Designing & Building Hammerhead

Thanks. I imagine that we keep on feeding info via this thread. The second design iteration, the third and final one, and then the build. The yard that'll build the ship will commit to the plan and the numbers. Usually, the contract states that a ship needs to get to a certain speed. For us the crucial number will be fuel consumption at 10 knots.

We are looking at two building slots, currently. One in January, the other in May 2022. The NA feels that January may be a stretch, since there is still a lot of drawings and schemes to be made.

We'll finish the first design iteration cycle in a week and a half from now. First thing after that is that price estimates will be made, based on the outcomes. That'll help us establish a feasibility study. The feasibility study will give us a formal yes/no decision moment on the project.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Salty Pelican said:

Thanks. I imagine that we keep on feeding info via this thread. The second design iteration, the third and final one, and then the build. ...

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

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Please do keep us updated.

We tried to go to the NL in the spring of 2020 to visit a boat builder but that trip got canceled. We hope to go in the spring of 2021. Spent some time today discussing and researching the trip.

Later,
Dan

If you feel like having a drink (I make some awesome rum, gin, and whiskey) and meeting up, please let me know, Dan. We are like half an hour away from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Salty Pelican said:

If you feel like having a drink (I make some awesome rum, gin, and whiskey) and meeting up, please let me know, Dan. We are like half an hour away from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

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We will certainly do so! The places we have looked at staying are within 15-30 minutes of Schiphol. We REALLY wanted to go on the 2020 trip, not just to see boats and the builder, but to see the NL. SOOOO much history to see.

The 2021 trip we are planning to go to the NL, Turkey and possibly Ireland. A unique sail boat was partially built last year and then shipped to Ireland for finishing out. We want to see if we can visit that boat. But trying to see visit three countries is pushing things. Such a problem to have though.

Course, this pesky pandemic makes planning interesting.

Later,
Dan

Today was another great day, designing Hammerhead! We added a bit of volume and buoyancy to the forward and aft underwater ship. We designed a wedge. The cockpit got redone, and is now a bit longer, minimizing deck space behind it, and we added second row seating at the back, as well as entrance doors to the back and right. One meter high railings have also been added. On top of 15 cm high "bulwarks" that now face inward.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

That looks much better, adds more usable deck space, and I bet opens up some headroom down below.

Regarding the swim step. One of the issues I have had with swim steps is that at times it would be since to have a way to walk to the stern of the boat, but not have to walk down steps to the swim deck, especially at sea. Or to put it another way, it would be nice to be able to extend the main deck OVER the swim step.

Course, dingy storage has to be kept in mind.

Found the solution, which is sorta simple, on the Pelagic 77. Why did I not think of that idea.

It is at 5:20 in this video, .

Basically, they built hinged grates that sit at the main deck, over the swim step, that can be lifted up when access to the swim step is needed.

Later,
Dan

Nice solution. But since we don't have a problem there, and will put the dingy on the swimming platform, well, not a solution to us.

Regards, Edwin.

Here's a picture of the last iteration with the solar panel roof removed for a better view at the cockpit.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

First iteration nearing completion. Coming Thursday we'll have the feasibility study ready. Very exciting!

We have the deck / sheer-line now at a 0.5 degree rise. Bulwarks on a negative angle. This makes the place where the deck meets the hull both very strong and the widest part of the ship. If we accidentally hit a dock or lock wall, it'll be at the strongest point. And with this design, a stupid in-harbor collision like that won't bend the bulwarks or railings.

The calculations certify her for CE-A and Lloyd's. Bf 10 and 10 meter high waves, if I am not mistaken. In full-load, half-load, and even on empty weight. She is self-righting in all load conditions as well.

Preliminary theoretical calculations show that, at half-load, stabs included, in a calm sea state, she'll do over 2 sea miles per gallon at a speed of 10 knots per hour. She'll cross the Atlantic at that speed, with a 20% reserve in fuel to help compensate for wind and waves.

Don't you love her look? We think she's both elegant and sturdy.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Salty Pelican said:

First iteration nearing completion. Coming Thursday we'll have the feasibility study ready. Very exciting!

