Design parameters for for the Design Challenge: how about flotation?

[spirit]

Page 29 of Wooden Boat for September/October 2008 reiterates a design challenge for a small new family powerboat; and this challenge is well known to readers of this forum.

The design parameters call for a 16 1/2-18 1/2 foot day boat that can cruise at 15 knots carrying four adults, and that can get home against a steady 15 knot breeze with higher gusts and a 2-3 foot chop. There are also limits for power, fuel efficiency and weight. Two of our most beautiful small power boats are shown in quiet water, presumably as current examples of suitable boats.

No safety parameters are given for this delightful challenge, despite the obvious use of the proposed boat in relatively rough waters. Shouldn't the design parameters for this challenge include the requirement that the new boat complies with minimum federal safety laws for flotation (see: http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/boatbuilder/flotation/183-202-0.htm)?

[Thorne]

Nope. Those laws are for boats made for commercial resale -- not necessarily for home builders (99% of the WB plan market).

I do agree that the rules seem a bit fuzzy.

[kenjamin]

Safety is fleetingly mentioned in the design parameters for the contest:

"...at the same time, it must be efficient and safe for a family to make daytrips in coastal or inland waters. The best designs will balance all these elements."

If a boat can't sink, that would seem to make it safer so flotation is probably a point to consider in your design entry. If the boat were self-bailing, that might even make it safer.;)

[Tom Robb]

Challenge spec's may be intentionaly "fuzzy" in order to get some variety in the entries.