Small Craft Technical Papers: cruising yachts, education of yacht designers

THE EDUCATION OF YACHT & SMALL CRAFT DESIGNERS FOR THE NEXT CENTURY - Draft by Stuart M Roy, 1993

The paper starts by addressing the question "What is a Yacht and Small Craft Designer?" and considers how the role and position of these professionals has developed in recent years. The influence of the international market is introduced. Attention then turns to the variety of routes open to the prospective Yacht & Small Craft Designer who wishes to follow a career in this absorbing, yet demanding work. Two course models for the full-time education of Yacht and Small Craft Designers are then critically analysed in some detail, one Diploma programme with a twenty-three year history and a Degree course which is still in its formative stages. Certain issues that have emerged in the development and operation of these courses are then discussed, including the Certification of the programme, the postgraduate opportunities and the question of emphasis - Stylists or Engineers? What can be achieved in a course of study in Yacht & Small Craft Design is then considered by focusing on the student experience, the lectures, experiments, use of computer systems, directed design work and supervised project work. Examples of typical student designs are presented. The final section of the paper looks to the future. What technical and personal attributes will be needed by the Yacht and Small Craft Designer for success in the next century? Will the current role develop further and in which direction - towards the "complete architect" or the multi-faceted consultant technologist?

THE CRUISING YACHT by Stuart M Roy, RINA 1991

Extract from a report by Christopher Dawson in Ship & Boat International, p12, January 1992

Stuart Roy opened with a thoughtful, even philosophical, approach, reflecting on the attractions of the yacht design process, which involves many disciplines, yet can be carried through all stages under the authority of one person. The paper suggests ways of putting cruising yacht roles into categories, taking account of how strong a crew will be aboard. Designer, owner, charter operator, manufacturer or builder, and insurer, all have different views and objectives, which need to be reconciled. This may make it difficult to achieve customer satisfaction and a really good specification document is one aid to this end. Four case studies include a miniature cruiser of 3.2m LOA, the familiar Macwester 26 of 7.9m, a magnificent 15.24m custom-built ocean cruiser designed by Steve Dalzell and completed by Southampton Yacht Services, and the Nicholson 70 (21.3m) in which a standard hull is fitted out to owner's requirements. The Dalzell design is particularly interesting for its owners' clear ideas about their requirements and its construction scheme of epoxy-bonded western red cedar veneers plus one surface one of mahogany, laid over British Columbian pine strip planking to a total thickness of about 32mm. Main frames are laminated khaya rings including floors and deck beams. There are no metal fastenings. The paper concludes with a look at modern computerised design techniques and a review of the present international regulations affecting design and construction of recreational craft.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABSTRACTS

Home Page

Abstracts from Technical Papers - 2

Yacht & Powercraft Design Services Ltd
Email: info@yacht-designer.co.uk
Tel. 44 (0) 1489-583346 Fax. 44 (0) 1489-583346 Mobile 07803-724317