Student design in Solidworks

I don't know if the folding "shell" boat is a particularly good idea but I think the dockability of the smaller craft into the shell boat is very cool.

Jake,

As a piece of design, I'm sure your tutors will like it, from a practicality purpose I'm afraid I see flaws.

The Princess cruisers you featured on your presentation are really quite small, larger craft may have a tender/limousine and a RIB and Jet Skis.

The smaller powered vessel may have James Bond cool, but if you consider a Jet Ski/Personal Water Craft can usually carry 2-3 persons, the driver has good all round visibility and can tow a water toy/skier. The way you have your craft rendered the pilot will not see very much.

Despite your assertion that RIBs do not fit with the yacht image, they are very practical, the inflated portion gives a huge reserve of bouyancy, acts to a certain extent as a fender and the rigid portion of the hull planes nicely. They make superb sea boats. With your 2 craft joined together I cannot see how you will prevent the 2 outside pods folding in or flexing when riding waves, nor do they look as though they are designed to plane. I can't see it working very well as a work boat for washing down the hull or for diving from.

Jet Ski engines are notoriously temperamental and as a general rule smaller ones do not reverse, a reversing bucket would be required. Jet boats can also be difficult to manoeuver and when beaching or running in shallow sea suck sand and gravel into the jet; an outboard or outdrive can be tilted upwards. Outboards are easier to work on and can be exchanged more easily.

Sorry to sound negative, but you did ask for opinions. Others may blow my misgivings out of the water. Good Luck.

Hi,

Have you actually built one of these and tried it in the real world?

Is you colleague listed on the site any relation to the famous Renato Sonny Levi by any chance?

yes, a prototype could bring some answers...
I was curious in what marina you both were analysing the others... Seems some like in UK in south mainly? Can you confirm?

Great concept, but in the real world I can see many hazards. At the end of the day it's too out of the box. I would look at the inflatable more and try and redesign that. Maybe you and your friend could use/borrow an inflatable for the weekend and see what could be modified to make it a better boat... But your up against a lot of pros. Cheers

Far

Perhaps this design brings about the best of both worlds, inflatable and the jet-ski combined:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/6995/picture/32434/.

One of the problems that I see wrong with this design,however, is that the waverunner actually sits on top of one of the sides (inside the boat).