We have the deck / sheer-line now at a 0.5 degree rise. Bulwarks on a negative angle. This makes the place where the deck meets the hull both very strong and the widest part of the ship. If we accidentally hit a dock or lock wall, it'll be at the strongest point. And with this design, a stupid in-harbor collision like that won't bend the bulwarks or railings.
...

Don't you love her look? We think she's both elegant and sturdy.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

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I like the look.

Does the design have rub rails?

We have looked at commercial boats that have rubber rub rails that we liked. Some won't like the look I suppose but the rubber rub rails seemed robust enough to take a beating which is why they were installed. Flip side, the LRC's are using AL U shape channels that are quite strong and AL can be cleaned up pretty easily. Looks nicer too.

Regarding lifelines. We are fairly tall and it is shocking to us how low lifelines are on so many boats. They really are trip lines. We have liked the idea of pipe rails for the life lines but if one does end up pushing into a high quay it could be a costly repair. Also, with these designs, yours and the LRCs, a round pipe would be more of a visual obstruction than say some Dyneema rope. A Dyneema rope lifeline would seem to minimize damage if pushed into the theoretical quay side.

Later,
Dan

Hi Dan,

The ship will have a rub rail. Aluminium. I think the NA proposed half round pipe? Will discuss it further coming Thursday. Lifelines or railings or whatever they are called will be 1 meter high, on top of a 15 centimeter bulwark.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Salty Pelican said:

Hi Dan,

The ship will have a rub rail. Aluminium. I think the NA proposed half round pipe? Will discuss it further coming Thursday. Lifelines or railings or whatever they are called will be 1 meter high, on top of a 15 centimeter bulwark.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

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A meter tall life line is about right for my wife and I. My two cents is that the tallest rail/lifeline should be above the hips.

The Pelagic 77 video I posted early also did something with the lifelines that is seldom done. The middle lifeline is just above the lower lifeline so that one has a better chance of being stopped by the lifeline before going overboard.

If you have not seen what Mobious is doing with their stanchions go take a look. They have a relatively quick ways to replace a damaged stanchions. The stanchions are mounted to the rub rail.

https://mobius.world/cabinets-floors-and-more-progress-update-sept-23-27-2019/

https://mobius.world/aluminium-rosewood-as-beautiful-as-it-sounds-xpm78-01-weekly-progress-update-oct-7-11-2019/

This link has a detail drawing.

https://mobius.world/missing-in-action-but-not-progress-weekly-mbius-update-aug-19-23-2019/

Later,
Dan

I think the four line approach from KMY on the Pelargic 77 is a great one. I think our 15 centimeter high bulwark takes care of the slipping risk low by the ground. Wouldn't you agree?

Regards, Edwin.

Wow! Remember that we did a trip with our motor cutter Salty Pelican towards the North of the Netherlands? We stayed at Lake Lathum one night.

Week or so later, the wife of a cousin sees a painting made of a boat on Lake Lathum. The boat resembles Salty Pelican, she thinks.

We reach out to the artist and compare dates and locations, and it is Salty Pelican! Or the artist's impression of her (we sailed by in less than five minutes, it took her two days to finish the painting).

Further investigation teaches us that the painter lives in Vianen. The city where Salty Pelican is harbored. To prevent things from getting even weirder, I visited the artist this morning and bought the painting from her.

Regards, Edwin.

Salty Pelican said:

I think the four line approach from KMY on the Pelargic 77 is a great one. I think our 15 centimeter high bulwark takes care of the slipping risk low by the ground. Wouldn't you agree?

Regards, Edwin.

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Yep, that bulwark will help keep someone aboard.

Later,
Dan

Salty Pelican said:

..

Further investigation teaches us that the painter lives in Vianen. The city where Salty Pelican is harbored. To prevent things from getting even weirder, I visited the artist this morning and bought the painting from her.

Regards, Edwin.

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Yes, you HAD to buy that painting. What are the odds of you even KNOWING about that painting?

Very cool story.

Course, you will have to have the same painter, paint your new boat in the same spot.

Later,
Dan

My thinking too, Dan!

Here are more pictures of what's the end of the first design iteration. We added a longer keel, stabilizers, and an outside steering position in sailboat style. She'll hold 6,500 liters of fuel in five tanks.

With the current design parameters, at half load, with 1 kWh of generator power running, stabs working, etc, she uses slightly less than 1 liter of fuel per kilometer at 10 knots.

