Running from 12 to 13 November 2012, this year’s HISWA Symposium on Yacht Design and Yacht Construction will be dedicated to wooden yacht building, which seems to be undergoing a resurgence. Builders are keeping the tradition of wooden yacht construction using modern technology.

141m Sailing Yacht Dream Symphony

The symposium will, among other things, provide a detailed description of the design methods used for a large, wooden, laminated structure. This will be done on the basis of the design for the 141m sailing yacht Dream Symphony, that is currently being built. Alongside wood, the symposium will also pay attention to the application of glass. As is the case in architecture, this material is increasingly being applied in yacht building. Its structural use in particular makes specific demands on the glass utilised, but, naturally, also on the regulations covering the application thereof. The symposium will shed light on how designers should tackle this.

Robot sails
Another subject on the programme is computerisation on board. The robotic sailing boat project is the ultimate example of the latest developments in this field. Symposium participants will be able to attend a presentation on the ‘Roboat’; a robotic sailing vessel which can sail autonomously.

History
The HISWA Symposium on Yacht Design and Yacht Construction has a rich history and this will be its 22nd edition. The symposium has an extensive programme that centres on developments and insights in the field of yacht design and construction. Renowned universities, knowledge institutions and companies from around the globe share their findings with the market.

The symposium is a HISWA Vereniging, TU Delft and Amsterdam RAI initiative and is supported by MARIN, DAMEN, Royal Huisman and FEADSHIP. The biennial symposium was first organised in 1967. The programme is intended for (inter)national yacht builders, yacht designers and (R&D) technicians. Students with an interest in the yacht building industry are also welcome.