Innovation in Plate Hull Design

[Briz]

After lurking and reading these boating posts for months and months I thought I should at least share something from my end. My first plate boat – a Phil Curran open tiller-steer – was sold 5 years ago as a contribution to our family pool (something which everyone else but me seems to use and yet I always have to clean) - only recently have I finally been given the green light by the Finance Minister to get a 2nd boat built.

After what seemed like an endless search at boat-shows, reading review after review and scouring the trading post for this or that boat – I finally ended up asking (no actually pleading with) an old school friend to design and build a new 5m boat. This guy (Brian) was 3 times national Tunnel-Boat champion and raced boats internationally in Europe and Asia (so he’s no mug in terms of hull design) – anyhow what makes these boats unique (for me at least) is his ability to bring across key principles of modern high-performance hull design into plate - which I’m sure we all agree has historically been constrained by the very material that makes these boats so magnificent (try bending a piece of 3, 4 or 5mm plate into a complex compound curve and not only welding it in place but avoiding woofs and stresses). Having said these boats have a link to races doesn’t make me a rev-head as I’m not looking for a fishing boat that ‘goes like the clappers’. Put simply what I like about this design is the innovative techniques in getting the plate to do things i.e., shapes that normal production plate boats never achieve.

I realise these photos of the unfinished boat are ‘different’ and I post them not to push this particular builder or design - but rather in the interests of sparking some general discussion on innovation in plate hull design (in contrast to our current preoccupation with layout and things above the water line). I imagine they will raise some eyebrows from the platie purists … but then I also seem to remember a winged-keel ruffling a few feathers some years ago. Point being … not all ‘pioneers’ end up face down in the mud with spears in their back!

PS: For those who think I’m totally bonkers or suffering from the long-terms effects of substance abuse as a young fella ... “no it is not his first design using these principles in plate” (rather the most recent of an evolutionary series of boats) and “yes the others have all worked” (so well in fact that none have currently been resold and are still with their original owners). So … let the howls begin …cheers
Briz

[juju]

It sure is different.....

[dnej]

Wow, that sure is different.What are the principles,behind the design.I mean ,why does it work so well
David

[Wahoo]

Briz, look out now, some PPL will think your "FREE" advertiseing on this forum LOL



very intersting, i like the hull shape, where it steps down from the keel and flatens out a little, would that be for planeing at lower RPMs?
keep up the pics, i would like to see this boat as it progresses

cheers

Daz

[Blackened]

G'day

Very intersting for sure, and looks a hell of alot of work.

I can see some parellels with a haines SVDH there,

Dave

[Greg P]

Be a good bay boat. Pretty flat at the back

[Briz]

I'm the owner not the builder & the boat is basically being built as a favour - just wanted to hose down the “Free-advertising” theme. Anyhow as for why it works - I'd be spreading it too thin to try for a decent technical explanation but the way it was described to me initially was about entry angles and the flow after this of water/bubbles towards the transom – there are several components of different hull design that ‘somehow’ work in combination. All a bit of a ‘dark art’ for a mug like me … so I'll ask him for a better explanation next week when I drop in for the weekly progress visit. Happy to keep the pics flowing as the boat progresses - although I'm just as interested in kicking off discussion on plate hull design in general and having a look at what else is happening out there?
cheers
Briz

[krazyfisher]

looks great would like to know more

[blaze]

Ok, I've come back and looked half a dozen times thus far. New desigb is always worth more than a quick glanze. Where are you going to mount the tansducer, seems a little limited in space to mount it on the transom . Design tents to leave options for a through hull maybe.
cheers
blaze

[MyWay]

looks good mate
but i m with Greg it looks like very good for bay chop (2f or somting like that )
i would like to know how will handle 1.5 or 1.2 m sea

can u please tall us bit more about how long .heavy . deadrise , bin any flotation add to it , etc
and where is factory

cheers no_luck

[buhky62]

I agree its definitly an innovation in design allright i also would like to see how it handles a bit of swell especialy a following sea , but please keep up the progress reports it look good ........ BOB

[finga]

Yep looks like a lot of extra work to the hull.
That's maybe why the design isn't seen around the traps.
Competition and all that crap you know. The costs have to be kept down as much as possible.
Looks good though. Can you put a picture of the entire length of the hull looking side on please??
Blaze, mate. I reckon there would some real good spots for the transducer near those gussets for the rear steps. I can imagine some nice clean water there. Height to the step might be the problem for mounting the transducer though.
From the front it looks like 3 different hulls will/can come into play depending upon speed. Is this the concept??
Do those huge steps in the hull increase stability at rest or are they slappy wave noise makers at rest??
I for one am very curious about the progress of this boat. Please keep up the reports.
Cheers and thanks
Scott

[seatime]

Looks good Briz, I like it, nice deep forefoot, variable deadrise, beamy, how will the trailer be set-up. Looks like it'll be weighty, but plane easily, what size donk will push it? more pics please.

cheers
Steve

[adds31]

Looks like its got 2 reverse chines on the hull and would handle bay chop no worries with that fine entry and probably go allright outside too by looking at the pics. Those chines make landings pretty good when your boat gets airtime offshore and helps make your boat stable when at rest. I would imagine you would be able to get her up on the plane at a fairly low speed. Be very interested to hear how it goes and see some on going pics.

Cheers Adds...

[saurian]

Briz , thanks for putting up a thread that is far more interesting than some of the more normal types on here.
Multiple chines I've seen but not that variable bend back end , what a piece of work....In plate.
Now for the real question , does it really work ????
Ta