Trans RINA, Vol 154, Part C1, Intl J Marine Design, Jan - Jun 2012
elements in the design have been identified and the design process, production and results are presented to give insight into the journey.
3.1 DESIGN DRIVERS
The overall aim of the project was to develop an innovative 9 metre racing yacht which defines and fills a previously undeveloped niche in the performance yacht market, and is the fastest yacht of its size and type in the world. Parallel to this was the aim of documenting and communicating the complexity of the
yacht of the
considerations:
design
process using an action research method, and evaluating the success
project against three key
Accessibility (in terms of cost and ease of construction, and transportability of the finished boat)
Performance (including quantifiable elements such as speed)
Handling characteristics/feel (user experience).
The design development focused on the iterative design development process, from the initial concept design through to final design and construction, covering the consideration of aesthetics, hull and deck form, keel and appendages, and rig and sail dynamics. Each of these factors was assessed in terms of their impact on the key considerations listed above: accessibility, performance, and handling.
The objective was to bring creativity to the fore in the design and development process and complement this with specific
engineering expertise the where it could
enhance the yacht’s development. This is a refreshing look at
design but one which I believe has significant benefits over
processes which become predominant in recent published material.
TANGIBLE INTANGIBLE Project objectives Development method Componentry Hydrostatics Physical characteristics
Deceleration into waves User experience Performance Fluid dynamics Feel
Figure 4: Tangible and intangible aspects of the yacht’s design considered during the design investigation. This chart shows how aspects of both art and science were utilised in the process.
This caused a shift in the focus of the project from the science-based, tangible drivers such as compliance to regulations and physical characteristics to less tangible concepts such as user experience and feel (see figure 4). Framing the yacht design problem and objectives in this alternative context changed the order of priority by putting the human experience first and requiring the
C-30
the development process as applied to yacht engineering-driven
have
A key design driver was accessibility: creating a yacht which would appeal to a wide market sector by offering high performance and ease of sailing at an affordable cost. The design had to ensure the boat’s construction was affordable, so it could feasibly be built either as a one-off project or a production remaining a theoretical design only.
boat, rather than
Also in terms of accessibility, the yacht needed to be easy to transport. In the past, many yachts have either been physically sailed to their delivery destinations or deck-shipped at great expense. However, a growing global market and larger numbers of international circuit regattas have led to an increasing trend towards yachts that are transportable by shipping container (e.g. the Russell Coutts 44 class yacht). One of the important design drivers in this project was addressing transportability by analysing methods of transport, and refining the boat’s physical
dimensions and ease of
rigging and unrigging to make it as portable as possible. 3.1 (b) Performance
The second important aspect was the boat’s performance. The overall aim of the design was to produce the fastest boat of its size and type in the world, with good all-round performance in a wide range of conditions. This
The problem of designing a sailing yacht with speed as a foremost consideration is a most complex one. External conditions to which a yacht is subject, such as force and direction of wind, condition of
sea, etc., are constantly
changing so that the attainment of a given speed may not be sought, but rather such a form as shall be easily driven at all speeds
within
appropriate limits . . . A harmonious adjustment between power and resistance should be sought. [14]
3.1. (c) Handling characteristics/“feel”
The third aspect is less tangible: the yacht’s handling characteristics and the experience it provides the user in terms of its “feel” and ease of use when being sailed. This cannot be quantified and scientifically described but can be observed once that yacht has been launched. This aspect is therefore informed by science and engineering but in terms of analysis falls more in the realm of “art”.
A yacht cannot merely be fast in terms of straight-line speed; if it is difficult for the crew to extract this
engineering requirements to follow and adapt
inform these, rather than drive them. 3.1 (a)
Accessibility to or
is
quantifiable in terms of observed performance and race results once the boat is launched. However, Skene states:
©2012: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects
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