What are the best applications for designin and building a boat ?

[Teo]

Hello guys !
I just finnished my bachelors degree on naval engineering and I really wanted to design a RIB boat and im kinda new into this so can you guys maybe help me out with this? Like whats the best app for designing boats (possibly free) what do I need to consider, what do I need to calculate, how do I test my boat on water, how do I find the right height for my outboard engines etc etc. I would really like advice from someone who has experience on this field.
I would really appreciate it if you help me out

 

[TANSL]

Hi @Teo, welcome to the forum.
I would like to help you, but first let me ask you something that has me intrigued. You have a degree in naval engineering and haven't you been taught in your studies anything that allows you to address the questions you ask us? With a degree in naval engineering, I am sure that, if you make a little effort, you will find answers to your questions yourself.
In any case, I will tell you in advance that the first thing you should have before starting to design anything is the Statement or Requirements of what you are going to design. So, write your SOR and, surely, someone here will be able to help you.

 

[Teo]

Hi @Teo, welcome to the forum.
I would like to help you, but first let me ask you something that has me intrigued. You have a degree in naval engineering and haven't you been taught in your studies anything that allows you to address the questions you ask us? With a degree in naval engineering, I am sure that, if you make a little effort, you will find answers to your questions yourself.
In any case, I will tell you in advance that the first thing you should have before starting to design anything is the Statement or Requirements of what you are going to design. So, write your SOR and, surely, someone here will be able to help you.

Its true that I have but unfortunately for me we didnt have a proper CAD class or course so I dont know much about what software is best for designing boats, and about the requirements ive been thinking about designing a RIB boat for beach trips that aint that long, perfect for hanging around with your friends and having fun while riding it,it should store around 400l of fuel and 90l of water and id want to have a maximum of 500hp and a minimum of 250hp (outboard engines), I was thinking about a maximum speed of 60 knots at least with a length of 9 m and a beam of 3 m, 0.65m tubolars , a 25 degree dead rise angle, 0.6 m draft , I also wanted to add some ventilated steps (maybe 3 ). Please remind me if I have forgotten anything

 

[TANSL]

I see, you don't have the right software, but do you know how to do it "by hand"? If you don't know, I don't think any software will allow you to design anything. If you know it, you can do many things, for example with AutoCAD.
I am extremely surprised that you know so many dimensions, especially the draft, if you do not know, for example, how many friends are going to be on board, whether they are going to be sitting or standing, what you are going to do, what equipment/space you need to have fun. ...60 knots, aren't you dreaming out loud?
Start by doing a true SOR and drawing a prior GA.

 

[gonzo]

You forgot the most important thing: budget. Do you have $400 t0 500,000 dollars to spend on the development and prototyping? This would not include tank testing, etc. if you want to add that.

 

[Teo]

You forgot the most important thing: budget. Do you have $400 t0 500,000 dollars to spend on the development and prototyping? This would not include tank testing, etc. if you want to add that.

Lets say the budget is unlimited

 

[Teo]

I see, you don't have the right software, but do you know how to do it "by hand"? If you don't know, I don't think any software will allow you to design anything. If you know it, you can do many things, for example with AutoCAD.
I am extremely surprised that you know so many dimensions, especially the draft, if you do not know, for example, how many friends are going to be on board, whether they are going to be sitting or standing, what you are going to do, what equipment/space you need to have fun. ...60 knots, aren't you dreaming out loud?
Start by doing a true SOR and drawing a prior GA.

Okay I will try to do this, ill do more research about this on my own and present it here so you can help me

 

[BlueBell]

Teo,

In an effort to understand where you're coming from
may I ask where you got your degree?

Zodiac makes a proven RIB that meets your limited SOR.
Why redesign what's already designed, proven, and in production?
Do you think you can make significant improvements?
If so, then look at the shortcomings of the Zodiac and
make those improvements in your new design.

It's still going to take you 10 - 20 times longer than you think and cost you immeasurably more money,
grief, frustration, set backs, and time, compared to simply buying a boat that's ready to go the day it arrives
even tho it's only 99% as good as your improved design.