With a 20% reserve in mind, "Hammerhead" will have an autonomy of 3,200 nautical miles at her high cruising speed of 10 knots. Slowing down to 9 knots results in 4,500 nm of range. The slow cruising speed (well, for this vessel) of 8 knots gives an autonomy of 6,000 nm.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Veronika finds it important that the windows are so low that they are basically behind the settee's upright cushions. This gives a very roomy feeling to the living, where the sleeping quarters - au contraire - need to be more private and confined.

Here's a picture of how the NA helps us analyse sight-lines (angled downwards in this case) and helps us gain a better understanding of what the ship will be like.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Salty Pelican said:

...
Here's a picture of how the NA helps us analyse sight-lines (angled downwards in this case) and helps us gain a better understanding of what the ship will be like.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Click to expand...

Sight lines are sooooo important.

I was on one boat and if I was standing, I really could only see the water. I had to sit down to see off in the distance. My eye ball height was blocked by they cabin side. The windows, and thus cabin height, needed to be a few inches higher, or the cabin sole a few inches lower. Course, moving the ceiling up, or the sole down, has other design impacts.

Later,
Dan

Just downloaded the promo stuff on the Arksen 65. Very congruent thinking. Have you thought through alt energy solutions? Really like the Arksen is not only self sufficient but is so without much release of carbon. Their hybrid solution seems quite viable as well.

Note the fins. Why didn’t you go gyro?

Heard about Arksen. Like the mindset-mode push. Also feel it is not up to the individual buyer to concur or not. The goal is the ship, from the owner's perspective. The mission is up to the owner. Not the other way around. Not like you "have to" buy into making the ocean a better place.

The Hammerhead Project has amazing alt-energy solutions. We are working together with Delft University ... the team that won 10 years of solar-electric vehicle races across Australia. Imagine solar yield of 24 w/m2 vs. 18. At half the weight, yet maybe double the costs.

That being said ... for long range cruising nothing beats diesel for yield in terms of energy. Would love it to be different, but the amount of chargers one can visit while transiting an ocean is ... limited? Done the math, and ship autonomy isn't around plug-in/hybrid. Not yet. Not even when one goes full solar and tropics only.

Maybe kites can make a difference. Investigating that for sure. To the extend that we may already have a spin-off company for kite-propulsion for sea-going motor yachts. To be continued.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Here is a 2d-picture of the Hammerhead Project!

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Remind me of the beam?

5 meter over all and a bit over 4m20 at the water line, Twisted Tree.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Hypo, for now I choose fins, because gyro's are very complex (SeaKeeper) and/or heavy (Kwik). I am a strong believer of less complexity being better, as it is the complexity of so many systems that seems to prevent too many motor yacht owners at attempting the longer voyages we are aiming for.

Also they kick-out at Bf 7 or thereabouts. So when you really need them, they stop functioning. Also they take up a lot of space and use quite some energy. The fins we are looking at are much lighter and most of the weight is in the water. Easy to replace as well.

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

Edwin, I've been following this from the beginning. A couple of comments. Our boat has a Gardner 8LXB coupled to a Hundested CPP, 36" three blade prop. More info on that is in this thread:
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s6/variable-pitch-propeller-58851.html
Someone asked the question as to why a dry stack, and you commented that you would be using EGT to monitor load.
Our boat uses EGT as well, and has a wet exhaust. The EGT is upstream of the water injection cooling/muffling in the exhaust. The engine loading is set using the EGT. For normal cruising, select 1400 rpm, pitch blade to EGT of between 400 and 450 degrees F, and that yields a through the water speed of between 7.5 and 8 kts depending on loading. At around 80,000 lbs loaded (half fuel), running the 12kw hydraulic motor driven generator, pressure provided by hyd pump on main engine, fuel consumption is 2.4 gph, or 3.125 nm/gallon.

Watching with interest!

Thanks for sharing, SlowGoesIt!

Regards, Edwin.

Drawing of the interior? Here ya go!

Regards, Edwin & Veronika.

I assume the galley is combined with the pilot house over the engine room? Looks nice!


Edit: Okay I just answered my own question as I see you already posted a layout of the upper deck!