How to hire a boat designer

[waltwood]

I'm ready to build another boat and have a lot of information on the shape, size, etc. I have designed a few boats and built two of them but I know enough now to want professional help. I don't know how to balance the hull or do any calculations. I want to hire a designer or naval architect. I would like an individual rather than an office with a design team. I would want this person to come to me initially to discuss the design. There are a couple of boats I could show him. I don't need the designer to tell me how to build the boat or what kind of materials to use. The boat I want to build is a 28' Bay boat with a small cabin, hard chine, and a large outboard motor. I know this is generally a simple boat to some but I would prefer a good plan. My questions to the forum are how much will this cost and does anyone know of a designer in Md or Va?
Thanks,
Walt

[p_smith]

Cernyyachtdesign.com
I've worked with Kurt, talented guy.

[Ian McColgin]

While most designers can do quite a range of boats, it might help if you could say what sort of boat you want.

[mmd]

I'm here...

...but I can't go there, yet.

[Matt young]

http://www.tadroberts.ca/
https://bandbyachtdesigns.com/
https://www.selway-fisher.com/

Here are three options, they all produce great work. No idea on cost, I would strike up emails or conversations and see where it goes that will give you the best answers. B&B is in N.Carolina you could drive over there and discuss in person.

[sp_clark]

I discovered Mike Waters when looking for design / construction information about multi-hulls a couple of months ago. His website's a great resource of information, includes a contact form you can use to ask questions like yours.

Look close on his home page too for a button that'll take you to a website bringing boat builders & designers together, might be just what you're looking for!

[Breakaway]

For a Bay Boat, I would contact local resources, like the Chesapeake Maritime Museum, etc. Also contact SNAME and look for Bay area designers.https://www.sname.org/

I would also contact Westlawn and ask about alumni in the region. http://www.westlawn.edu/

Keivn

[waltwood]

Thank you for all of your recommendations! Kevin I especially like your ideas.
i did say what kind of boat I wanted build Ian but We all like a picture.

A 28' version of this boat. I know where one is I don't have a picture.

[Edward Pearson]

Your chosen naval architect will want to know and evaluate your preferred construction method. It's intrinsic to it's design. You will exactly have to listen to the designer when he specifies how to build it and what materials to use if you want it to sit to it's lines and perform properly. If you can't accept this at the outset you're wasting his time and yours.

You also need to be clear in your head how fast you want to cruise, the engine type, drive, how many berths, range and what you where you want to go.

[Jackett]

Thank you for all of your recommendations! Kevin I especially like your ideas.
i did say what kind of boat I wanted build Ian but We all like a picture.

A 28' version of this boat. I know where one is I don't have a picture.

A 'Bay Boat' isn't a type I'm familiar with. What are the characteristics that make a Bay boat a Bay boat? Just interested.

[Ian McColgin]

A boat's design is far more than hull plan. Your NA will look at weight distribution, construction scantlings, systems installation, legal compliance, and more. There are plenty of small boats that can be built pretty much from basic plans as sold by Atkins or found in one of John Gardner's books, but these are simple.

Lofting by hand is a good exercise for getting to know the boat, as is making an accurate model, but there are naval architects who can provide full size mylar patterns or plywood station molds. For example, after computer sharing between Michael Mason (who did the engineering and some modest redesign for Meg) and a local firm, a few pallets of plywood arrived at the yard. They went together like a jig saw puzzle to set up nice and fair. This is so cost effective that the yard does this with all new builds.

The time and money you spend with the NA talking you out of really dumb ideas and making sure that your engineering is right will save more than fixing problems as you go along.

The general type of boat you're after looks lovely.

G'luck

[waltwood]

A 'Bay Boat' isn't a type I'm familiar with. What are the characteristics that make a Bay boat a Bay boat? Just interested.

This is what I consider to be a Bay Boat

Come from Work Boat lineage
Simple interior
Over 26' long
Full transom- none of this Hinkley stuff
Usually used for line fishing
Good looking
Hard chine and not deep V
A cabin with a step up and a hard top as opposed to a Bass boat

[waltwood]

Ian,
I realize it will be more than a hull plan and I want that. What I was trying to state is that I have been around boats and boat construction a long time and can give specifics to the NA. There will not be any " we're really not sure what kind of boat we want".
I have found no stock plans that I like enough to build and do not want a plywood hull.
Thanks for the input from all.

[waltwood]

I have found a perfect boat design thanks to Cerny Yacht Designs. Someone told him about this thread and he contacted me. He was working on a plan for a builder that built me a boat in 2001. This is an updated version of that boat. Can't wait to post a picture but I think I need his okay first.

[Breakaway]

Cool!

Hope you will be allowed to show it!

Kevin


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