I need your boating problems!
Discussion
Hi all,
In October I will be going back to Uni to finish off my degree. My final year project is a large percentage of the year, and it looks as though I can pretty much do whatever I want - as long as its marine-related.
I have talked to lots of people around the yard where I work and people I know through my own sailing and watersports activities, and I have a few ideas of what I might do, but ultimately I want to investigate and hopefully solve a problem that people have with their boats. This could take the form of a research project, or designing a whole new product.
To give an example, one guy I know in the year above this year has designed and produced a new fendering system, whilst another has looked into improving the safety of fuel tanks.
It doesnt just have to be boats - I'm a keen kiter, windsurfer and do a lot of dinghy instructing.
So if you have any boating problems or issues that you would like to see improved, please post!
Cheers, Sam
In October I will be going back to Uni to finish off my degree. My final year project is a large percentage of the year, and it looks as though I can pretty much do whatever I want - as long as its marine-related.
I have talked to lots of people around the yard where I work and people I know through my own sailing and watersports activities, and I have a few ideas of what I might do, but ultimately I want to investigate and hopefully solve a problem that people have with their boats. This could take the form of a research project, or designing a whole new product.
To give an example, one guy I know in the year above this year has designed and produced a new fendering system, whilst another has looked into improving the safety of fuel tanks.
It doesnt just have to be boats - I'm a keen kiter, windsurfer and do a lot of dinghy instructing.
So if you have any boating problems or issues that you would like to see improved, please post!
Cheers, Sam
""To give an example, one guy I know in the year above this year has designed and produced a new fendering system, whilst another has looked into improving the safety of fuel tanks.""
after seeing alot of fuel tanks spliting due to flexing teck tanks , stainles tanks even aliminum fuel tanks they all need installing correctly
what about the use of gas on boats ie gas lines/ storage alternatives or smaller power units
or even props and prop types styles for fuel / power ie torque / speed adopting all these fot types of crafts
last one lol life rafts no ones tryed any alternatives ???
after seeing alot of fuel tanks spliting due to flexing teck tanks , stainles tanks even aliminum fuel tanks they all need installing correctly
what about the use of gas on boats ie gas lines/ storage alternatives or smaller power units
or even props and prop types styles for fuel / power ie torque / speed adopting all these fot types of crafts
last one lol life rafts no ones tryed any alternatives ???
Thanks so far guys - there are some good areas for me to explore there.
I like the roller blinds one - I have seen a fair few people use tarps over the booms etc, but cant say I've seen a real product out there.
Life rafts would be really interesting, there is a lot of money goes into safety aspects in boating in the UK, yet they still seem relatively difficult to use. I wonder how much is being put into development at the moment.
Fuel tanks - yes there is a big problem there, the guy I know investigated using bags instead of tanks, hopefully I will get to see his final presentation next week and I will let you know what he has done
Gas is another pretty big safety concern, again I wonder whether there is anything that can make these systems safer.
One other problem I've had for a while is slipping on wet hatch covers - a few times during a tack Ive ended up face first on the cockpit floor. Grip tape has been my solution so far, but its never permanent.
Thanks again so far, any other problems please post! Cheers Sam
I like the roller blinds one - I have seen a fair few people use tarps over the booms etc, but cant say I've seen a real product out there.
Life rafts would be really interesting, there is a lot of money goes into safety aspects in boating in the UK, yet they still seem relatively difficult to use. I wonder how much is being put into development at the moment.
Fuel tanks - yes there is a big problem there, the guy I know investigated using bags instead of tanks, hopefully I will get to see his final presentation next week and I will let you know what he has done
Gas is another pretty big safety concern, again I wonder whether there is anything that can make these systems safer.
One other problem I've had for a while is slipping on wet hatch covers - a few times during a tack Ive ended up face first on the cockpit floor. Grip tape has been my solution so far, but its never permanent.
Thanks again so far, any other problems please post! Cheers Sam
Something I need for my ships is a tactile rudder angle indicator. We have an audio compass so visually impaired folk can follow a course but combined with a tactile rudder angle indicator would help novice helmsmen greatly.
