Meet Will Porter, Our In-House Designer!
November 07, 2018
Did you know that we hired a talented designer from Southampton Solent University this summer? This means that Betts Boats now has the capacity to make your dream a reality from initial idea to launch. Read on to learn about Will’s background and how he is contributing to the Betts Boats team.
Why did you decide to go into design?
I wanted to become a designer since age eight, when my third-grade science teacher ran a segment on simple machines. We built our own land yachts in class and then had a race. I recall spending a long time tinkering with mine, and it eventually won. Almost instantly I was hooked, and since then I’ve been fascinated by the design process and the satisfaction of seeing something I’ve drawn get built.
Where did you grow up?
I am originally from Rhode Island where I spent much my childhood racing dinghies. When I was 15 my family moved on board a sailboat and we left to cruise the world. I spent my high school years abroad, visiting over 20 countries before going to the UK to study yacht design.
What is your education background?
Before college I knew I wanted to get into design and I started my educational journey by taking an internship with the yacht designer Robert Perry. I then took the Westlawn Elements of Boat Design course before getting a Bachelor of Engineering in “Yacht and Powercraft Design” at Southampton Solent University. My current position at Betts Boats is the result of an internship I undertook during the gap between my second and third year at the university.
Tell me about a typical day at Betts Boats.
I run a pretty normal “office hours day” at work, starting at 8 and finishing at 5. I like to get in a few minutes early so I have time to get a glass of water in the break room before punching in on time. Usually I work on 3D CAD modeling of components and tooling. I also keep track of component weights going into our boats and do some miscellaneous tasks such as making printed cut templates, prepping dxf files for waterjet cutting and measuring existing parts to compare to dimensions in our 3D models. Recently I’ve also been doing a few hydrostatic, resistance, and powering calculations.
At 12 I eat a hot lunch every day as I’m not much of a sandwich person. I live only a few blocks away from work, so I often take a break in to run home for lunch. The afternoon is more of the same and often involves tracking down Jim and others to discuss whatever projects I’m working on.
What is the most interesting project you have designed?
That’s a tough one. Although I’ve only been working at Betts Boats for two months, there has been plenty of interesting work to go around. One of my favorite projects so far has been the design of a cassette rudder for the titanium charter cat we are building over in the metal shop. Some others include a reinforced hard-point to attach a carbon catamaran crossbeam and tooling for a raceway ladder on a commercial ferry.
What is your favorite part about designing?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what my favorite aspect of design would be. I enjoy the feeling of overcoming a challenge with an effective solution, but it is also satisfying to make something look aesthetically pleasing, and it’s always a thrill to see my design come to life on the shop floor.
What do you hope to be able to design in the future?
I am an avid cruiser and would enjoy being involved the design an offshore cruising sailboat. I also like high performance sailing and would love to see our shop become involved with a yacht racing campaign.
Why did you decide to go into design?
I wanted to become a designer since age eight, when my third-grade science teacher ran a segment on simple machines. We built our own land yachts in class and then had a race. I recall spending a long time tinkering with mine, and it eventually won. Almost instantly I was hooked, and since then I’ve been fascinated by the design process and the satisfaction of seeing something I’ve drawn get built.
Where did you grow up?
I am originally from Rhode Island where I spent much my childhood racing dinghies. When I was 15 my family moved on board a sailboat and we left to cruise the world. I spent my high school years abroad, visiting over 20 countries before going to the UK to study yacht design.
What is your education background?
Before college I knew I wanted to get into design and I started my educational journey by taking an internship with the yacht designer Robert Perry. I then took the Westlawn Elements of Boat Design course before getting a Bachelor of Engineering in “Yacht and Powercraft Design” at Southampton Solent University. My current position at Betts Boats is the result of an internship I undertook during the gap between my second and third year at the university.
Tell me about a typical day at Betts Boats.
I run a pretty normal “office hours day” at work, starting at 8 and finishing at 5. I like to get in a few minutes early so I have time to get a glass of water in the break room before punching in on time. Usually I work on 3D CAD modeling of components and tooling. I also keep track of component weights going into our boats and do some miscellaneous tasks such as making printed cut templates, prepping dxf files for waterjet cutting and measuring existing parts to compare to dimensions in our 3D models. Recently I’ve also been doing a few hydrostatic, resistance, and powering calculations.
At 12 I eat a hot lunch every day as I’m not much of a sandwich person. I live only a few blocks away from work, so I often take a break in to run home for lunch. The afternoon is more of the same and often involves tracking down Jim and others to discuss whatever projects I’m working on.
What is the most interesting project you have designed?
That’s a tough one. Although I’ve only been working at Betts Boats for two months, there has been plenty of interesting work to go around. One of my favorite projects so far has been the design of a cassette rudder for the titanium charter cat we are building over in the metal shop. Some others include a reinforced hard-point to attach a carbon catamaran crossbeam and tooling for a raceway ladder on a commercial ferry.
What is your favorite part about designing?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what my favorite aspect of design would be. I enjoy the feeling of overcoming a challenge with an effective solution, but it is also satisfying to make something look aesthetically pleasing, and it’s always a thrill to see my design come to life on the shop floor.
What do you hope to be able to design in the future?
I am an avid cruiser and would enjoy being involved the design an offshore cruising sailboat. I also like high performance sailing and would love to see our shop become involved with a yacht racing campaign.