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Sometime in April, we received an email from a "couple of young guys" who were going to develop a 3D-printed boat within six months and were eager to have a "big engine" for it. This marked the beginning of an adventure in which Tanaruz and Robust-MT Marine Technology BV collaborated intensively to get the first Ozare 6.5 ready for the Hiswa te Water boat show in Lelystad. Read our report here.
Starting with that email, some clarification was still needed before a suitable proposal could be made. In other words, the list of requirements didn't seem entirely realistic. Still, the message did challenge us to take a closer look at what was behind it. Developing a 3D-printed sloop is quite a feat, and the timeline is very short. But what if..
We decided to have a chat with the people at Tanaruz. It turned out to be a conversation we won't soon forget. To our great surprise, behind the office there was actually a 3D printer capable of printing objects up to 12 meters in length. We've been talking to boat builders and 3D printing specialists for a while now, but we'd never met a boat builder with their own printer. That certainly offers a lot of perspective and flexibility.
In the office, it was striking how incredibly creative and driven these young guys were. The entire wall was covered with mood boards, renders, and sketches. What was especially great was the demand for help. Not only were they genuinely asking for our impressions and suggestions for the boat, but it also turned out that this club could really use some help with electrification. While they had plenty of knowledge about boats/sloops and certainly plenty of creativity, they lacked any knowledge of onboard electricity and electric propulsion systems.
Tanaruz wanted to build boats for the Hiswa 3 Ozare 6.5 and could use a partner who would design, supply, build, and test everything related to electricity. From shore power to propeller, that's precisely our service.
Finding a suitable solution proved challenging, as did actually building/printing the prototype. Just as we finally decided on the drivetrain, the engine manufacturer ceased operations. Once the model was finished, it turned out the print still needed some fine-tuning. In short, the already short timeframe became extremely tight.
Of course, we agreed on the actual set far too late, and then there was the summer vacation period in between. At Robust-MT Marine Technology BV, however, we work 48 hours a day, we work until our hands are blistered, and if necessary, we'll sleep fast and backward. The guys at Tanaruz were cut from the same cloth and even slept in the office during that period to get the job done. Being welcomed early on a Saturday morning with your toothbrush still in your mouth—class!
The set we ended up with included:
During our vacation, all the materials were delivered to Tanaruz. Now we just had to wait for the first successful print. The plan was to have the hull delivered to us, after which we would take care of the entire finishing process. Time caught up with us, and suddenly it was the week of Monday, August 21st, and Monday, August 28th, the boat had to be shipped to Hiswa.
Finally, we were able to start on Thursday, August 24th. Not at our location, but with a car full of all the necessary tools at the Tanaruz location.
Upon arrival, there were two rough hulls, still warm and resting on the supports (supports used to hold a 3D print in position during printing). Of these two, only one was good enough. This was also the first time we were able to actually examine the design in detail. It immediately became clear that everything we had envisioned, based on incorrect assumptions, had to be discarded. We had planned to integrate all the electronics into the console, but unfortunately, it can't be opened, so we had to devise a plan B. We had agreed that there would be channels in the print for wiring. The channels were there, but there was no way to run a cable through them. In short, we faced some challenges together. Roll up our sleeves and get to work.
After consultation, it was decided to install all the equipment under the rear bench seat. This is also where the batteries and chargers are located, and shore power can also be accessed. This is how it ultimately looks:
On Thursday, I was only able to work all day, and the basic electrical system was completed and tested. On Saturday, the navigation lights and the entire drivetrain still needed to be installed. Luckily, I had Nils with me, and with some help from the Tanaruz team, I was fortunate enough to get all the electrical components and the drivetrain installed and tested on time.
At Hiswa te Water 2023, the boat looked absolutely stunning. What a show-stopper, and what an achievement to get such a boat up and running and production-ready from scratch to such a prestigious show in just six months. A huge compliment to Team Tanaruz, and a pat on the back for ourselves, too, for completing a boat we'd never seen before in just two days, without any compromises on materials or finish. That's how we do it at Robust-MT Marine Technology BV.
Please feel free to contact us for your project, we are happy to help.
