The Yacht Design Process

The following article is a summary of how a new custom yacht design is imagined,
sketched and drawn. In addition to the following notes, our Introduction web page
provides an outline of our general approach to yacht design.
While seemingly complex, the design process is made up of a series of incremental steps,
much like the building process itself. The goal of undertaking the design of any new
yacht is to take a unique set of owner requirements and to turn them into the best possible
solution to those requests. If the resulting design is to be what it should be, each of the
steps outlined below must be addressed thoroughly.
There is first the idea, and then the bringing forth of the idea into a functioning reality. In
order to get the relevant information on the table, two primary ingredients are necessary:
I. Owner's Specification: The first 'design task' is actually performed by the prospective
boat owner. It is first to imagine the goal, and then to create an 'Owner's Specification' or
'mission statement' for the proposed vessel. With that information understood, we will
provide a written Design Proposal to outline how we propose to meet the goals that have
been set forth.

Rather than being a detailed description of the result of the design process, the
Owner's Specification is better if seen as a general guide to the intent of the
design.
Toward that end, ideally the owner's 'mission statement' will be kept fairly simple,
since the details of the design will emerge as a result of the design process itself.
The basic information needed is an outline of the intended vessel's size, layout,
materials of construction, the intended use, range, speed, rig, and general
aesthetic.
The essential information should include the intended schedule for designing and
building the yacht.

II. Design Proposal: My first job is to understand the preliminary Owner's Specification,
then to provide the prospective client with a detailed outline for creating the new design.
This is in the form of our standard written 'Design Proposal' which includes the
following:

A written outline of the design process itself.

A list of the deliverable drawings and documents.
An estimate for the design work required in order to create the design and to
detail the plans for the vessel as described.

The following paragraphs describe our design process, and outline the deliverable
drawings and documents.

Stage I - The Preliminary Design Study

After our 'Design Proposal' has been reviewed, if the prospective boat owner approves of
what we have proposed, then the actual design work can begin.
A custom design starts with listening to the requirements of my clients. The objective is
to create the best mutual design solution in terms of vessel type, layout, size and style.
My goal is to propose an appropriate form and function to suit the vessel's intended
purpose, and to follow that up with a thorough analysis of structure, stability and
performance.
There will first be a series of information exchanges, possibly including clippings of
similar vessels or sketched layouts provided by the client. After the owner's requirements
have been articulated I will usually begin by creating a preliminary 3D CAD model of the
intended vessel, which is most often created by adapting one or more of our existing
designs or prototype designs to its new purpose.
The 3D model allows us to determine:

The envelope available for the accommodations

The overall size and hull form
The preliminary internal structure (bulkheads and soles)
The rig (if for a sailing vessel or motor sailor)
The styling and features of the superstructure
The preliminary hydrostatics

With that, I will prepare a few CAD generated drawings in order to show the proposed
layout in Plan and Profile views and a perspective view of the proposed Exterior Styling.
Combined with a description of the proposed dimensions and other particulars of the
vessel, this is the beginning of what I refer to as 'Stage I' or the preliminary 'Design
Study.'
Stage I is basically a process of discovery wherein we mutually discover the best
solution to your requests. In pursuit of that discovery process we will review our
proposed design solutions against the original specification -- or possibly the initial
specification will be revised according to what we discover. This process is both flexible
and adaptable.
During Stage I we will strive to establish the accommodations, styling, size, dimensions,
and the target displacement. Our goal here is to provide a "proof of concept" for the
design so that further changes can be kept to a minimum. When the preliminary design
has been approved by the owner, Stage II can begin.
Stage II - The Estimating Plans

The goal of Stage II is to create the first few sheets of the actual Building Plans, and to
generate a number of essential documents that will be required by builders so that an
accurate construction estimate can be provided.
The first part of Stage II involves finalizing 'Stage I Study Drawings'. The preliminary
Estimating Plans will therefore include:

The proposed Sail Plan or Outboard Profile Drawing

The proposed Interior Profile and Arrangement Drawing

Once those drawings have been approved, we can proceed knowing that further changes
will be minimized. When completed, the Estimating Plans Package will include:

