If I were a boat designer/builder ...

rjrose · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:14 pm

I know we can have a lot of fun with this and it should also be educational. No rules but just think of what you would do differently if you were the D/B.

I'll start with:

I would incorporate a mid ship spigot connected to the city water hook-up. With this you could use a lightweight coiled hose for wash down instead of trying to snake the dock side hose up one side and then the other side over the entire length of the boat. Geesh, what a PITA! While I was at it, I would enable the city water hook-up to fill the fresh water tank, eliminating the deck fitting.

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:37 pm

Since I just changed mine, I would have the AC condensate drain into the sump, not the bilge.

Also, regardless of boat or engine combination, remote oil filters would be standard.

ardy · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:13 am

On my H180 I would make the ski locker just a little larger so you can get my 67 inch slalom ski in it easily.
On the trailer have a handle or something to grab hold of for when I am manouvering by hand.

rjrose · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 7:37 am

+1 on the filters Dallas. Also, all pumps would be accessible - even at the expense of cosmetics. I'd much rather have an access door than a smooth (fake) wood surface.

ric · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:19 am

All boats should have a raw water wash down system installed from the factory. From the smallest bow rider to the largest yacht.

Partycove2 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:41 am

How about a 2 speed outdrive so we could get more than 1 mile per gallon!!!

ric · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:14 am

Partycove2 wrote:

How about a 2 speed outdrive so we could get more than 1 mile per gallon!!!

I know right. An ideal setup would be:

2spd GM hydromatic trans, no torque converter (direct drive) and a manual shift body. It would last 500 years on the original fluid and never need rebuilding. It would also only add maybe 2ft to the length of the power package which on today's boats you could easily handle that in styling.

Walt · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:17 pm

Partycove2 wrote:

How about a 2 speed outdrive so we could get more than 1 mile per gallon!!!

You get 1 MPG??? I'm jelous! OK, my last boat (4.3L 18') actually got 6 MPG on long trips. With the 6.2, and likey the open exhaust at WOT, I'm not even gonna measure.

To change....
1) Make routine components of the engine compartment easier to get at... Specifically the Water pump and fuel filter. There is no reason I should consider cutting a hole in the bottom of the boat for maintenace! I am seriously considering getting a VP water pump and doing some retro-work next season.

2) along the same lines, access doors need to be larger. Most pronounced is my "glove box" door. The box itself is big enough for 2 inflatable chairs, a cooler, phones, radio, and a few lawn ornaments.... but the access is barely big enough to swipe a credit card!

Graham R · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:49 pm

Based on my experiences:
Design the boat so that rainwater and water spray is deflected/ drained overboard instead of going into the bilges..
Make electical wiring/ systems tidy and connectors mechanically stress free.
Don't attach high stress items into fibreglass with woodscrews.
Use locknuts on bolts/ studs, not normal plain nuts.
Use stainless bolts, not mild steel in areas exposed to water.
Put seals where they will prevent water ingress, rather than encouraging it.
Use exterior fittings: lights, transom shower covers) that are UV stable.
Design boat covers that don't allow water ingress.
Design covers with appropriate reinforcement at the windscreen frame to prevent premature wear.
Understand that sharp radiuses are bad for painted/ powdercoated frames and specify accordingly.
Use jigs for cutting out holes for hatches.
Don't use aluminium washers in areas exposed to salt water.
Put limber holes at the lowest point so drainage works.
Fit the anchor compartment drains at the lowest point in the compartment, not above it
Fit a decent sized bilge pump, not the smallest available.

All that must add at least $50 at OEM buy in prices to the cost of building a boat though !

Graham

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 6:04 pm

Whatever you do, don't ask this designer for his opinion. :lol:

A little tippy.

This ought to fix it.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:20 pm

Whatever happened to that monstrosity?

240 Joe · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:30 pm

I'd like to have a wakeboard tower with springs or gas assist that could be raised and lowered on the water by one person. There are some bridges on I cannot get under if the lake is near full pond.

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:57 pm

wkearney99 wrote:

Whatever happened to that monstrosity?

It's home port is Montreal and it cruises around Montreal Harbor hosting dinner cruises and party charters for up to 40 people.

Looks like the naval architects are still having a field day with it: http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/open-d ... 728-9.html

ric · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:34 pm

If I were a boat designer/builder.. I would sell bow filler cushions and keep them in stock, instead of telling us they exist but in reality it's easier to find bigfoot.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

Make the engine parts that fail regularly easy to remove and the water drainage in the engine compartment at the lowest point which the way it is now it is totally ridiculous to have to take a towel and wipe up an inch and a half of water just sitting there next to the drainage hole. Also just like it has been said before the bilge system on these boats is garbage! Give me the option to add bigger pumps if I want to not just one 500 GPH or 800 GPH build redundancy into these systems. Factory installed solar tricklers to keep batteries charged would be nice. Battery hookup under the seat where the perko switch is at so if your batteries go down you can still access the engine compartment by just slapping on jumper charger. Make the wake tower easier to fold. Give the option for southern boaters to do away with those god awful carpets jeez!! A nice non slip gel coat option would be nice.

Joe in Miami

www.iFourWinns.com

If I were a boat designer/builder ...

Who is online