Services

New Vessel Design

Oak Hill Marine Design, LLC, specializes in the design of commercial powerboats up to a length of 70 feet. We design the following types of vessels for both inland and offshore use, to regulatory requirements as necessary:

  • Work boats
  • Passenger vessels
  • Small yachts

We design for aluminum, steel, or fiberglass construction in accordance with Lloyd’s or ABS requirements. We employ computer modeling and drafting as integral parts of the design process, which we feel provides a superior product. For a further discussion of the advantages of computer use in the design process, click here.

Our design packages include arrangement and regulatory agency drawings, system design and schematic drawings, bills of materials, and construction drawings, as needed. Data files for mold construction may also be included. We also create kits for fabricating metal boats. These include all of the above, plus parts ready for computer-cutting.

To see some examples of our work you can click here.

Computer Lofting

For full-size 3D modeling of hulls and structure we rely on the precision and accuracy of AeroHydro's MultiSurf surface modeling software. We've worked with AeroHydro in the testing and development of its software since the late 1980s and we are extremely confident in its capabilities. We have created parts for vessels much larger than those we design in-house, including expanded plates. We're convinced that it’s the best choice available for reliable lofting results. Our computer lofting services include:

  • Full-size 3D modeling of surfaces, solids, and structural sections
  • Expansion of flat plates from developable and compound-curved surfaces
  • Structural detailing, including parts for CNC cutting
  • Hydrostatic analyses
  • Weight and CG estimates
  • Output of data in a variety of formats for third party evaluation of vessel characteristics.

Working from a good set of lines, we regularly exceed an accuracy of 0.1% of the vessel's beam when matching the computer model to the printed lines. From the lofted hull we can provide plotted Lines Plans, Offset Tables, full-size patterns, and data for fabricating molds, both male and female.

For a further discussion of the advantages of computer lofting, click here.

Refit and Modification

Oak Hill Marine Design has experience in the modification of existing vessels. We have assisted in re-powering, designed new equipment to expand a vessel's capabilities, and developed new joinerwork for installation. An example of our refit work may be seen by clicking here.

Manual Drafting

Sometimes the best way to approach a design is to draw it by hand. I have several years of experience in manual drafting using both pencil and ink, rendering preliminary drawings for evaluation and customer approval, producing construction sketches and drawings, and creating detail drawings for the use of third-party fabricators.

Computer Drafting

We have been using computers and CAD software for almost 20 years. We've found that sketching and drawing by hand allows quick development of a preliminary design, but switching to CAD provides the opportunity to make multiple revisions quickly and easily, allowing the designer to move more quickly through the design process to a more optimal design. We are proficient in the use of computers for 3D modeling and 2D drafting and will be glad to apply our skills to your needs.


Background photograph by Alison Hudson