Sail Plan / Outboard Profile

Interior Profile and Arrangement
Structural Profile and Arrangement
Equipment List
Vessel Specification
Painting Specification
Preliminary Weight Study
Preliminary Power and Range Analysis
Preliminary Hydrostatics Analysis
List of Boat Builders Suited to the Project
Designer's Cover Letter to Builders
Sample Owner's 'Request for Quotes' Letter to Builders

For smaller vessels there will be three drawing sheets at this point. For larger vessels
there may be two or more sheets in each category. The goal of Stage II is that enough
information be presented in the Estimating Plans Package that firm quotes can be
obtained from prospective builders for construction of the vessel.
If you would like to review an example of our design work up to this point, Estimating
Plans are available for any of the designs listed on our Plans List page.
Stage III - The Building Plans
During 'Stage III' the remaining design work is completed. With additional owner and
builder feedback, further decisions can be made with regard to equipment and finish as
needed.
The drawings, Equipment List and Vessel Specification are refined and the remaining
drawings are completed in order to create a final Building Plans package. These
drawings and documents will finalize the interior and exterior details, the machinery
arrangement, the deck plan, scantlings, construction sections, the boat's final dimensions

and hull shape, and the as-designed displacement, range, performance, hydrostatics and
stability.
The Building Plan Drawings will include:

Outboard Profile: Sail plan or other exterior details of the hull

Interior Profile and Arrangement: The vessel's accommodations
Sectional Views: Structure and interior joinery sections
Inboard Profile: Structure and primary equipment
Deck Plan: Cabins, hatches, fittings, mooring and anchor gear
Spar and Rigging Plan as needed
Various Structural Details as needed
Scantling List
Hull Fitting Details
Hatch and Deck Fitting Details
Companionway, Door and Portlight Details
Interior Joinery Details
Mechanical / Machinery Details as needed
Lines Drawing
Rudder Details

Ordinarily each of the above drawing categories will include several sheets. Depending
on vessel size and complexity, the Building Plans may include anywhere from 10 to 30 or
more drawing sheets.
During Stage III the Equipment List and Vessel Specification are finalized in order to
accurately describe the intent, the layout, the scantlings, the construction, the systems and
the outfit of the vessel. In addition to the above listed drawings, the following
Documents will be included in the Building Plans set:

Offsets Table (unless the vessel will be NC cut).

Equipment List: The complete list of equipment items.
Vessel Specification: Details of the intent, rationale and construction.
Painting Specification
Welding Specification for metal structure
Fastening Schedule for wooden structure
Laminate Schedule for GRP structure
Weight Budget
Hydrostatics and Stability Report
Power and Range Analysis
Cover Letter to Builder

Having finished Stage III, the Design Phase of the new yacht will be complete. Sufficient
information will be contained in the drawings and documents to allow any professional or
amateur builder to build the vessel as intended.

Then the Construction Phase of the project may begin.

Standards Used
Design Goals: Throughout the design process we have the following goals:

Suitability to the owner's requirements and to the intended service.

An interior and on-deck layout per the owner's requirements.
A pleasing aesthetic.
A thorough specification to assure longevity and ease of maintenance.
Sensibility of structure for the sake of ease of construction.
A functional and accessible machinery and equipment layout.
A distribution of weights to provide correct trim and adequate stability.
Performance suited to the expectations of the vessel type.
Structure per classification society scantling rules.
Stability per international criteria.

The general attributes of seaworthiness, seakindliness, strength and durability are

considered to be requirements for each of our designs. It is interesting to note that for
private yachts within the US, there are no requirements for stability or for structure.
However if a US yacht is to be used commercially or Classed and built under survey, one
or more of the following standards will apply. Whether or not a private yacht will be
Classed, it is our position that all yachts be held to the following standards.
Structure: When creating a new design, classification society rules are the best guide for
the adequacy of structure. We will confirm compliance with one of the following rules as
appropriate to the vessel type, size, materials or build venue:

ABS 2000 Motor Pleasure Yachts (yachts from 79' to 200' scantling length originally applicable to all yachts up to 200' - all materials)
ABS 1994 Offshore Racing Yachts (applicable to sailing yachts up to 100'
scantling length - all materials)
ABS 1978 Reinforced Plastic Vessels (applicable to fiberglass vessels up to 200'
scantling length)
ABS 1975 Aluminum Vessels (applicable to alloy vessels from 100' to 500'
scantling length)
ABS 2014 Steel Vessels (applicable to steel vessels up to 200' scantling length)
ABS 2015 Rules for Building and Classing Yachts (new rule applicable to all
motor and sailing yachts in all materials up to 90 meters scantling length (295
feet)
ISO-12215 for vessels subject to the EU-RCD standards (yachts up to 78'
measurement length - all materials)
Germanischer Lloyds (wooden yachts up to 78' scantling length)

Germanischer Lloyds (plank-on-frame commercial wooden vessels up to 115'

scantling length - applicable to larger vessels on approval)
British Lloyd's Register (plank-on-frame wooden yachts up to 98' scantling length
- applicable to larger yachts on approval)

Stability: To assess stability we use a variety of criteria depending on vessel size, use and
location, as follows:

For private yachts under 24 meters measurement length (78 feet) intended for
registry in the EU, stability will be calculated according to the EU-RCD standards
(ISO-12217).
For private or commercial yachts above 24 meters measurement length, stability
will be calculated according to IMO, MCA or other standards appropriate to the
vessel type, size and use.
For commercial charter yachts in the US, safety and stability will be calculated
according to the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
For private or commercial yachts in the US, stability will be calculated according
to the new ABS 2015 Rules for Building and Classing Yachts, which defer to the
IMO or MCA standards depending on vessel type and size.
For yachts in Canada, stability will be calculated according to criteria established
by Transport Canada, which for the most part defer to to the IMO or MCA rules.
For yachts in other locations, stability will be calculated according to locally
applicable criteria - most often the IMO or MCA rules, depending on vessel type,
service, and size.

When a vessel is destined for construction and use within the European Union, we also
prepare documentation regarding structure and stability in order to make obtaining a CE
Mark a relatively easy process for the builder.

Construction Support Services

We ordinarily recommend that plans be submitted to a few selected yards for their
construction estimates. We have worked with a variety of builders in a number of places
worldwide. We will try to match a project with an appropriate builder, even if that may be
outside the US.
During the Construction Phase of the process, there may be various requests for
additional services in support of construction. Although we don't get into project
management per se, we remain available to act as the owner's representative during
construction whenever we are asked to do so. In other words, although we do not get
involved in managing personnel, scheduling or purchasing, we are pleased to remain
involved in order to manage the flow of information and specifications for the builder.
Additional Drawings, Documents, Schematics...

Ordinarily, system schematics are developed in-house by the builder (e.g. plumbing, fuel
system, etc.) or by system suppliers (e.g. electrical, hydraulic, air conditioning, etc.). On
occasion the owner or builder may request that we provide basic schematics or additional
drawings to illustrate specialized features or other details in support of construction in
order to communicate specific owner requests to the builder.
For passenger vessels or other commercial craft there may be the requirement to provide
additional drawings and reports for documentation and compliance with the relevant
standards. And when a vessel is destined for use within the European Union, we can
prepare documentation that makes obtaining a CE Mark relatively easy for the builder.
NC Cutting Files
One of the most valuable Construction Support Services we provide for metal boats is to
develop NC Cutting Files in order to automate a portion of the vessel's construction.
What is NC...? It simply means Numerically Controlled... By this method a numerically
driven plasma or water-jet cutter can be used to create frames and plates for a metal
vessel. One can also use an NC driven router to cut mould frames for a wood or
composite superstructure. It is even possible to carve an entire male plug or female mold
out of foam for use in building a composite superstructure, directly from the computer
generated surface model that was created during the design of the boat.
This leverages the work that has already been done in order to create the design and can
provide a significant labor savings to the yard. It also dramatically improves accuracy of
construction. With NC cutting, the labor saved during fabrication of a metal hull will
usually pay for the cost of developing the NC cutting files, plus some.
In other words NC cutting is an opportunity to not only effect a true cost savings by
shortening the overall build time, but to also improve the quality of the result.

