Trimaran Hull Segmentation for Lobster Boat Deck Space and Fuel Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current lobster boat designs with increased beam for more deck space lead to higher power requirements and fuel consumption, posing financial challenges for commercial lobstermen.

Innovation Solution

A trimaran boat design featuring a pair of sidehulls and a center hull with a continuous deck, where the sidehulls are positioned to reduce power requirements and fuel consumption while maintaining deck space and aesthetics, with specific configurations such as sidehulls having lengths less than half the center hull length and a beam of about 15 feet, and a center hull beam width of 3.5 feet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the beam of the lobster boat is increased to provide more deck space for carrying traps, then the deck space and trap capacity are improved, but the power requirements and fuel consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeck spaceVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The boat is divided into three separate hulls (one center hull and two sidehulls) instead of a single monolithic hull. This segmentation allows the deck space to be distributed across multiple hulls, providing ample area for trap storage while maintaining a narrower overall waterline width that reduces hydrodynamic resistance and power requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Area of stationary object

If the beam of the lobster boat is increased to provide more deck space, then the trap carrying capacity is improved, but the power requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeck spaceVSAvoidpower requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If the sidehulls are positioned closer to the center hull, then the stability is improved, but the deck space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestabilityVSAvoiddeck space

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sidehulls are positioned at specific distances from the center hull (7 feet from centerline) to achieve optimal stability characteristics. This local positioning provides sufficient stability for the vessel while maintaining adequate deck space between the hulls for trap storage and crew movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9718516B2Trimaran hull and boat

Publication Date: 2017.08.01 PENOBSCOT EAST RESOURCE CENT

AI summary

A trimaran boat is provided. The trimaran boat may have a pair of sidehulls, a center hull positioned between the pair of sidehulls, and a deck extending substantially continuous from one sidehull across the center hull to the other sidehull. A trimaran boat hull is also provided. The trimaran boat hull may have a pair of sidehulls, a center hull positioned between the pair of sidehulls, a deck extending substantially continuous from one sidehull across the center hull to the other sidehull. The trimaran boat hull may also have a pair of center hull transitions and a pair of sidehull transitions. The trimaran boat may also be configured such that a transom of each sidehull is v-shaped.