The December 2014 issue of Westlawn’s free online journal is posted

The December 2014 issue of Westlawn Institute's free online journal, The Masthead, is now posted.

Highlights in this edition:

• Design for Series Production
• IBEX 2014
• Translation Aids
• Boating Trust Fund
• William H. Shaw
• Development of Stepped Paning Boats
• On the Drawing Board - Nielsen's Destino 25
• Under Construction - Henseval's Territoire 11.8m
• Cutting Costs for Students
• ABYC Tech Notes: Testing Isobutanol
• We Get Mail
• Know It All Answer: On Bulwark-Frame Limber Holes
• Know it All Question: Identifying Sailing Rigs
• Continuing Education
• Training Links
• Archives
• Westlawn Information

Excerpts:

Designing for Series Production
By William H. Shaw
Designing for Series Production must include not only factors pertaining to the shape and form of the boat but must also consider facilities, production techniques, and marketing.

One might question the role of marketing in a discussion of this nature. Stated in simpler terms, if you do not have a viable product to sell, there will not be any production. The determination of what the marketplaces want and in what potential quantities is vital to the production builder?

The Marketing Plan
All too frequently the approach to a new design starts with 98% enthusiasm and 2% knowledge of what the market really wants. The result is often a large expenditure for the resources to produce the product followed by a short production run followed by the bill collectors and eventually liquidation of the assets at a fraction of their original price.

The First To Fly - Part 2
Development of the Stepped Hydroplane
By Dave Gerr, CEng FRINA
So far, however, we've only covered half the story. In fact-besides the right Reverend Ramus, who we discussed last issue-there was yet another inventor that would influence planing boat development-William Henry Fauber. Fauber took out no less than nine patents on an all-new approach to planing, the principle ones being in 1908 and 1909.

Fauber reasoned that, since a boat skimmed (planed or generated lift) by striking the onrushing water at a slight angle, adding more of these angles would generate more lift. His angles were in the form of multiple jogs or steps in the bottom of the hull. What's more, while the boat was supposedly skimming along on these numerous steps, only their very tips would be touching the waves. The remainder of the hull underbody would be in contact with air and foam alone. Since everybody knows that air (and foam) are less dense than water, resistance should decrease dramatically.

ABYC Tech Notes
ABYC/NMMA Test Alternative Fuel
In light of recent movement toward the allowance of E15 blended fuel, ABYC and NMMA had the opportunity to test a gasoline blended with isobutanol. What is isobutanol? It is a naturally occurring alcohol derived from the fermentation of a biomass, corn for example. Comparing it to ethanol, it is roughly 86% of the BTU's of gasoline, where ethanol is roughly 68%. Unlike ethanol, isobutanol will not phase separate, it will act as we would like it to; water remains on the bottom while the butanol/gasoline mixture stays intact. The blend we tested was 16.1% by volume..

Read the complete articles and more in this issue.
Go to:
http://www.westlawn.edu/news/Masthead32/index.html

Note:
New issues of The Masthead are in Internet flipping-book format, with control icons are located on the bar at the bottom of the screen

If you prefer to read it in standard PDF format, go to the new flipping-book format and click on the download button on the bottom gray bar.

You can click on:

http://www.westlawn.edu/news/index.asp#Newsletter

To see all back issues and read whichever one you like.

Dave Gerr, CEng FRINA
Director, Westlawn Institute
www.westlawn.edu