NOTENOTE* NOTENOTE* NOTENOTE* NOTENOTE* NOTENOTE* NOTENOTE*
NOTE**NOTE*

DO NOT START TO COMMENT ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE LIST BELOW, OTHER THAN TO
ASSIST IN DEFINING THE LIST.    For example, don't start to argue the  price
of the boat, help us understand the factors that go into impacts of pricing.
Help identify factors that aren't listed or correct improper assertions in
the existing wording.  I hope that makes sense.  When we complete the list,
then we argue the specifics.

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NOTE**NOTE*

Perfect Passage Maker

Target user  (Extracted from Ken W's List)

Describe the profile of the target user/builder/purchaser and how these
attributes may influence design, operations and maintenance

AGE:  A factor in design if we agree some/many targeted users will be in
their more mature years, where being hoisted in a bosuns chair to the top of
a mast is not desirable.  We recognize this doesn't apply to ALL users, but
using a mature age will enable us to insure design attributes are
serviceable by this community of users.  An example of where this attribute
may impact design is in selecting DRY versus WET exhaust.  If we agree AGE
is a significant factor, this might weight heavily on the choice of DRY
VERSUS WET exhaust.

CREW:  Primarily operated by a couple, be it husband and wife of two
participants, we should agree that this is NOT a single handed vessel.
While designed to be operated by two, it may be desirable to include
accommodations for visiting crew or for additional crew for long passages.
Examples of how CREW variables impact systems is the total amount of
watermaking capacity and waste storage.  Provision storage and other factors
are also impacted by crew compliment.

EXPERIENCE:  (Ken, can you elaborate how experience may translate into
various design decisions?)  My assumption is minimal experience can be a
design requirement that will minimally impact system decisions, because the
target cost of the vessel will dictate simplicity.  An example may be using
a NO FRILLS watermaker that doesn't require a lot of service or utilizes
complex components subject to higher failure rates.

BUDGET:  There are two components of budget, purchase/build price and
operating expenses.  Obviously the price of the boat is a MAJOR factor, as
it will influence all other choices.  Perhaps using an arbitrary figure
representative of a mean house value that represents equity accumulated over
two decades of ownership, or some representative figure that is affordable
to a large community of potential buyers.  As this effort is in part trying
to define something that doesn't currently existing, using a value below
what is currently available on the market is more valuable that simply
picking a number that is easily purchased off the production market.  I hope
that makes sense?

 Purchase (Build) Price- 

 Operating Budget-10% of Purchase/build price

OTHER?????????????????????????????????????????????????

Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle WA

Scott:

I'm not sure if this fits the discussion or not... but, as we think about
the target price point for "The Perfect Passagemaker", should we consider
deliberately targeting a price that is 20-30% higher than most retirees are
prepared to spend?

Here's my thinking:

Let's say that we think the magic price point is $350,000. Perhaps we target
our "perfect boat" to sell new for $500,000. Many trawler-buyers would
rather buy a used boat than a new boat. One tends to get more for your
money, plus someone else has already shaken down all the systems. And,
Nordhavns excepted (they oft-times seem to appreciate!), most boats drop
materially in value somewhere between the dealer's showroom and the dock.

All of this is a long-winded way of saying that if we think the lion's share
of retirees have X to spend on a trawler at retirement, we should be
designing around the minority who have X PLUS 30% to spend, because more
than half of purchasers are going to be buying a used boat. (I made this
stat up -- and, have no idea what the real number is)

On a different topic:

You asked that I elaborate on how boating experience might affect design
decisions (assuming I am the Ken you referred to).

My thought on this topic is that the level of experience is inversely
proportional to the amount of redundancy needed. In other words, someone who
is capable of doing fairly major work on their engine, and has the seasoning
to know what types of spare parts to carry, might need a "get home" engine
less than someone who would be "stuck" should the engine fail.

Or, perhaps it can be argued that because this is a major purchase for
people, it can be assumed that they take very seriously learning to maintain
their boat. I just don't think first time buyers realize what they are
getting into. It feels to me like we have to assume that there must be
enough redundancy on the boat to get the owners to shore, "if" they are
coastal cruising. We can probably assume that if they decide to do major
passages, it will be after they know their boat well enough that they
qualify as "experienced" owners, and perhaps don't need quite as much
redundancy.

One other thought on experience: Given the low price point we're targeting,
we're probably talking a boat under 50 feet. Realistically, this means
single engine. Given our target market, thrusters are probably mandatory
(for docking) on a single engine boat.

And, a last thought:

I've referred a few times to price point, and experience-level, and focusing
our design on the target demographic. If we really do intend to design "the
perfect passagemaker" then we'll have to make tough decisions along the way,
and focus on what is realistic at a given price point.

However, I'd like this to not limit our debate. For instance, I think we all
know that it is unlikely we'll recommend a hull in ferro concrete or wood,
but I learned a great deal from that discussion, and I'd hate to see us rule
out fun debate just because we don't think something will make the final
cut. The un-said, but obvious, reason for this whole exercise is that it's a
great excuse to force all of us to look at every system on a boat, and
discuss all the options out there - which is a VERY cool, and very
educational, idea.

-Ken Williams
www.kensblog.com
Nordhavn 68, Sans Souci