The Role of the Computer

Designing the Boat: We use the Maxsurf family of software products, a series of
programs for hull modeling, analysis, and construction. With Maxsurf, a preliminary hull
model is quickly generated and an initial round of hydrostatics, stability, and performance
calculations performed to see where the design can be improved. The computer generated
model allows the design to be enhanced quickly at an early stage of design before it has
become fixed, or even to be modified without too much fuss later in the process. In fact,
without such an easily used computer modeling tool (as compared to manual drafting)
those subtle refinements would rarely be undertaken even if given a substantial budget.

Several other benefits are also evident. For example, via the computer generated model it
is easy to assure that the surfaces are developable, so building a metal or plywood hull is
made simpler.
Testing the Design: With the computer generated model of the hull and superstructure
having already been created, it is a simple matter to make a scaled down physical model
for towing tank testing, or to verify the styling and features of the yacht in three
dimensions.
Building the Boat: A substantial benefit of having generated a model of the hull on the
computer is that the vessel's structure can also be computer generated and actually precut via computer guided laser or plasma cutting - or in the case of a GRP vessel, the
mould created using a computer guided router.
By this method, having detailed the hull plating and structure, the parts are nested onto
available plate sizes. The completed plate nestings are then sent to the metal cutters usually by email. This is extremely convenient since the cutter can receive the
information immediately in order to start the work. When completed, the cutters have a
"boat kit" that can be shipped wherever needed.
The Savings: When building a metal boat in a production environment, assuming one-off
construction, industry feedback is generally that NC cutting will save a professional
builder some 35% or so of the hull fabrication labor. The percentage of fabrication labor
saved by an amateur owner-builder is dramatically greater. For example, consider that
lofting is eliminated, as are templating for frame and plate patterns. For an amateur
builder, this also eliminates most of the "what to do and how to do it and why" kind of
worries... Other Benefits: Via NC cutting an extremely accurate fit results. For a metal
hull this means there will be far less distortion during the weld-up.
For construction in other materials such as GRP, NC cutting nearly eliminates the labor
required for lofting and for mold construction. An entire hull and superstructure mold can
be carved by five axis NC router directly from the computer generated model, avoiding
nearly all tooling labor. A builder can also pre-cut glass fiber or carbon fiber cloth,
especially useful with 'pre-preg' cloth (cloth that is pre-impregnated with resin and postcured by UV or by heat). Where the materials cost is high, the improved efficiency will
quickly offset the cost of having developed the structure via computer modeling.

Design-Stream Overview
For more detail on our design and build strategy please see our CAD Design Stream
article. The following flow-charts were created in order to show our design process more or less taking the usual "design spiral" and stretching it out into a linear diagram. I
have used two different ways to represent the work-flow.

Software in Use - This is a simplified flow chart showing the software we use,
and how a few basic software groups interrelate during the process of creating a
new yacht design.
Process & Deliverables - This is a workflow chart showing our Design Process
arranged in terms of the "order of operations" that we follow in order to create
each new yacht design. This process starts with our interaction with the client as
described above, then moves into the stages of the design process wherein we
produce the drawings and documents that we deliver to the client, the builder, and
to the metal cutter.

Cool 3D Models
The following are two examples of how we make good use of a 3D CAD workflow in
order to create a design and its structure, then to communicate the result using 3D PDF
files for use by both client and builder.

3D Lines Drawing - This is a 3D perspective file showing the lines of one of our
designs. As with all of our designs, it was created in Maxsurf, then imported to
Microstation so that it could be "plotted" to a 3D PDF for customer review.
Within the PDF, you can grab the 3D model, rotate it, zoom, pan, walk-through,
and you can change the perspective. If you turn on the PDF menus, you can also
manage the layers in the original CAD drawing, turning any of them on or off to
simplify the view. This is an excellent tool for visualization of the spaces, and to
see the vessel's shape from any angle.
3D Structure Drawing - This is a 3D perspective file showing the structure of a
metal yacht design. Having been designed in Maxsurf, the vessel's structure was
then created in Workshop; after which the basic structure was brought into
Microstation for editing and detailing, and then "plotted" to a 3D PDF for the
builder to use as a guide during assembly. It is an excellent way to view the
structure using simple, free Adobe Reader software. This enables the builder and
his crew to see exactly how the structure interrelates.