We've looked at this issue for a while and the best plan so far is running morse cables from the tiller flat and using them to somehow control a raised pointer. Rather pricey and a complete pain to retro fit.
There must be some way of doing it using the 24v inputs we have to our 'normal' rudder indicators and some 'fancy electrical gadgetry'
Sounds a strange request but look at the website to see what the ships do and all will become clear.
www.jst.org.uk
Cheers
L
We've looked at this issue for a while and the best plan so far is running morse cables from the tiller flat and using them to somehow control a raised pointer. Rather pricey and a complete pain to retro fit.
There must be some way of doing it using the 24v inputs we have to our 'normal' rudder indicators and some 'fancy electrical gadgetry'
Sounds a strange request but look at the website to see what the ships do and all will become clear.
www.jst.org.uk
Cheers
L
Shrimper said:
One other problem I've had for a while is slipping on wet hatch covers - a few times during a tack Ive ended up face first on the cockpit floor. Grip tape has been my solution so far, but its never permanent.
There are products like Tek-Dek which is a covering that looks like teak. There are several companies doing similar products about. It looks like this:
""Fuel tanks - yes there is a big problem there, the guy I know investigated using bags instead of tanks, hopefully I will get to see his final presentation next week and I will let you know what he has done""
i race zapcats we use rubber fuel bladers which are good for our sport so if you land on it you dont dammage your back but we have found as the blader expands and we get condensation and so we get water in the fuel also they do split also if on a larger boat with more fule will roll more and un balance the boat.
i think that sun blinde thing is a awsum idear must be a big market for it
and anyone thought about annodes they must slow the boat down think of the drag could they be put some where like on the rudder ends like the fish tale rudders on a tug help with handling just a thought
i race zapcats we use rubber fuel bladers which are good for our sport so if you land on it you dont dammage your back but we have found as the blader expands and we get condensation and so we get water in the fuel also they do split also if on a larger boat with more fule will roll more and un balance the boat.
i think that sun blinde thing is a awsum idear must be a big market for it
and anyone thought about annodes they must slow the boat down think of the drag could they be put some where like on the rudder ends like the fish tale rudders on a tug help with handling just a thought
Keeping warm whilst keeping weight down to the absolute minimum is essential. Having spent many years racing offshore to a reasonable level, I am very conscious that races are always won and lost at night. For a crew to significantly out-perform their competition, aside from talent, they need to be warm & comfortable (especially at 3.00am when it is pissing down with rain & blowing hard). The big problem is that warmth more often than not comes with a weight penalty that can't be afforded on a competitive racing yacht. If there was a way to keep crew warm & dry for only a few ounces, or a couple of pounds at the maximum, this would be a good thing.
Coal supply...
However on a more serous note, someone at our uni did some work on a system that used the spare capacity of a boats wind turbine (ie, after batterys charged) to run a bilge ventilation system (fan) on a boat.
- Often wondered if it could be extended to a form of whole-boat dehumifier setup.
- It would depend on the wind/turbine as to the excess power avialable obvously.
- But whether living on board over winter or leaving the boat it could be a good setup.
Daniel
However on a more serous note, someone at our uni did some work on a system that used the spare capacity of a boats wind turbine (ie, after batterys charged) to run a bilge ventilation system (fan) on a boat.
- Often wondered if it could be extended to a form of whole-boat dehumifier setup.
- It would depend on the wind/turbine as to the excess power avialable obvously.
- But whether living on board over winter or leaving the boat it could be a good setup.
Daniel
noneedtolift said:
You just named one - wouldn't mind knowing more about the fendering system
Me to, what type of fendering system was it? I am interested in a softer bow fendering system other than D fendering, which can be hard, application for me is docking on wind turbines so be good to hear from you. Thanks. One suggestion i would have is liferafts or lifeboats (TEMPSCS) some research will show you in the marine industry that fully enclosed lifeboats have killed more people than they've sailed??
Freefall lifeboats are a great design which i've sailed with on several occasions and found much better.
As for liferafts themselves can the design really get simpler?? Pull chord and inflate-if this is too difficult then people should not be at sea!!!
James
Freefall lifeboats are a great design which i've sailed with on several occasions and found much better.
