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Every great boat starts with
a couple of good ideas....
As much as egos might like to assume design begins with
inspiration: most of the time it does not. A lightening bolt idea, a
moment of revelation, or clever adaptation occasionally coalesce into a
remarkable new concept, but usually not. Most of the time inspiration is
not that easy or profound.
More often it is the result of analyzing the options and then picking
the one, or ones, best suiting the requirements. So how does a new and
innovative boat design begin? Most often it starts by identifying a
combination of elements that can’t be found in the marketplace and then
determining whether changing a few basics will provide the desired
results. From a practical point of view, in my world, that generally
means a Preliminary Design. Preliminary Design is the starting point of
virtually every new project. It can also be an extraordinarily powerful
tool even if your ultimate goal is buying an available production boat.
For a pittance of the price of your dream you can determine whether what
you “really” want is practical or even possible. Can you fit an extra
stateroom into a 45-footer? Even if you can, should you? What would
happen if the boat was really a “wide body” or if other changes are
made? When it comes to layout, a few inches can make a profound
difference. Likewise the look of the boat can be just another so-so
50-footer or a more personal statement.
Most builders don’t offer this opportunity. Why? Duh, they want to sell
you the boat they have. The information a Preliminary Design can provide
can help you, as owner, understand whether what you want (or think you
want) truly is an option. It can point you toward the best purchase
decision. Of course if what you want is possible, but simply not
available, it also can help you discover the custom or semi-custom
alternative.
But that’s just my opinion.
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