The most fundamental decision faced by boat buyers is a witch’s brew of physics and psychology. Buyers need to begin by asking themselves two questions: What kind of cruiser am I going to be and what hull design best reflects that lifestyle?
Lou Codega, one of the most versatile naval architects practicing today, will help boat buyers answer those questions in Newport on Saturday, Sept. 17. He will explain how different hull shapes behave differently underway and why this should take precedence in the decision-tree of boat buying.
Walk the docks long enough, and you will find unhappy individuals who made this initial decision based on emotion and not a clear-eyed assessment.
Codega will share at least one case study on how emotions led to painful consequences and will divulge an approach for boat buying that removes emotion from the equation. “The geek term for it would be some kind of ‘systems analysis’ for picking a boat,” Codega explains. “You don’t even think of a particular boat at the outset.
“The other thing I want to stress is different horses for different courses,” he cautions. “Don’t buy a boat now for what you think you may be doing five years from now — buy one for what you know you will be doing today.”
The seminar is from 1 to 3 p.m. and costs $60.
CruiserPort University is part of the Newport International Boat Show where Codega and other experts, including Nigel Calder, will present seminars at the Newport Blues Cafe, directly across Thames Street from the show.
Codega is a registered professional engineer who has degrees in naval architecture and marine engineering from the Webb Institute of Naval Architecture and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His 35 years of experience, almost all in powerboat design, have included stints with the Coast Guard, the Navy’s small craft design group, and Donald L. Blount and Associates.
Since 1990, Codega has practiced independently, designing production and semicustom vessels. His designs have been built by many of the most highly regarded builders in the country. Boats in his portfolio range from 16 to 155 feet and include work for Regulator Marine, Silver Ships, Seemann Composites and Carolina Classic.
Though he has designed full-displacement trawlers, Codega is also a recognized expert in high performance craft with experience in high-speed hydrodynamics, lightweight composite and aluminum structures, and high-performance engines and propulsion.
The best value at the registration site is to purchase a VIP pass for $375, which entitles the purchaser to attend eight seminars, including Codega’s (but excluding Nigel Calder’s diesel and electrical systems seminars). It would cost $480 to attend those eight seminars al a carte.
