Yacht Design or graphic art?

From the idea to the product

A little piece of paper and a pencil have started some very successfull stories in history of industrial design. Below the original drawing of the VW bus from 1947. The Dutch VW importer of VW cars, Be Pon, developed this idea during a coffee break with the VW Boss. The result is well known, the VW Transporter or best known as the Bulli. Below the examples from the first idea, to the first model, up to the current model of 2013.

Paolo, aren't you and Chapsticks talking about the same thing...? I think at the end of the day it's hard/rare to start with a 3D form, whether it's on paper or CAD...? I've also found a vessel done completely in 2D ends up being a little flat as well...?

I usually start with a 2D sketch, move to the drawing board and size it up, usually chuck in a few 3D sketches, around it. Then move it to Rhino as soon as possible and try and make the 2D work in a 3D form.

I've just been working with a big commercial yard with young and old Nav Archs, it's amazing on how the old guys hate the 3D packages...

Far

2d / 3d cad

Without 2D/3D CAD, modern complex technology would be impossible. If you look at the composition and quantity of the workforce of high end yards like A&R, Lürssen, Feadship or Royal Huisman, their limiting factor is the engineering and project management capacity.

Modern computer technology does help a lot but cant do all. Thats why most if not all yards will try to sell you a proven hull with maybe some modifications. Any proven hull can be adapted in length by some feet, lets say a 57 meter displacement hull down to 55 meter and maybe up to 60 or 61 meter by adding or removing a few spars in the middle of the hull, but thats it.

But the best 3D modeling and finite element maths will not substitude the final tank testing of a new hull design. Even the big players among the Megayacht builders do not have their own tank test facilities. Every sea going nation has its specialized technical universities with associated wind tunnels (for sail boats) and tank testing facilities. In Germany, the technical university of Hamburg-Harburg operates a famous TT facility, in the Netherland, the university of Delft has a facility of at least equal capacity and quality, if not better. These towing tanks can be rented by the yards for their final tests. And the fundamental research of those facilities is often sponsored by the industry or users like the shipping companies. Examples her are the fundamental studies for the Damage Stability Critera or the optimum design of the bulbous bow. In some of the tanks, the water can be frozen or heated, to simulate ice going or tropical waters. Production of artificial waves and currents are standard.

But the days of simple 2D drawings and CAD are definately over. True 3D CAD with networking in the engineering departements and the associated subcontractors is mandatory. Means, if John A in the departemet X is implementing a change in his specific task, all colleagues affected by this change are informed and can see this change on their work stations. Without this features, engineering and project management would go through the roof.

This is one of the reasons, the big yards have to to raise the minimum size of the ships they build with the building of bigger ones, because their overhead remains the same, small boats became to expensive.

Below some examples of 3D CAD design for various installations of a larger yacht (Swath Yacht Silver Cloud). Imagine, with manual engineering or even only 2D CAD available, a little engineer finds out he has to change one tube somewhere. How much time, memos or meetings that would take, to implement all changes. And this is only a small 40 meter yacht, compared to a cruise ship or even a aircraft carrier.

Well I think you should take my post as a whole, and not only isolate a single sentence: I did say at the start I was only speaking for myself

I was basically responding to AMG's "Nintendo generation" musings, just hoping to satisfy his curiosity: we (by which I mean me) aren't being taught to start in 3D. That's all.

As to whether or not it's (definitively) possible to truly start from scratch in 3D, I suppose it is in the mind of the creator, and on paper: with a pencil and paper the very first stroke you make can be in 3D.
In CAD though it isn't (in the most pedantic sense) possible (as far as I'm aware - you've made me cautious!) to ever create a 3D object before/without defining it in 2D, even if that definition is only fleeting.

Of course I agree it's perfectly possible to start by creating a 3D model in CAD. It's just that to do that you will already at least have conceptualised the 2D planes needed to create that (because of how CAD works on a 2D screen).

hy where can i find the 3 d model of the Silver Cloud SWATH you posted

I know this is a really old thread, any one reading this, please help me out with the 3d model of the SWATH ship Silver Cloud

I am a student in final year of naval architecture.
I am making my final year project which is pretty similar to silver cloud.

I am at
bhanusahu1 at gmail.com