I don't see how I can help you other than my words above.
Good luck. Please post your progress, and set-backs.

 

[Teo]

The whole thing will be more like a personal achievement because I would like to get more in depth of the boat designing process, I understand what you are telling me but as I said I just want to design this boat as a personal achievement and to understand better the whole process, as for my degree I can not say where did I get it because it feels like a breach of privacy but what can I say is that I was the only student in my degree so I took most of my classes along with mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and navigation students, I didnt have a proper schedule and not all the professors wanted to teach to only 1 student the same way they would do for a whole class so I need to pick some stuff on my own and I figured that designing a boat would be a great idea.
I hope that you understand what I mean

 

[gonzo]

as for my degree I can not say where did I get it because it feels like a breach of privacy but what can I say is that I was the only student in my degree so I took most of my classes along with mechanical engineering

I don't understand why you are so secretive about your school. We are usually open about it. I have a degree at Valencia University and at UW-Milwaukee. However, if you have an unlimited budget, I would start by buying state of the art computers and software. Secondly, I would build a test tank for the models.

 

[Squidly-Diddly]

Hello guys !
I just finnished my bachelors degree on naval engineering and I really wanted to design a RIB boat and im kinda new into this so can you guys maybe help me out with this? Like whats the best app for designing boats (possibly free) what do I need to consider, what do I need to calculate, how do I test my boat on water, how do I find the right height for my outboard engines etc etc. I would really like advice from someone who has experience on this field.
I would really appreciate it if you help me out

for my money the $49.95 per year Student Edition Solidworks is best CADesign. not boat specific but SES is full powered deluxe, can do EVERYTHING except export to real CAM machines or full lic SW.

Autodesk gives full suite including AutoCad FREE to "students". So you might want to re-enroll in some college or find a fellow student is enrolled.
Seems CADrafting is what you use when you've got it all figured out but make predicatable changes like updating Semi-conductor layout, or reconfigure layout inside a known hull or floor. CADesign is when you don't know WTF its gonna end up looking like, yet.

Stuff like FreeCAD is admirable, but if you value your time at two cents an hour, I'd go with $49.95 per year SW.

 

[Skip Johnson]

I agree about FreeCad. For solid modelling I'd like to put in a word for Designspark Mechanical. It is a bit of an outlier compared to Fusion and the like, but it is powerful, relatively easy for an old man to learn and the Explorer edition is free and not cloud based.

Cad wise I'm committed to Autocad since I've been using it since version 1.8 on 3.5" floppy disks but stepped away from the upgrade bandwagon when Autodesk reneged on their solemn oath to incrementally upcharge upgrades at release 14. I'm not a fan of subscription based software and a (small) part of me misses the good old days when computers were new and it all was an exciting new adventure.

We are a tool using species and the tools have evolved significantly in my lifetime but it still starts with a pad of graph paper and a bit of graphite driven by a desire to create.

 

[gonzo]

Teo says he has unlimited budget. It makes no sense for him to go through the drudgery of CADD. You hire a good draftsman for that, and buy the best and most complete software package.

 

[BlueBell]

Teo,

What is your time budget, when would you like your project completed by?

If you have an unlimited budget, just hire people to help you, why would you rely on a public forum?
Most of us are humble laymen who have a hard time relating to such affluence.
"You get what you pay for." Hire a professional or two.

Best of luck.

 

[socalspearit]

60kts for a Zodiac is a very fast boat... Would need a lot of expensive power. But as far as not reinventing the wheel, the same hull form could be done with lighter weight materials for possibly better performance (carbon fiber as opposed to aluminum or fiberglass). Is it worth it though? I've been taxied in the Bahamas on a RIB that looked like a perfect Zodiac replica except it was a carbon fiber tender for a racing yacht. It was a party taxi so not running fast but we loaded it with more people than I have ever seen on a zodiac.

I have a lot of years also messing with CAD and computers and remember the wonderment of loading Autocad with my dad and tumbling a model of the space shuttle on an ancient PC.

I like designing stuff in solid modelers though and Fusion 360 is my favorite. I don't see a lot of real naval engineers using it but for an empirical builder who likes joinery it was the most intuitive I found.