Modular boat design

[Shaugh]

Another thread got me thinking about whether any boat manufacturer has ever tried this idea. Why not create a simple, wide, open floor utility hull as your basic model:



Design it with heavy duty slots around the gunnels :



Then create different floor and storage modules that can lock into that track.

Crappie modules:


Bass modules:


Trolling / Downrigger modules:


Even mini camper modules:




Imagine a boat that you could transform in that way...

I wish I had some business sense... somebody should pick up that idea and run with it...

 

[Scott F]

I recently bought a new Blazer jon and it was an empty hull. My dealer then did all the custom mods I needed to set it up for my needs. (you can kind of see the completed boat in my avatar)

 

[Shaugh]

It looks like some of those bigger companies do have a modular manufacturing plan... they would just need to modify them to be easy to install by the customer. It could create huge additional sales for them as customers would return to buy additional modules...

I like to fish for all species.. being able to quickly change over to my crappie or trolling setup would be huge to me.... A mini houseboat would also be in my storage shed...

 

[richg99]

Well, a million dollar idea is born every minute.

You might want to talk to a custom boat manufacturer about your idea. You never know. Personally, I like it. Henry Ford kind of liked that concept, too.

 

[LDUBS]

A transformer boat!

 

[lovedr79]

that would be awesome. would probably do really good in sales. how many boats do most of us have on here? usually more than 1. combine all options/ability to transofr 1 boat would be awesome

 

[jtf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R-sfy5x9h0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrwKvP8LHSE


Hyde and Koffler have been doing it for years. This is a drift boat vid, both companies make prop and jet sleds the same way. There are no side ribs, they use a strong top rail for assembling the mods.

I run the aluminum lowpro when not in the 1648 jet sled. It really is a great design option, have changed mine several times in the past 15 years, plug and play.

 

[Shaugh]

Doh... another potential path to millionaire vaporized.... oh well... back to work....

 

[richg99]

jtf. Outstanding video showing what can be done.

Perhaps our Tinboat modifiers on this site should all watch the video. It gives a ton of good ideas about interior usage.

Some planning; some heavy duty rails, and suddenly you have a boat that can grow with your needs or the needs of the next buyer.

Thanks for posting. p.s. where are you from? it isn't in your side-profile.

 

[turbotodd]

Team ward, among others, already uses the "t-lock rails" on their boats, and a lot of accessories fit right to them. I think Edge uses them, Xpress, maybe Havoc and Ambush, though I'm not familiar with the latter two...but it's been used for a long time. 26 years that I can remember; and Duracraft (when they were owned by Noah corporation) used something similar too prior to that; but I was not around them at the time.

As far as standardizing, some manufacturers already do that. I think Waco is one of them, they will build thousands of the same basic hull and then further down the line they get accessorized differently from that point.

 

[jtf]

Another beauty of the western design is there are no ribs required in the welded boats, (driftboats, power sleds or vees), something I've seen only in the Alweld Marsh series of jon boats.

Hiding out in northwest NC.

 

[jtf]

https://fishingwithjay.wordpress.com/tag/koffler-boats/


This is kind of off topic, but a good show by a fine photographer and writer. There are some pictures of seats, rod trays (a favorite in my boats), powered all-welded sleds, etc. Shows how a metal boat can be fitted. If I could have just one more tinboat...

 

[LDUBS]

I stumbled across this by accident. Apparently this was a design concept for a molded storage/bow platform. I wonder if we will see something like this in the marketplace. It is about as modular as you can get.

 

[richg99]

Hmmmm With so many different heights; widths; and angles, I wouldn't put my money into making the mold.

Now, if they concentrated on just one large brand, and could make the thing fit most models of that brand, it would certainly be a great device.

 

[LDUBS]

Hmmmm With so many different heights; widths; and angles, I wouldn't put my money into making the mold.

Now, if they concentrated on just one large brand, and could make the thing fit most models of that brand, it would certainly be a great device.

Yeah, As hurdles go, that is a pretty high one.