Naval architects design barges, boats, and ships for use in commercial, pleasure, military, or other applications in marine or fresh water applications. Naval Architecture is often coupled with Marine Engineering. Marine Engineering deals primarily with the power plant while Naval Architecture deals with the rest, including hull form, stability, arrangements, and propeller design.

The naval architect designs the vessel based on the requirements for the vessel's use (function, capacity, speed,...) , appropriate regulatory bodies, other design elements (aesthetics, comfort, etc.), and most importantly: cost. Designing a vessel that meets all the requirements involves making continuous compromises. The conflicting priorities of cost, performance, and safety are continually balanced.

The best designs are those that either select best performance for a particular application or offer satisfactory performance in multiple applications.

Education

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Often, naval architecture will be offered as a dual degree with marine engineering, not to be confused with a marine engineer which prepares the student to sit for a merchant marine officer's license (3rd assistant engineer), but a theoretical and working knowledge of marine prime movers and support equipment. While the curriculum will vary from school to school, the first two years of the education of a naval architect starts off in a similar manner to the majority of engineering disciplines with the study of:

• statics
• dynamics
• fluid mechanics
• mechanics of materials
• thermodynamics
• circuit analysis
• electrical machinery.

After the core engineering curriculum is complete, they then receive training in

• ship form calculations and stability (hydrostatics)
• ship resistance and propulsion
• marine engineering (power systems)
• ship structural analysis and design
• offshore structure and ship dynamics (hydrodynamics, vibrations).

After receiving a naval architecture undergraduate degree, many graduates will pursue advanced degrees in specific fields that require further study: e.g. hydrodynamics or structures.

Specialisms

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See also

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• Naval architecture
• Royal Institution of Naval Architects

External links

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• The Royal Institution of Naval Architects professional institution involved at all levels in the design, construction, repair and operation of ships, boats and marine structures.
• The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers dedicated to advancing the art, science and practice of naval architecture, shipbuilding and marine engineering.
• American Society of Naval Engineers to advance the knowledge and practice of naval engineering in public and private applications and operations.

Schools

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• Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras Undergraduate (B.Tech), postgraduate (M.Tech/M.S) and research (Ph.D) programmes in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering.
• Coventry University - Boat Design MDes degree Undergraduate course in industrial design for the boat industry.
• University of New Orleans School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering undergraduate and graduate degree program in naval architecture and marine engineering
• School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton Engineering undergraduate (BEng/MEng) and postgraduate degree (MSc/PhD) programmes in Naval Architecture, Ship Science, Marine Systems Engineering and Yacht & Small Craft
• Webb Institute Undergraduate studies in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

professions | water transport | Architecture and engineering occupations | Marine engineers and naval architects | Engineering