As for liferafts themselves can the design really get simpler?? Pull chord and inflate-if this is too difficult then people should not be at sea!!!
James
schmalex said:
Keeping warm whilst keeping weight down to the absolute minimum is essential. Having spent many years racing offshore to a reasonable level, I am very conscious that races are always won and lost at night. For a crew to significantly out-perform their competition, aside from talent, they need to be warm & comfortable (especially at 3.00am when it is pissing down with rain & blowing hard). The big problem is that warmth more often than not comes with a weight penalty that can't be afforded on a competitive racing yacht. If there was a way to keep crew warm & dry for only a few ounces, or a couple of pounds at the maximum, this would be a good thing.
I concur.Jubilee Sailing Trust - rudder angle indicator. Great idea, something I would love to have a go at. We havent covered alot of electronics on my course, so I will have to talk to my tutor. I have taught dinghy sailing to blind people before, and know how difficult it can be.
Anodes - I used to work for Dufour Yachts up until recently, and the annodes were situated on the drive leg in line with the prop as a two or three part clamp.
Fuel bags - is there any way of making the bag just have fuel in? ie when there is no fuel, the bag is essentially a vacuum?
Schmalex I agree with your comment that with warm comes weight. Do you mean clothing wise? I think there has been an awful lot of development in clothing in the last few years, its been difficult to keep my gear up to date as a consumer, I have no idea where I would start to design something better than is already out there!
I like the idea of bilge ventilation. Combining a dehumidifier would be interesting too. The number of customers boats I have been onboard where they haven't put a dehumidifier on board, or left the heads door open, of the bilges half full of water. Once that smell is there its difficult to get rid of, like a smokers car, you can always smell it.
The fendering system, from what I can remember, consisted of a rod connected to your boat and the pontoon. It had some sort of spring system, which kept your boat the same distance from the pontoon, no matter the conditions.
One thing I have always been interested in, is the fact that it is so difficult to get into an inflated life raft if you are already in the water. Surely there must be a solution to that.
Im at Portsmouth Uni studying Marine Sports Technology. Thanks for the above comments guys, please comment on the above or make any more suggestions, they are all of a great great help.
Can I have a go on your zapcat Viper??
cheers, Sam
Anodes - I used to work for Dufour Yachts up until recently, and the annodes were situated on the drive leg in line with the prop as a two or three part clamp.
Fuel bags - is there any way of making the bag just have fuel in? ie when there is no fuel, the bag is essentially a vacuum?
Schmalex I agree with your comment that with warm comes weight. Do you mean clothing wise? I think there has been an awful lot of development in clothing in the last few years, its been difficult to keep my gear up to date as a consumer, I have no idea where I would start to design something better than is already out there!
I like the idea of bilge ventilation. Combining a dehumidifier would be interesting too. The number of customers boats I have been onboard where they haven't put a dehumidifier on board, or left the heads door open, of the bilges half full of water. Once that smell is there its difficult to get rid of, like a smokers car, you can always smell it.
The fendering system, from what I can remember, consisted of a rod connected to your boat and the pontoon. It had some sort of spring system, which kept your boat the same distance from the pontoon, no matter the conditions.
One thing I have always been interested in, is the fact that it is so difficult to get into an inflated life raft if you are already in the water. Surely there must be a solution to that.
Im at Portsmouth Uni studying Marine Sports Technology. Thanks for the above comments guys, please comment on the above or make any more suggestions, they are all of a great great help.
Can I have a go on your zapcat Viper??
cheers, Sam
1) Something to help a single-handed MOB to get back aboard. Maybe a radio device that could be worn on a lifejacket and when activated the boat deploys a rope / lifebelt on a drogue and also turns the boat into the wind to stop it.
2) a MOB device like a plastic sheet whereby one end is secured to the toe rail and lowered into the water underneath the MOB and the other side is somehow winched up thus 'rolling' the recumbent MOB up the side and onto the deck.
2) a MOB device like a plastic sheet whereby one end is secured to the toe rail and lowered into the water underneath the MOB and the other side is somehow winched up thus 'rolling' the recumbent MOB up the side and onto the deck.
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