

As for the lofting. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing when I started but read a few articles on it as I went. Ive already since revised and tweaked the lines "properly" and they look way better. I can't exactly remember what I did in the photos posted, but I have since uses splines to guide from a birds eye view and a sideways view.