Fire & Rescue Truck

Whilst at University, 30 years ago now, I did a short project which was to design a Fire & Rescue Truck. It was an interesting project, albeit short. It never went past the sketching and rendering stage. Yet, there were some ideas that I found that could still be relevant now. It gave me the excuse of creating a truck, and it was a little bit of fun. 


The vehicle is a 4×4, with composite construction for the bodywork, and has a rear mounted arm that can be remotely operated in the rear upright cabin, the main vehicle cabin or remotely. The arm has interchangeable ends, which makes the vehicle multipurpose. The ends include an excavator, a monitor, large shears to cut car wreckage and grasping arms, but other ideas could be incorporated. The main principle is that the vehicle is versatile, rapid and capable on several terrains.

Fire & Rescue Truck

SIRIUSLY

Motor Yacht Sirius is the latest superyacht concept by Andrew Trujillo Design. It is a 90m motor yacht that in many ways is designed with interior space, and specifically floor to ceiling height in mind. The main deck has 3m floor to ceiling heights. The Owner’s deck has 2.8m floor to ceiling heights. This makes her unusual as yachts go. Often as a yacht designer when you are designing the interiors you have 2.1m, 2.2 or at a push 2.5m to play with. Having been involved on the design of motor yacht “Luminosity” which also has these very unusual deck heights, it felt worthwhile exploring this again in a fresh design. The added height adds an unmistakeable sense of airiness and is in itself a special feature, a definite luxury.

Sirius is one of the largest stars known, it is bright and seemed suitable as a choice for a yacht that like luminosity will feature large areas of glazing with panoramic views and plenty of light. Star light will also provide some of her power, with numerous solar panels being incorporated not only on her superstructure but also on the floor of the large swimming pool on her foredeck. Her design also features a large aft helideck.

Sirius 90M motor Yacht
Sirius Motor Yacht 90M
Sirius Motor Yacht 90M
Sirius Motor Yacht 90M
Sirius Motor Yacht 90M

Coriolis – 25 Metre Catamaran

The Coriolis Catamaran is a 25M concept design with twin masts, each mast mounted on a hull. The aim of Coriolis is to have a sail powered catamaran that is mainly intended for long distance cruising. With two hulls that are capacious rather than very slender, mean that she is not intended to win races (though probably quite swift), but rather use the twin mast configuration to enable each mast to be more compact and less loaded. It also provides and element of redundancy. It also means that power and loads are distributed more evenly and each mast is placed on structures that are well suited to the purpose; a mast on each pontoon makes more sense than a centrally placed mast, as the compressive loads do not tend to exert on one of the weakest parts of the vessel.

The yacht is intended to be as environmentally friendly as possible, so she is built using vegetable derived epoxy, with flax fibre for her hulls and superstructure. He decking would not be teak but cork; chosen for the renewability of the resource and great insulation plus impact resistance qualities.

She would be available with a choice of a conventional Bermuda rig or alternatively with a couple of wing sails. This design is one that I have been toying around with and is conceptual. It uses a NACA 2412 foil form but has a number of features that should mean that, in theory at least, the foil form could be varied by the use of cams inside the wing. The cams would act on the battens, which in turn would vary the profile depending on the direction of the wind, though this would be selected by the skipper. The sails are unstayed and can rotate fully 360 degrees, if required. This means that the wing sails could be used as wings even with a following wind.

The wings can be raised in a similar way to a junk rig, so the uppermost part of the sail is hoisted, and it raises each segment in turn. The cams that are attached to the battens have loose fitting bearings that not only allow the wing to rotate, but the bearing surface also slides up and down on the mast, though the tolerances would not be very tight, removing therefore chances for the cam “vertebrae” to seize up. The mast would probably be made of pultruded Carbon fibre, meaning tubes that are consistent and can be very stiff. The masts do not taper.

The cam system would probably be powered by electric winches or hydraulics. The sails would have a boom, inside which would be the hoisting mechanism, probably an electrically powered capstan winch.

Twin wing version

The boat would have feathering propellers, but the power to the propellers would be electric, with the propellers being used at times as generators to top up a bank of batteries. There would be a backup diesel generator for situations where it might be needed. The vessel also has numerous solar panels and a couple of wind powered generators at the top of the masts, which would ensure that enough power always exists for primary communications and navigation equipment. The aim of all being that she could sail under wind or electric power for the vast majority of the time, meaning a non-polluting and quiet vessel.

Bermuda Rig Version

On both versions the masts are attached at the top to one another, providing an element of rigidity and mutual support.

Bermuda rig Version
Coriolis has a garage up front to stow away Tenders and/or Jetskis.
Coriolis has a garage for the stowage of tenders or Jetskis.
Twin Wing Version of Coriolis

VIVA “VIVA”

It seems that some large super-yachts are a bit like busses, you wait for one for years and then two arrive almost at the same time. First was “Luminosity.” She has been followed by another big beast.

