Confusing presentation with substance

The dark side of yacht design is the desire to just make pretty pictures. I believe we would all like to make things of beauty...that applies even to engineers. Indeed, there have been beautiful bridges, automobiles, trains, buildings, commercial aircraft, and dams. Yachts, particularly large sailing yachts, are intended to be beautiful and to be admired. Unlike the previously mentioned objects, there generally lesser requirements for performance, safety or reliability. Nor is there any requirement that the designers be professionally licensed, or even show minimal compentency. Anyone can put up a shingle or website declaring himself to be a yacht designer. Here's an example from Lila-Lou Design House I found on Sailing Anarchy yesterday:

Skimming over the sea.

More skimming

Look, they even made a fully rendered video and posted it on Youtube. I know just how long it takes make a 3D model of a complex vessel, as well as how many hours of CPU time are sucked up rendering these images and making the video. Consequently, I have to give these guys extra credit for using their full allotment of electrons, as well as an overall "A" for presentation. However, I'm afraid I've had to give them "F" on both Substance, and Comprehension of Sailing Forces 101. Alas, where to start?

Arrangement of masts and keels

Perhaps I can start with the multiplicity of keels and masts...ah, screw it, it's hopeless, and I have other stuff to do. To be (more than) fair, I've emailed them and asked them to respond with their design rationale. My point is not to pick apart this particularly stupid design, but to comment on the confusion between style and substance that you often see in yacht design.

I imagine, from their website that they have some training as interior designers or architects; consequently, presentation is everything to them. One of the dangers of photorealistic rendering is that it confers plausibility to even the most outlandish concept. Okay, you may say, it's just harmless masturbation. However, there is always the possibility that they will be able to convince some poor feckless schmuck to actually build it.

10/30 update: Amazing the PR that these loons are putting out. Looks like they've acquired a handsome pitchman with some stripes on his sleeve:

In one of Sailing Anarchy's user forums they've already beat on this striped idiot. Check it out.

Cangarda and Cape James

Just back from the Cangarda (checking out the thrust bearing) and trying to avoid real work. Yes, Cangarda is still here and still stuck in regulatory limbo. I've got many emails enquiring after her including one with a nice link to the Fulford Place in Brockville, ON. (George Fulford owned Magedoma ex-Cangarda for many years).

Cangarda and Cape James

Beautiful, cloudless day at the Marina. (Ah...should go outside more and top up on Vitamin D!). Astern of Cangarda is Cape James, which is a cool little ship with an interesting history. This stout wooden (mostly Douglas fir) vessel was designed as a coastal freighter. Built in 1943 by the Martinolich Shipyard in Oakland (now closed for many years) and drafted into the US Army as the FP47 , it operated in the Western Pacific as a communication vessel during WWII. They say the rust spots in the hull that periodically appear are shrapnel (hmm...I don't believe it). For many years it has been a small passenger vessel operating in adventure tourism...which makes you wonder what they're doing in Richmond (actually adventurous in parts). They have a very nice website (although they guy labelled as Douglas MacArthur on board in WWII is really just some other white man in a hat) .

At Tri-Coastal, we try not to reinvent the wheel, unless it really needs it. Cangarda, unfortunately has been held back a little by unnecessary wheel re-invention.

Cangarda's original awning

Some ridge poles, some guy wires, a few clever fittings...the awning was protective, useful and simple to set and strike. It was a refinement of a design that probably went back to the Babylonians. I think you can tell how critical the awning was to the operation of the yacht by the number of historic drawings we have on the awning fittings. At least half of the Pusey and Jones drawings we got from Hagley Museum are of awning fittings.

Cangarda's new awning frame

I don't know what the heck they have in mind for the new awning, but then I didn't design it. The top looks like it will make a pretty good airfoil!