It’s a firm whose motto could almost be called “I have seen the future, and it’s the past” or “back to the drawing board.” The actual name of this new company is Moose Island Design –Yacht, Commercial and Small Craft Design. It’s located in Eastport.
This is not to say that the three MID partners, Sven Oftedal, Ed Scott, and Michael Chudy, have turned their backs on computer technology, particularly Computer Aided Design (CAD). But it does mean that a great deal of the design process, especially the conceptual stage, is carried out at drafting tables with T-squares and boat curves.
“The major advantage of drawing by hand is that you really have to know what you’re doing,” says Chudy. “Some people think that the computer can design for them. And with lines drawn by pencil you can control the thickness and shading of the drawing. You get a warmer feel. You can draw any shape you want by hand. The computer draws what it wants, and that often means a lot more work.”
Oftedal adds, “Drawing by hand means that it’s easier to get creative. I usually play on paper and then go to the computer just to do the finishing touches.”
Scott estimates that the hand drawing to CAD use is “about fifty-fifty” and adds, “Not only is the concept done by hand, so are the calculations, a good check on the computer. At that point we figure that the model worked.”
He quickly adds, however, that the firm uses Rhino software “which replaces the old designer’s half-hull. With Rhino we can create the whole hull and then rotate it and roll it around to get a really good look at it.”
Moose Island Design does build half-hull models “primarily for artistic purposes,” according to Chudy.
Oftedal says that one factor that makes Moose Island Design unique is that he “looks worldwide for design inspiration.” He adds that MID stresses economy and safety. “In some places, boats are designed for a specific purpose, and sometimes that purpose takes priority over safety. We try to combine both.”
Scott is quick to add, however, “If you want a traditional Maine lobster boat, though, we can do that just as well.”
Taking an overview of the boat design profession Scott says, “I think that some of the newer grads from colleges may not know how to use boat curves because the subject is not part of the curriculum anymore in this country with possibly the exception of the Webb Institute. In big ships CAD seems to be the answer because of the way big ships are designed and assembled. Certainly manual design is not a big part of that process. Look at the big ships today, there’s nothing fancy there. Yachts on the other hand, speak for themselves. I know some of the yacht design schools have students who are college grads from the ocean engineering schools who go to these yacht design schools to learn how to design yachts and also to learn manual marine drafting. There is an ongoing debate as to which is better, CAD or manual.”
Scott concludes, “The best in my opinion is a combination, applying the right technique to the right task. This is more difficult than just choosing either manual or CAD.”
Sven Oftedal comes from a seafaring tradition. Born in Akrehamn, a small fishing village on the southwestern coast of Norway, he was raised by his maternal grandparents. Greatly influenced by his grandfather and great-grandfather, he drew boats and built ship models at an early age. He has been a fisherman and Norwegian Merchant Mariner.
Ed Scott, originally from Pennsylvania, has had a lifelong interest in boats (“my favorite has been and is the harbor tug”). He is a former student at Westlawn School of Yacht Design, where he refreshed his manual drafting skills, took classes in CAD, marine surveying and outboard engine repair.
Michael Chudy’s roots are in Eastport extending back to the 1880s. His maternal grandfather lived here and in Jonesport during the time his family operated the N.M. Parker Sardine Cannery on Sea Street.
He has taught courses in Rhino CAD and has developed illustrations for the “Excellence in Hull Lines” course offered by the E-Marine Training Program through Professional Boatbuilder magazine, and taught by the Yacht Design School.
It should be pointed out that the three generally work in their separate offices and do, in fact, often communicate via computer. They began thinking about a partnership last summer, and Moose Island Design officially came into being early in February. Readers who want to reach them can find them at www.mooseislanddesign.com.