RSantos Design
Design Journal
Technical writing on yacht and boat design — hull development, interior layout, 3D modeling, and the process behind each project stage.
Filter by topic
17 articles
Exterior Design
Exterior boat design: what it actually involves
Hull form, deck layout, general arrangement and 3D production geometry — explained through real projects: Purus 26m catamaran, Notte 26ft, Garnet consoles and Harmonia 63m concept.
Exterior Design
How yacht exterior design works: from hull lines to general arrangement
What hull lines actually are, how deck layout decisions get made, and what a GA drawing contains. The full exterior design process from a working designer's perspective.
Technical
What is a general arrangement drawing in boat design
The GA is the document a shipyard builds from. Here's what it contains, who uses it, and why projects that skip it cost more in the end.
Interior Design
Yacht interior design: cabin layout, materials and joinery detailing
How cabin layout decisions get made within a fixed hull, what material specification involves for marine environments, and how joinery drawings connect design to construction.
3D Modeling
3D surface modeling in boat design: what Rhinoceros 3D actually does
What NURBS surface modeling is, why hull fairing requires it, and how a 3D model connects design intent to the CNC machines that cut the parts.
Pricing
How much does custom yacht design cost
Real ranges for exterior design, interior design, and commercial visualization. What drives the cost, what's included in a proper package, and what to ask before signing anything.
Industry
Yacht design in Brazil: the market, the industry, and working internationally
Brazil has around 320,000 registered vessels and a concentrated nautical manufacturing base. Here's what the design industry looks like from inside it.
Propulsion
Hybrid propulsion in yacht design: what shipyards need to know
Hybrid propulsion is no longer optional — it is a baseline expectation. A technical guide covering system configurations, hull implications, cost, and interior design consequences.
Industry
Yacht refit vs. new build: the decision framework
When to refit and when to build new — covering hull condition, scope of work, timeline, technology, and real cost comparisons.
Materials
Teak alternatives for yacht decking: what actually works
Cork, composite teak, thermally modified hardwood, bamboo, and synthetic options — what each material delivers and where it makes sense.
Naval Architecture
Explorer yacht design: structural and interior specifications
What makes an explorer yacht different from a conventional motor yacht — hull form, ice-class notation, interior ergonomics for open-ocean conditions, and shipyard qualification.
Interior Design
Biophilic interior design for superyachts: beyond the green wall
Biophilic design is an evidence-based methodology — not a style. Natural light strategy, material specification for sensory properties, organic form, and multi-sensory design for restorative interiors.
Naval Architecture
Displacement, semi-displacement, and planing hulls: how hull form determines the rest of the design
How hull form determines interior volume, fuel capacity, engine room layout, speed, and range — and why changing it mid-project means designing a different boat.
Materials
Carbon fiber in yacht construction: what it actually changes in the design process
What composite construction actually means — hand layup vs vacuum infusion vs pre-preg, the weight spiral, FEA, and when carbon genuinely makes sense.
Technical
Acoustic design in yacht interiors: how noise and vibration actually get controlled
Structure-borne vs airborne noise, floating floors, engine isolation, and what to specify in the contract. Noise control in yacht interiors explained.
Industry
What a yacht designer actually does
What a yacht designer actually does — disciplines, daily work, formation paths, and what it looks like to run a design studio in Brazil working internationally.
Marketing & Production
Yacht 3D rendering and visualization: what actually goes into a render
What a yacht render actually is, how the pipeline works from CAD model to final image, what drives cost and turnaround, and when to use rendering in a project.
No articles in this category yet