Why Develop A New Design...?

As you may have surmised from the above, there is a fair bit of work involved in
designing a boat well, even if it is a simple one! Given the number of designs that
already exist it may seem a little bit wild to commission a new yacht design. On the other
hand, it is an unquestionable delight to see one's ideas turned into one's own personal
yacht.
You will be surprised to discover that the cost to develop a new and unique yacht design
is ordinarily less than a yacht broker's typical fee to purchase an existing yacht...!

I'll repeat that in case you missed it... Even though there is quite a lot more work involved
to create a boat design, the cost to create a new custom yacht design is ordinarily less
than a yacht broker's fee for the simple act of signing the purchase papers...!
As a percentage of the yacht's cost the amount expended on design is really not very
much. If you also consider that a custom design will be tailored to your particular
requirements rather than being an "off-the-shelf" solution, the difference in satisfaction
will be well worth the effort expended. This is especially so if a custom designed yacht
will better serve its intended purpose and will therefore be able to do so for a longer time,
versus a vessel built to a stock design. In other words, by not having to replace the yacht
quite so soon, the cost of custom design work will easily have paid for itself, in all
likelihood many times over.

Is It Proven?
The question inevitably comes up: " Is it a proven design?"
The answer is an unqualified "Yes!"
The basic principles of boat design, while seemingly complex, are well established. If
faithfully attended to, the success of a new vessel is assured, and the result will nearly
always be an improvement on what has been done before on existing designs. Where
unusual features or hull types are requested, it is prudent to involve tank testing, which
can provide valuable insight as to vessel behavior; performance; stability; seakeeping;
etc. What ultimately makes a boat a success is whether the vessel is safe, seaworthy, sea
kindly, beautiful to behold, and above all, whether the vessel satisfies the originally stated
wishes of the owner.

Establishing a Design Philosophy...

My aim is to engender superior aesthetics along with safe and comfortable boating. A
distinguishing characteristic of our design work during the last few decades has been a
focus on Nomadic Watercraft, in other words the design of truly pelagic blue water boats
for family cruising and world voyaging.
I strive for long term owner satisfaction with the resulting vessel, using the most up to
date methods and design tools, including software optimized for hull modeling, stability
and performance analyses. With this approach, I am able to leverage the work done to
create the design into subsequent detailing of the vessel's structure in order to provide an
NC cutting file package to automate parts of the vessel's construction, a process that is
outlined in our CAD Design Stream article.

My goal is to provide a complete "design service" from the point of imagining the vessel,
to creating the ideal solution to those conjurings, in other words to take the concept all
the way from 'napkin sketch' to building plans, and to then provide the various
"construction support services" noted above.

Where To Begin?
The place to start the design process is to first create an owner's specification, or "mission
statement." This can be as simple as a paragraph to describe the intended vessel, or
possibly a simple list of desired features such as preferences for rig, power, equipment,
materials of construction, overall size, accommodations, budget, project timing, and so
forth.
The owner's 'mission statement' need not be elaborate, since the particulars will be
generated by the design process itself... While sketches or design examples are not
necessary, if preliminary sketches or examples are available, certainly they can be
included. We refer to the owner's mission statement as the "Owner Specification." Once
I've understood its requirements I will provide our usual written 'Design Proposal' usually by return email or if necessary by letter or fax. Our Design Proposal is offered
free of charge and implies no obligation. It is just good information for your planning
purposes... In order to pursue a design inquiry in greater detail, please feel free to contact
me for more information or to request a Design Proposal.
Creating a new yacht design is by far the most rewarding path to long term boat
ownership, and the process itself can be quite a lot of fun...!
What do our clients think...? Please review some of their Testimonials to find out...
And for the inevitable questions about the cost of boat custom design, our Design
Proposal will answer them definitively, however please also see our Articles on the Cost
of boat design, and boat building.