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A year and a half of design, a mold made from scratch, the first hull built and assembled in the evening after class, and by the fourth sail, a model in the air. An engineering student specializing in naval engineering, Matthis Johnson's project was as passionate as it was technical: to design and build a radio-controlled monohull designed for foiling. A complete challenge, from CAD to composites and the first launches.
A project born out of a work-study placement in the boating industry
At the age of 21, Matthis Johnson didn't wait until the end of his studies to get to grips with the realities of naval design. As a student in the BTS CICN (Conception et Industrialisation en Construction Navale) in Lorient, then at the Icam in Vannes, he put his Rhino modeling skills to work on an ambitious four-person project: to create a 100% radio-controlled monohull foiler. Behind the spectacular image of a boat rising on its appendages, the four students sought above all to push the process to the limit, going from digital drawing to mold, then from mold to water.
Redesigning a hull, calculating stability
The project starts on screen. Matthis draws the hull shapes from A to Z in Rhino, and works the shapes and volumes through several stability loops. Stability calculations and the integration of a canting keel capable of reaching 60°, as well as its adjustable tilt, become central topics. Every line has to be precisely adjusted in the software, as the slightest approximation will pay off at assembly time. This digital rigor becomes the foundation of the entire project.
Immersion at Ovington Boats
A 3-month internship with Ovington Boats as part of his studies marked a turning point in the project. There, Matthis discovered CNC numerical cutting to machine foam, observed industrial processes and took part in the manufacture of technical parts. The experience enabled him to understand the reality of production constraints and to refine the project. He found the time to manufacture his mold from A to Z, and returned to France with this key element after a year and a half of design.
Construction and first sailings
Production then follows at a steady pace. A whole week is devoted to the structure of the mold, then the hull is built in four weeks, in the evenings after school. Initially led by Matthis during the preliminary studies, with the support of his three friends, the project became everyone's business when the N1 hull took shape in the mold. Together, they drape the first hull, then assemble it.
By the fourth sailing, after a reliability cycle, the model was up on its foils. The boat flies, confirming the relevance of the concept, even if the current version will be further improved. This was followed by 3 more boats, all designed to outperform their predecessors.
A still evolving version
The current aluminum foils will be replaced by more rigid, adjustable carbon appendages, with an innovative geometry quite different from that currently seen on the biggest boats. The prototype is evolving in successive iterations, in keeping with an engineer-in-the-making approach.
From student dream to builder's experience
In a year and a half, Matthis Johnson took his project from modeling to sailing. Digital design, calculations, mold making, composite construction, water trials: a complete immersion in the shipbuilder's craft. Proof that with method, passion and many hours spent in the workshop, a student's dream can already take off.
More
The success of these first flights is just the beginning. On the strength of this validation on the water, the mold will be used again to give birth to boats N°2, N°3 and N°4.
In terms of studies, the course has also been set. Matthis, Edern and Maéthan are now aiming for the DPEA in Naval Architecture at Nantes, to perfect their knowledge in the field.
