Boat Design
Boat Design
Navtech designs small craft where weight, speed and comfort all compete — crew boats and patrol craft, aluminium workboats, yachts and houseboats — combining owner styling requirements with the scantlings, stability and systems that make a boat approvable and durable in service.
Hull design and performance
On small craft, performance is decided by hull form and weight, and both are fixed early. We develop planing, semi-displacement or displacement hull forms to suit the speed and sea state you actually operate in, and track weight from the first estimate onward, because a boat that gains ten percent in build weight loses far more than ten percent of its performance.
- Planing, semi-displacement and displacement hull form development
- Resistance and powering estimates with propeller and waterjet matching
- Seakeeping assessment for the intended operating sea state
- Weight estimate and centre of gravity control through the build
Aluminium and composite construction
Material choice changes everything downstream — scantlings, welding or laminate schedules, corrosion protection and repairability. We design in aluminium, steel and composite, and detail the structure so the chosen builder can produce it without improvising at the bench.
- Aluminium boat structural design and welding details
- Composite laminate schedules and core specification
- Steel small craft scantlings and detailing
- Corrosion protection, galvanic isolation and bonding arrangements
- Structural drawings suited to the intended builder
Crew boats, patrol craft and workboats
Commercial small craft carry statutory obligations that private boats do not — passenger safety, subdivision, escape arrangements and load line. We design to those requirements from the outset rather than retrofitting compliance after the arrangement is fixed.
- Crew and personnel transfer boat design with transfer arrangements
- Patrol, pilot and security craft layouts
- Passenger craft subdivision, escape routes and safety arrangements
- Deck equipment, fendering and boarding arrangement design
Yachts, houseboats and custom craft
For private and leisure craft the brief usually begins with styling and volume, and the engineering job is to deliver that without compromising stability, noise or systems access. We work alongside owners and designers to reconcile the two.
- Yacht concept and detailed design with owner styling input
- Houseboat and floating accommodation design
- Interior volume, layout and habitability planning
- Noise, vibration and comfort mitigation
- Systems integration — power, water, sanitation, HVAC
Frequently asked questions
Do you design boats in aluminium as well as steel and composite?
Yes. Aluminium is common for crew boats, patrol craft and fast workboats in this region, and we design the structure and welding details accordingly. We also work in steel and in composite, and we will advise which material suits your operation, budget and available builder.
Can you design a boat to be built by a specific local yard?
Yes, and it is worth telling us the builder early. Structural detailing, panel sizes and tolerances that suit a well-equipped yard can be impractical for a smaller fabricator. Designing to the actual builder’s capability avoids changes during construction.
Is a stability booklet required for a small boat?
It depends on size, service and flag. Commercial craft carrying passengers or crew almost always require approved stability documentation, and many workboats do too. We confirm the applicable requirements for your flag and class at the start rather than leaving it as a late surprise.
Can you take an existing boat design and improve it?
Yes. Common requests are increasing capacity or speed, correcting a stability shortfall, reducing noise and vibration, or updating an older design to meet current rules. We assess the existing craft first and tell you honestly what can and cannot be achieved within the existing hull.
What do you need to quote a boat design?
Length and intended service, target speed and passenger or crew numbers, operating area and sea conditions, preferred construction material, class and flag requirements, and your target delivery date.
Related engineering services
Have a vessel and a scope in mind?
Share your drawings, class society and target dates — we respond within 24–48 hours.