Recipient Organization
BOAT YARD LLC
123 EVEN KEEL RD
YARMOUTH,ME 040966542
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The Boat Yard will design a novel workboat hull to meet the specific requirements of the U.S. aquaculture industry. The aquaculture industry currently relies on gasoline or diesel-fueled internal combustion engines to power workboats used to transport personnel, equipment, and materials to and from aquaculture sites. Our workboat will feature a novel hull design, durability, and superior battery life/range at a competitive price.This Phase I project will result in a prototype hull. We will complete the foundational research needed to develop a core hull and propulsion design, create and test a virtual and alpha prototype, and survey potential customers. The resulting commercially available electric workboat will save aquaculture companies money on fuel and maintenance, helping them compete with imports. It will also help the industry maintain its reputation as the most environmentally sustainable seafood source. Our electric workboat will eliminate environmental hazards to personnel, crops, and the marine ecosystem from volatile emissions and fuel spills or leaks.This project directly supports the USDA's FY2022-2026 Strategic Goals. An electric workboat will eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and potential fuel spills, combating climate change and protecting America's working water natural resources (Strategic Goal 1). This innovation will reduce costs and increase profits for farmers, contributing to aquaculture's sustainability and rural economic development (Strategic Goals 2 and 5), while providing safe, nutritious food (Strategic Goal 4). It would also make domestic aquaculture farmers more competitive with imports, which currently supply over 60% of seafood consumers in the U.S. (Strategic Goal 3).
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
70%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The Boat Yard will design a novel workboat hull to meet the specific requirements of the U.S. aquaculture industry. The major project goals/objectives include:Technical Objective 1: Establish end-user needs for an electric workboat suited to nearshore aquaculture operations.Technical Objective 2: Establish the design criteria for a novel hull suitable for an electric workboat.Technical Objective 3: Create virtual and physical prototypes for preliminary testing in Phase I and rigorous Phase II testing.Technical Objective 4: Utilize TABA funding to establish the market feasibility of the commercialized electric workboat.
Project Methods
The Boat Yard operates a boatyard in Yarmouth, Maine, providing boat maintenance and electrification services to commercial and recreational boaters. The company has a successful history of collaborating with aquaculture industry stakeholders to advance its business capabilities.The goal of this Phase I research is to prove feasibility of a novel workboat hull designed specifically for use with electric power and for applications in the aquaculture industry. The project will follow the methods below to achieve the expected outcome of the project:Task 1: Use case assessment.Task 2. Virtual prototype design criteria.Task 3: Scantling plans for the novel hull.Task 4: CFD analysis and completion of virtual prototype.Task 5: Alpha prototype hull fabrication.Task 6. Prototype trials.Task 7: Customer survey.