On this occasion it is Feadship project 817 otherwise known as Motor Yacht “VIVA.” She is without doubt the one project I worked on whilst at Azure Naval Architects that I identify as being my “baby.” I would naturally want to clarify, all projects, particularly large vessels of 94M are collaborative and I would not want to make claims that could be controversial, but much of her original design remains and I am very proud of my design involvement with her. I am especially happy to see her built. I would like to congratulate Azure and my former colleagues in seeing her into fruition, I cannot wait to see her finalised and hopefully one day, sailing.

The elements that have changed, after I left Azure, are the closed off stern (I recall concerns at the time of some yachts being accessed without authorisation via open transoms, so this made sense), and the bite into the main deck ceiling in the aft, which I must presume was done to provide more light to the large aft deck pool. The skylights that are present in the fore on main and owner’s deck are also somewhat smaller than originally conceived. However the ceiling to floor glazing has been retained, which is great to see. The distinctive pyramidal sky-deck structures are also there. The pictures are obviously missing the radar masts, which will be added later, which will balance her out.

https://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/feadship-project-817-launch

Viva leaving Yard
Viva Sea Trials

Luminosity

About ten years ago, I was working for Dutch Naval Architecture firm Azure Naval Architects in Haarlem. I was designing some very large motor yachts. One of which was this beast, Motor Yacht Luminosity. A complicated project from the technical requirements, she began at 88 metres. I did a number of proposals and it was one of my designs that got the commission, although I then left the company and the final design changed in some details (my former colleagues did a number of improvements, I think), and more obviously overall length, growing to 107 metres, which has made her more graceful, I suspect Benetti made these modifications. One of the tricky requirements she had was to have a main deck clear floor to ceiling height of 3 metres. She was also innovative in the extensive use of glazing more akin to that of buildings. She is however, the largest yacht that I have had a hand in designing, although it was, as ever, a team effort. At the bottom is a link to the broker that is currently selling her, it shows a nice video. I was not involved in the Interior, although I did have numerous conversations with Zaniz at those early stages.

MY Luminosity

MY Luminosity

MY Luminosity

Luminosity

Early Render

https://www.burgessyachts.com/en/buy-a-yacht/yachts-for-sale/luminosity-00008286?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw4uit_6m6wIVCLLtCh0RuQ5iEAAYASAAEgKnTvD_BwE

LUMINOSITY VIDEO
LUMINOSITY VIDEO

Fast Displacement Motor Yacht

After a little pause in designing larger motor yachts, I decided to try something a little different. In this case designing a fast displacement motor yacht. The hull is a design arrived at in consultation with Naval Architect Adam Younger. The yacht is named Kingfisher in tribute to the bill of the bird which inspired the form of the bulbous bow. The aim of this design was to make a fast displacement yacht that looked relatively contemporary but also retained enough traditional elements to retain an air of familiarity. The yacht offers generous space particularly in entertainment areas, but is also swift and efficient.

58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
58M Fast displacement Motor Yacht
Kingfisher Fore
Kingfisher – Aft
Kingfisher 58M Profile

Going off the beaten track

I have worked for a Motorhome company in the past and have made a number of other designs for another motorhome company. Although I love designing yachts, I occasionally go back to designing recreational vehicles.
I have long felt there was a gap in the market for an offload motorhome. So, I decided to make a design for a really insane off-road motorhome. Based on a military Volvo Chassis, it really is intended to be the ultimate go-anywhere travel machine. Meet the Aconcagua, named after the highest peak in the Americas. It is somewhat large…

This one is just for fun.

Capable of going pretty much anywhere!

Based on a Volvo Military truck chassis, lengthened a little…

It is a large beast!

Solar panels on top

With a central driving position, so you are always on the correct side of the road! Should you decide to use roads, that is!

Montecarlo

This is my attempt at covering a design of a 1980’s Italian, now mostly forgotten car. The Lancia Montecarlo. My version is a freshened version, but retaining enough, I hope, of the old design theme. I have been looking into the possibility of it being made using new materials, such as linseed fibre and bio epoxy composite, as well as incorporating either a hybrid or most likely an electric drivetrain.

Should Italian cars be in red? I think so…
Montecarlo in Anthracite
Solar panel roof version

Citroen DS – Concept Design

I started my company late in 2012. One of the first people that I pitched for work for was a car enthusiast. His particular interest was in Citroen cars, with a love of the classic Citroen DS from the 1950’s. He asked me to design a concept for a modern day version of this futuristic and elegant car. Although the project never progressed past the first visual (top), I decided recently to develop the design into a 3d model, which you see here.

Concept car – Tilting Alfa Romeo

After having developed a number of more unusual looking tilting vehicles, I thought it might be interesting to explore designing a more conventional car. It still would have the same tilting into corners suspension system. Arguably, Alfa Romeo is not the most likely brand to have this type of suspension, but it was a bit of fun.

Tilting sport saloon
Tilting Alfa Romeo
Tilting Alfa Romeo
Tilting Alfa Romeo
Tilting Alfa Romeo